Real Life

Reality reasserted itself after only a few days back in Australia. One of its most obvious manifestations was my return on Monday morning to my place of employment. Behind this beautiful, heritage listed sandstone facade lurks an incongruous plasterboard warren of security doors, office windows with those horizontal blinds from doctor's waiting rooms, and endless blue public service cubicles.

I wandered in at 8:30 am, still feeling a little disoriented. I sat and chatted with my boss for a while and she told me that work had been fairly quiet and I should be able to ease back into the swing of a gentle week - A GREAT BIG LIE! Instead, day one was characterised by widespread panic within my business area, although I still haven't quite figured out why. Several times I found myself gazing into the flourescent light banks and thinking "A week ago I was on a cruise."

When I finally staggered out of the office at 6:30 pm I paused to say goodbye to my boss. "We haven't had a day like this for months" she said. "I think it's you." Let me state this for the record: if the Department considers that its best interests lie in paying me to swan about on the other side of the world, then I am more than happy to serve as called.

Over the week I have been progressively reassimilated into the old routine, to the point where I am once again thinking about work much of the time ... on the train, in the shower and in bed. I even brought work home to do over the weekend. Only once today did I catch myself staring dreamily into the memories of recent adventures. I have been restored to my proper place as a tiny, dilligent cog in a vast and mysterious machine.