"They gave us some nice coffee" - the past week at work

Monday

There were times in the agency today that I felt I was making progress, and that things were going to be fine. At other times I was fed up with it all and felt I should move on. And inbetween come the moments of indecision.

A characteristic of the new regime is being called into Yvette's office and harangued about how little money the agency is making. Both Andrea (fellow account handler) and myself were subjected to another of these sessions this morning. We both made encouraging comments about our client lists, but there is no avoiding the fact that the meetings are humiliating.

When we came out into the general office Eleanor (admin assistant) was complaining about her back trouble.

"A nagging pain can be terrible" Eleanor said.

"Don't talk about Yvette like that" said Andrea.

Later when we were alone in our shared office Andrea told me she was thinking of leaving. She looked at me expectantly, as if waiting for me to protest. I said nothing.

It was a cold day, and I stayed in the office at lunchtime and worked.

Most of the afternoon was spent on ads for the new Belgian client. This became rather a debacle, due to problems and delays in the studio. Yvette began to intervene, and this made things much worse, especially as deadlines began to near.

When the adds had gone off to the publications Neil (graphic designer and studio head) and I were called into Yvette's office and told lots of elementary things we already knew.

Tuesday

During an impromptu meeting in Yvette's office this morning the big woman suddenly took off her shoe and pounded to death a large spider running across her desk.

"You're obviously not an environmentalist" I said.

Lunchtime became a two-hour "creative" meeting in Yvette's office where she went over in minute detail the ads designed over the last few months. Often Neil was sent scurrying out to the studio to look for rejected designs. Lasagna was sent in from the Italian restaurant.

Because this meeting went on so long, by the time we emerged lots of other work had fallen behind schedule. I had to ring various publications to extend the deadlines. The rest of the afternoon was spent chasing Neil for artwork.

Katharine, the new PA upstairs, came round with a card for Patricia (Terry's old PA, who is leaving). I wrote on the card Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. I don't know why I did this and regretted it later, it is none of my business that Patricia is unmarried in her late thirties, far too shy and awkward with people, and has a beauty that is already beginning to fade.

I asked Duncan to do some media research for our toy client, then changed my mind and decided to do the work myself. This is such a profitable client that it might be wiser to maintain a monopoly over the contacts. I gave Duncan some copywriting to do (which I know he will make a mess of).

Wednesday

Yvette rang up saying she would be late because she had laddered her tights. Eleanor revealed she was actually having breakfast with her boyfriend. We are all keen to see what this person must be like.

Most of the day Yvette was out with Andrea visiting clients. When they came back Yvette told me (in the general office) that she was transfering one of Andrea's clients to me. She then went into her office and the usual stream of sarky remarks and impetuous demands began.

Thursday

The Thames was a muddy grey when I got off at Embankment and walked over the footbridge (I was early for a meeting).

Today Yvette turned her attention to my client list and accompanied me on visits to the major ones. The construction client went well (they are very steady). Yvette asked Peter B what the company did and he told her "We are ripping out the things we put in ten years ago, and putting in new things".

We took him to lunch, and went to a nearby restaurant. The food was excellent. When Peter B's plate was cleared away there was a dreadful mess on the tablecloth.

The afternoon was spent going to see a client on the Bath Road (Yvette drove). Although we had arranged to go on the spur of the moment the client was glad to see us and gave us a quite prestigious campaign in Italian media. In the car returning to the agency Yvette was exultant at the way the meeting had gone.

When we got back to the office Eleanor asked how the meeting had gone.

"They gave us some nice coffee" I told her.

I met friends after work.

Friday

Because the copywriting done by Duncan was unusable I had to quickly rewrite it myself this morning. Yvette then insisted on hacking it about, putting in lots of cliches and sending it off under my name. Later the client rejected the copy saying it was banal, and Yvette then posed as if she was correcting my copy, taking out all the garbage she had originally put in.

Patricia's last day. We all went upstairs to see her given presents - flowers, some scent, and Terry gave her a broach. I didn't have time to go to her leaving drinks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gather_Ye_Rosebuds_While_Ye_May_(Waterhouse_painting_1909)