"Happy is What Happens..."

Lulled into a false sense of security (when I popped in the other day, there were some nice people there!) I spend a whole day in the main office, primarily because the systems in my own office are crap, I am facing some nasty deadlines, and I need to download some image files. Despite this, on the point of crossing the threshold, I feel my happy high spirits start to droop - and luckily at that very point my tender-hearted friend Sue rings me!

I hover on the landing outside the office for some minutes chatting to her. We are in the middle of an animated conversation when the door opens and Line Manager emerges. I instantly stop what I am saying and nod in his direction, remaining silent as he makes his way down the stairs.

"Katharine? Katharine??" Sue imagines that I have been cut off, and so I hastily explain who has just passed.

"Aw" says Sue.
"Don't start all that again" I reply.

Two minutes later the door opens once again  - "it's like living in a public park!" (line from another character in the play I am currently rehearsing). This time, New Boss emerges. At that precise moment, I am giggling uncontrollably at something Sue has said, and it is quite hard to stop. But I do.

New Boss looks almost annoyed as he passes. I suspect it is because his pet theory - that I am a friendless sad little person haunted by DEMONS - has just suffered a severe set back....

Eventually making my way into the main office, I see that it is populated by The Others. Weird. None of them were around on Monday. I exchange the usual silent glances with the Decent People because The Others are already engaged in one of their favourite exercises ie slagging off some poor hapless victim behind their back. Suddenly I hear their leader behind me  - yes! Remora herself has arrived. There is an instant ratcheting up of the decibel levels as her screeching is added to the general cacophany.

I instinctively reach for my iPod.

Disaster. The battery has run down.

Life Coach Colleague, seeing my acute distress, opens a drawer and produces a life-saving piece of equipment. An iPod charger. I can actually charge my iPod and listen to it at the same time !!!

I feel a burst of quiet and intense gratitude.
Thank You Lord for giving my colleague foresight.
And thank You too, for making Steve Jobs so very very intelligent.

Without thinking, I select the musical "Wicked" which I went to see last year with my family. From the very opening words - "Good News! Good News!" - I realise how apposite a soundtrack it is to public sector existence ! I listen to the whole album four times, which sees me through most of the day, helps me get all my work done, and at several moments puts me in the dangerous position of laughing out loud.

I am oblivious to the activities of The Others, but occasionally looking up I observe their silent movie antics while ringing in my ears are glorious lines like: "No-one mourns the Wicked", "Loathing, unadulterated loathing", "Something has changed within me. Something is not the same...." and "Happy is what happens when all your dreams come true"....

It's sheer genius. It should be made available on prescription.