They preferred the fiction to reality - the past week at work

Monday

Last week I accepted the job offer from the agency in a small town just north of London (I will call it Walkers, which might give you a clue to the real name). As soon as I posted the acceptance I regretted doing so. I start tomorrow, so had an easy day today effectively doing nothing.

Tuesday

Up early this morning. The train journey did not take any more time than my last commute, although I have to change twice. A cup of coffee as I waited for the "loop" train, the air cool as I stood on the platform.

My first day at Walker Communications. I was surprised at how familiar the offices seemed - I suppose agencies do not vary by much. After an hour I felt completely at home.

This sense of equanimity did not last. A meeting with Directer Villy "to set some parameters" revealed that Account Exec Sara (pleasant woman aged about twenty-one, with blonde straight hair and an Essex accent) was going to be "eased out" to make room for me. I was appalled that someone was going to be sacked so that I could take her place. Villy also told me confidentially that he was going to get rid of morose Art Director Tranter. We talked about various clients I am to handle, and Villy asked me to write to my former clients to see if they would follow me to Walkers (some of them I would hate to see again!). Villy also revealed that he had worked with Yvette in the past ("she ran the business into the ground").

Later Sara talked through some of the clients I am to take over. She is oblivious of the fact that Villy is going to get rid of her (I wondered whether I should warn her). She talked about various people in the agency ("Tranter has a very dry sense of humour whereas Villy thinks everything is hilarious - when it suits him").

Later I worked on a new business presentation.

Dreadful train journey home.

Wednesday

In a funny sort of way I enjoy the new journey to work and the melancholy autumnal feel of waiting on empty platforms.

During the morning I talked to Account Executive Maery about some of her clients that are to be transferred to me.

She asked me: "Is Yvette as bad as people say she is?"

"Worse than you can imagine" I told her.

Maery and I drove about ten miles to give a presentation to a potential new client (quite a big one). The meeting went very well and heavy hints were given that we had got the campaign. Back at the agency Villy was impressed with our efforts - he had been after the client for some time.

Thursday

Some PR work - they had been saving it up for me since no-one at Walkers can do PR. The brief was so bad I had to make up a lot of the text, expecting the client to replace the fiction with real case studies. When the copy came back it had been approved without a word being changed (they preferred the fiction to reality).

Friday

More PR work. Life at Walkers has settled into a routine. But in the post when I got home were three more invitations to interviews, and I keep wondering whether I should pursue them.