Against the Clock

Against the Clock ©

By Michael Casey

I’ve not tried this before, honest, trust me I’m a concierge, or so I was, it’s almost 12 years since I started there. I got a new job on the Monday and my dad died on the Saturday.  Now I don’t need to cry any more, what I really was going to say is that I’m going to try and write a new story before Midnight. Then my time is up. Its 11.05 pm now, on your marks get set go.

Stories have a life of their own, you start somewhere then the wind blows you somewhere else. We’ve just watched Pirates of the Caribbean ,  so that was all about tides, and as  we all know Time and Tide does not wait for no man. Work expands to fit the time available, that’s a law of economics, my brother did do economics, he told me that once, so it must be true.  I past that gem on to my daughter so she uses her time on the computer quickly and effectively. She will take all night if I allow it, time management is a very important lesson to learn in my book.

My Latin teacher Mr Procter used to tell us to do 40mins translation as homework.  However   as Latin is so hard, I always did 90mins, to pretend I only did 40 mins.  Time is a strange thing,   if you are waiting time does drag, if you are enjoying yourself it does pass quicker. A concierge will enjoy conversation with all comers, but part of the concierge role is to fill time while guests are waiting for friends or taxis. And to know when to shut up when guests’ friends arrive.

I still believe that my life has not begun, I’m 55 now with a wife who looks 25, she’s a Shanghai girl, and our bilingual daughters are 10 and 12. I want a book tour and my stories on the radio everywhere,  then I’ll think my life has begun. Yes, I may be in my box with pennies on my eyes before that happens, but I’ll keep on trying.

You cannot beat the clock, life is what it is and what will be will be, or should I say Que Sera Sera, films are a great way to pass the time. We watch so many in our house, my daughters will work in film is some way.  Film reviewers or writers or costume makers  or all of the above. In the advert breaks we discuss this and that in the film. Tonight it was music in Pirates of the Caribbean, not a deep intellectual conversation, they are 10 and 12 after all, but how music works in film. Both daughters are in the choir and have piano lessons, one daughter is doing a Deans award. So they do already know about the beauty and skill in music, thanks to Betty their 84 year old  music teacher.

How you use the time you have is important too, yes there can be fallow times, but quiet times do recharge the batteries.  Then once the starter’s gun goes you can have a vast outpouring of creativity, ask any musician. Churchill had his wilderness year, but he did make up for it.

We all work at different rates, at different skill levels. Some may be chefs with amazing knowledge and skill,  I did pass through the kitchen on my security patrols when at CPNEC Birmingham. I did get to talk to the lads too, and best of all taste their food. So chefs are gods, even if I tease them, they told me they lived on biscuits and never cooked at home.  A chef will prepare for hours so that we can enjoy an almost sexual experience, closing our eyes and consuming or consummating food.

Life is short and we may not get the time to enjoy a friendship, somebody you only spoke to only a few times, and then they were gone, or job changes meant you never spoke again.  I have a friend I have not seen in years as our paths diverged, but if ever we stumble over each other again, I know it will be a great Stella Artois occasion. Another friend has been a friend for 44 years, and perhaps I don’t appreciate how lucky I am to have this friend. He’ll groan if he ever reads this.

Life and time and friends are precious, you can meet old friends and the conversation continues, as if it’s just two seconds since you last spoke. That’s why it’s so important to enjoy the moment, don’t waste time on negative emotions, you owe me 2 quid from 10 years ago, so I hate you. I got a load of grief from a kid in school for a full year. Why? Because I beat him by 9 points when all of us added all  the exam results up to work out who was top of the class. How petty can you be?  I could reveal  horrible  facts about him, but I won’t waste my breath or spit as they say in China.

I’m looking at the clock now 45 mins to reach here. So I’ll read from the top and think of an ending. Well to end in 5 minutes, what shall I say. Use the clock don’t fight against it, I was able to visit my dad for 1 hour before work, every working day, and then go to work. This was great use of time.

 I also spent years talking to him when I lived at home and when I’d left home. I’d come for the dinner and then go home. Some call this quality time, or even multitasking. I just know that I loved him, we were more like brothers. And that is the greatest use of anybody’s time. Spend time loving your parents. It was  the Feast of the Holy Family today, and time with family  is the greatest use of time, and its Midnight now.