Blog Week 103: Bald bombshell.
Thursday 15 November 21.03
As Sunday was a public holiday (yeah another one!) and so Monday was a holiday in the office (if that does not make much sense, it's a Brussels thing). I took Tuesday and Wednesday as holiday too.
The showdown meeting I mentioned last week was hastily rescheduled and took place in my absence. And what a meeting it turned out to be. Pierre told me that he and Old Timer were asked by Bill to wait outside as soon as the meeting started. Bill then announced he is leaving to join another firm (here in Brussels). He then left and the other partners were somewhat stunned. After a while they asked Pierre and Old Timer to come back in so as "to keep them in the loop". Essentially Johan and Neanderthal will temporarily be joint managing partners.
I know all about this matter as Pierre told me in strictest confidence yesterday. At first I thought it was because he trusts me. But then it became clear I am to make sure Bill's departure is as smooth as possible from an administrative point of view.
Pierre said walking back into the meeting was like attending the scene of an accident. The partners were shocked beyond belief. An offical announcement will be made on Monday.
Friday 16 November 19.56
The shock of Bill's departure is still sinking in. Apart from Johan's attempt to get some of the spotlight, Bill has always been the office's main man. He is/was the managing partner and gave some sort of overall direction to the office. I have yet to receive Old Timer's profound analysis of this departure. I am expecting something along the lines of how "nature abhors a vacuum" and profound speculation about who will move into the top spot. I'll pass on his analysis...
Those of you based in Belgium will have seen Eurostar's recent blizzard of publicity regarding the new higher-speed travel to London. The ads are quite quirky; playing on English stereotypes.
This afternoon I found Shakespeare and Mockney in the kitchen talking about them. Mockney - who is not English - found the ads quite amusing, while Shakespeare - who is English - was more lukewarm. His main beef was with one picture of a skinhead pissing in a tea cup. (Just the sort of image to entice you over to London...). Apparently already some English in Belgium are not too happy about that ad. Shakespeare thought it was "a bit too 1980s". I walked away wondering if any of them watch Little Britain?
Previous Entry - Blog Week 102: The calm before the perfect storm.
