Archive Article: 2001/06/01
Our monthly Letter from London brings
you the highs and lows of one countryman living and
working in the capital – but whose heart remains
firmly back on the farm
LIFES different in London. People come here, stay a while and move on. No sooner have you started getting to know someone, they move on. Thats why people dont bother being neighbourly, I guess. Everythings transient. We all remain anonymous.
And as for the average time spent in a job, well, that must only be two or three years – especially with people in their 20s like me. Its a far cry from how it was at home. We had one guy in the village whod worked on the same farm for 44 years. And his old man had worked there, too.
Working in a big office takes a bit of getting used to. You have to be nice to people. And all this office politics! At home, if we were unhappy about something we shouted or swore or went off and did some fencing. Here we bitch on email or mumble furtively in corridors.
The old man says he wants me to go and help harvest – but Ive got other plans for my summer holiday. Itll be the first year for as long as I can remember that I havent spent a fortnight in August grain carting and, Ill tell you something, I cant wait.
Still havent got used to wearing a suit, though. I love getting back into a T-shirt after work. And the shorts came out for the first time last week, too. Which certainly scared the neighbours.
I couldnt help thinking of how it would be, back home. I love this time of year on the farm: the first butterflies and the smell of the grass after its been cut outside the house.
Then I remembered the reality – Id be tired and irritable and be arguing with brother about who did what, and everything that could break down, would break down.
The average time people live in houses in London must only be a couple of years, too. Some nights I wonder how many people must have had the room in my flat. Dozens, probably. Theres a poster still on the wall that the previous incumbent put up. I wonder what they were like? Ill leave in a year or so and whoever comes next will probably wonder the same about me…
Its a lovely flat, though. The lofts been converted into a sitting room and from up there you can see the London Eye. Its great up there at night. You can see all the lights in all the rooms in a block of flats a mile or so away. It must be 20 storeys high. Imagine living up there. I used to feel queasy just climbing up on to the top of the grain bins!
Just as well Im only renting the room – I certainly couldnt afford to buy the place. Its true Im probably earning twice what I could on the farm at the moment (if there was room for me there at all, that is) but house prices are astronomical.
The one-bedroom flat downstairs went on the market for £165,000 recently. Seriously. Crazy! Everythings expensive. Im not tight but, if I buy two pints, I want change from a fiver!
And its sure easy to spend money. The social lifes brilliant. Had a great night out pubbing and clubbing last Friday in Clapham. I know I complain about the anonymity sometimes but, I tell you, when I woke up on Saturday I was glad of the anonymity! I certainly didnt want to bump into anyone who had seen me the night before, if you know what I mean…