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My dear chap when I first started working in what was then termed "Fleet Street" many moons ago (probably before you were born, you young skallywag) if you didn't have a bottle of whisky on your desk by 11.30am you were considered a bit of a girlie.


Take a tip from an old lush and secrete a bottle of what you fancy in your draw for moments like these and top up your coffee with a shot or two. That'll ease the boredom of a quite Friday that drags and set you up for a Friday evening's carousing when it's time to leave.


A nod's as good as a wink to a blind horse.

Oh! If you insist Ted.


Towards the end of the morning and waiting impatiently for the pubs to open one would reach for the sanctuary of a bottle of Ding Dong to satiate one's thirst before heading off to The Stab In The Back for a pint or seven at lunchtime.


It's a wonder really how we ever got any work done.

To join Jah in the old boy's alcoholic reminiscing, when I started work in publishing in the mid-80s we went to the pub everyday. To not go was considered not joining in with the workplace and was generally frowned upon. My office canteen had a bar and any director had a drinks cabinet with spirits/red wine for meetings. Monday was about the only day you could get away with not going to the pub. Plus everyone drank alcohol, no 'lime and soda' crap, and Fridays especially were a write off after lunch (although 'cos the pubs then shut at 3pm then, the afternoon involved drinking spirits or wine out of tea cups). Scarily alot of people were driving in or driving from the station when they got home. In addition everyone smoked anywhere so the office was full of smoke. I think this was pretty normal for most 'service' jobs then, certainly my mates who worked in advertising, finance, research etc all had similar routines. I think the early 90s recession was when it started to change. Now, on the rare occasions you get anyone at work to go down the pub at lunch anyone under 30 drinks soft drinks.

Ted Max Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sounds great, but I was alluding to one of my

> favourite books, by Michael Frayn. Are we on the

> same wavelength here?


Obviously that one flew over my head. Just looked the book up and it would seem it's right up my Fleet Street and so shall be investing in a copy as soon as.

I'm sure Jah resorted to the bottle waiting for the go ahead to do some work as he was waiting on the people I worked for in those days to supply the pressrooms with paper.....the Scandanavians!Plush surroundings in Mayfair. A Swedish sauna in the office for staff use. And plenty of pubs frequented by everyone..........for long periods.


My particular memory of the market in Mayfair wasn't the fact that there was a house of ill repute there, but the day a what looked like an expensive car came to halt beside me and a youngish lady rolled down her window and asked me did I want a f**k! Those were the days!

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