strange pursuit

I was left alone in the admin department on Friday. I had been told that if certain leaflets did not arrive at a certain place by a certain time, then I would have to 'chase the supplier', a phrase which brought to mind an alarming vision of high-speed pursuit set to Benny Hill music. However, in the event, I only had to ring someone called Ian. It was almost disappointing.

An office has been set up just down the corridor for use by 'At Risk' staff, those who are on the verge of being made redundant. I have every sympathy with them; but I still couldn't help but wonder what would happen if I burst in there brandishing a chainsaw. Would they scream? Or would they be resigned, telling themselves that, after all, they knew they were at risk...

There was a visit to the annual switching on of the Brentwood lights, an event which, despite being undeniably present at it, we somehow contrived to miss. We just looked up at some point to discover that the lights were already on. I later discovered that they had been turned on at the oddly unobtrusive time of 4:45 by the current mayor 'Tony Sleep'. Gloria Hunniford is clearly a hard act to follow; and perhaps they didn't want to risk over-exciting a crowd already hyped up to the max by glowing reindeer antlers and alarmingly distorted music from the tannoy system.

We left just as the procession (of youths and charging riot police) was beginning. The youths chasing the police, oddly enough.