30 nov 2009
We had a particularly tough morning today because the wind was very strong. The rain was no big deal, but insistent. It was a very cold morning, of four degrees only. I walked to Highfield, bought myself a cup of coffee and went to the law building to work. My umbrella was falling apart in harmony with the wind, which blows everything away.
I finished work and stopped by the uni shop to buy blank dvds and an umbrella, now a navy blue one. It was freezing cold and windy outside. I got some money from the cash point by the uni shop and this girl in the queue was shivering of cold. I had no choice but to enter susu building to equip myself: put on scarf, hat, and gloves, this big operation to face the not so unpredictable British weather: yes, it is not going to be so nice, at least not for long.
Well, i ended up getting late for a meeting with Jo. She was going to talk to me about the writing teaching that we do here in the programme. We ended up meeting later on, after 12 o’clock, as I had some ‘emergencies’: I needed to call Dorothy and we talked for a while.
Here is another emergency: I was walking towards my office (after the phone call) when Mariko approached me with such a sad face. It was to tell me that George Blue, our very nice and friendly George Blue, died this past Friday. He had been operated on a few weeks before and, as far as I knew, was recovering really well. According to Rob, it was a triple bypass heart surgery. He was my friend Buk’s supervisor. Buk had told me he was recovering ok, doing short walks, and Buk even visited him in his house one or two weeks ago. I knew he was seeing his students and talking for no longer than a half hour, but that he would be able to be back to work in January in full capacity. Well, the man passed away, apparently while sleeping, but I have no details.
And there I stayed in the corridor, talking with Mariko for a long time, we both in shock for such a sad end for our Blue. She had watery eyes, I could see it. It was interesting, because she insisted in being there with me for this long while in the corridor, as if she needed it, to talk, to share, to express sadness, and maybe – maybe – to understand all this. Mariko invited me to come down to the canteen at 12.30 to have lunch with her and Rob.
I was still with Mariko when there comes Noom from the office, to fetch water for tea. I asked him if he knew about Blue. He did not and was actually so shocked I almost regretted telling him. I called Goi, my super nice friend, his wife, right there, while we talked. I told her calmly as I knew she loved Blue. He was her supervisor for her MA’s dissertation. She couldn’t believe it. I passed the phone over to Noom. He explained everything to her. She kept asking where the story came from, who told what to whom, as she really couldn’t believe it. She was crying over the phone. I felt so sorry for her and told her she should come by uni for us to spend some time together and talk some. It was a long time that we spent at the corridor, and I still had to go meet with Jo.
Well, I had to go meet with Jo. When she saw me she said she had had another meeting, with Patricia Hollowell in the meantime that I had not showed up earlier in our set up time. Anyway, she got herself some tea and off we went to the canteen to talk about the teaching. As we sat to talk, there comes Ros Mitchell to speak with me. She apologised for interrupting us and said this was not the best way to talk but that we (she and I) need to sit and talk. Of course I said ‘fine’and she said: ‘how about Wednesday morning?’ I said ‘fine’ she said ‘what time?’ I said ‘anytime’ she said ‘how about 10 o’clock?’ I said ‘fine, 10 o’clock.’ Then I took the chance to say I have done lots of changes to the version I have given to her, and that I am going to put a hardcopy of the materials I have done so far in her mailbox by her door. She said ‘email me’. I said it is a lot of files and I want to make her life easier. She said she likes the softcopy to it. I said I’ll give her both. She said ‘whatever you prefer’. Peace at last. Then she asked us if we had heard about the very sad news: George Blue’s death. We said yes and that we are sorry, too. Then she left and we are going to meet the day after tomorrow. Her making the conversation longer was a sign that she wanted to talk a bit. I didn’t miss the chance to also add that I have a draft for the ethics protocols and everything. I know she loves it when I go beyond what she asks from me.
Now I could speak with Jo for about 20 minutes about the teaching. I knew she was going to give me a lot of information. I asked her if she didn’t mind my recording our talk, about which she was fine. This was the first official documentation of work using my super nice Olympus voice recorder. Yey!!!. Talked talked talked with Jo. Then she had to leave. It was then around 1pm and I was getting hungry. Went to get some food – had fish with leek, and other vegetable in a nice sauce (yummy) and a roll – and sat with Mariko. Rob had to leave. There comes Hee, our Korean friend. We had the meal together and talked a lot about our researches, life. Hee was super, super shocked when she heard about Blue’s death, and of course very sad, too.
While having lunch with Mariko and Hee Sonia and Manuel (both Spanish) came by. Tomorrow we are all going to the Cowherds because Sonia is moving back to the Isle of Wight with Callum. It is going to be a light farewell to her and for me a chance to see friends before I fly home to Brazil this Sunday.
What a day!!! What a life!!! A winding road!!!
‘follow the yellow brick road’
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