Tuesday

Tonight is the launch of the book The Canal by Lee Rourke, an English author whose book is published by one of our US clients. As such, we have a rare opportunity to be involved in the launch - and Jess has put together a very promising-sounding little evening of drinking, chatting and general launching at the To Hell With Books 'bookshop'-thing near Euston station.

I head home briefly after work before heading back out to the tube and make my way to Euston via Tesco - after a concerned Jess phones me to request that I bring emergency backup plastic cups. The tube is hot and busy, as ever, and escaping Euston station is made more difficult by the weird bus station arrangement they have, as well as the presence of an idiotic woman crouching down in the middle of the street to take a photograph of a ladybird with her iPhone. It's the rush hour, for goodness' sake! I also come across a guy who's probably well-known around here, wearing a square cardboard helmet and big pieces of card like paddles over his hands. He is, predictably, shouting nonsense at the commuters who pretend to ignore him. I can't make any of it out over my headphones.

Having traversed this surreal landscape for no more than two minutes, I arrive at the small shop triumphantly wielding my backup plastic cups and possibly frightening some of the other party guests with my exuberance. It's very stuffy in here - so I grab a beer from Georgie and after saying a few quick 'hello's, head outside for a cigarette and to meet my other colleagues, who are arriving one by one. I have a nice chat with one of our American clients about the various ineptitudes of our respective governments and the increasingly terrifying hegemony of Apple Computer.

Later, Bill gives a nice speech introducing the author who then reads a passage from his intriguing North London-based novel, before engaging in a interesting interview with journalist Stuart Evers. The people are naturally thirsty again afterwards, so I jump behind the bar for a little bit to serve (mostly) white wine spritzers and the last of the beers. I have a couple more bottles and cups of red wine than is perhaps advisable - but it enables me to natter away with former colleagues and the amusing Manc bloke who seems to hold the keys to the building. I also say a quick hello to Lee himself - which, briefly, managed to involve the song Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others by The Smiths.

I head home at around 9 and catch K in a bit of a tizz over various wedding issues, but after a bit of a chat and a hug all is well again, meaning we can hang out and watch the awful Dating in the Dark for a bit before bed.