Day 52: more culture

I was working at Lazia today from 9:30.  This is usually plenty of time to get everything done before the restaurant opens at 11am, but today, the phone kept ringing all the time and there were loads of reservations, then there was another new hostess starting so I had to show her around.  whenever I tried to show her a reservation, the phone would ring again.  Also, Michelle was mostly needed to serve so I was the most senior hostess there.  it was all a bit of a scramble but lots of fun in a bizarre way.  I crashed into a customer while I was carrying plates, but luckily nothing broke and neither of us ended up with ketchup on us so I think I got away with it.

I had a plan for today, which mostly worked.  my next stop after work was the bank to make another withdrawal, then the travel agents near the university to book some flights!  I had been emailing them to work out the best arrangements and have been withdrawing my maximum allowance whenever I am near a bank.  As I still don't have a credit card, it would have to be cash and debit card.  it was fun paying with an envelope full of twenties, I only regret that it wasn't a brown envelope and I couldn't pass it under the table to them.  A suitcase of money would have been even better, but the flights didn't cost that much.  Even without a suitcase, it was pretty exciting.  I'm going back to Cambodia!

The next stop (via an ice cream) was the bus stop across the road, then the Value Village, where I was reliably informed I would be able to get cheap costumes.  I was really reluctant to spend loads of money of things I would only wear once so spent ages dithering in the shop, and ended up just buying accessories to go with dresses I already have.  I ideally needed a ball gown for the race I entered, but instead will wear one of my dresses, a masquerade mask and some gloves.  For Halloween, I am now going to have to be a ladybird, which is pretty lame.

As I wasted so much time in the shop, I had to rush a quick dinner at home and straight back out to Churchill Square again to see the rest of the elevator theatre project.
This time we managed to be much more efficient and saw all of the remaining six, but it was much less fun than yesterday's silliness.  Instead of encountering a chatty barman from Leeds, we encountered the jaywalking police, giving us a warning about not crossing a road if its not at the lights and the man doesn't say walk... even if there are no cars in sight anywhere. Stupid Canada.
In the first play, there were two guys in white overalls, gloves and masks who treated us like zombies.  In the library, the play started while we were waiting for the lift.  There was a guy with a mop singing and a man who lost his memory following a car accident, but it came back in the lift as that's where he met his wife and they used to sing together in the lift going to work.  you knew he would forget again and go back to not knowing her, and she would take him back there again over and over.  it was very touching.
The next building we went to had two different lifts.  in one, we were eavesdropping on three people's stream of consciousness, although one guy was just playing games on his phone so that was all he thought about.  In the second, there were two ladies who kept meeting in the lift at work.  One was particularly obnoxious and shallow, and it was pretty funny watching them fall out with each other.  It was called "I love your hair and other conversations"
On to the next office block, which had a giant metallic bear eating a salmon in the entrance and a water feature where we waited.  When the lift opened we were greeted by a security guard, who didn't say anything, but held up a video phone for his boss to OK us, then we were allowed in the lift.  Before the lift could go anywhere, the boss's mistress tried to get in too and there was an argument between the three of them.  Eventually, the guard hung up on his boss and suggested we leave.
The last play we saw was probably the heaviest as it was a young boyfriend and girlfriend.  She was really teary, had just found out she was pregnant, and they were deciding what to do.
I think my favourites of all eight were "the club" yesterday, with the dancing and loveliness.  And the one in the library today with the couple singing.  There were rumours of them doing this again at Christmas, so I'll have to keep an eye out.