Celebrating Success

I was on a train today. Don't worry, I had a table in front of me and so was able to continue working on my dissertation on my laptop. Sat opposite me was a woman (Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile); aged somewhere between mid-late twenties, I would say. What did manage to divert my attention away from working on my dissertation was a series of conversations that she had on her mobile. Thankfully, none of them began: "Oh, hello darling, I've just gotten on the train, I'll be home soon". I really don't understand why people have to make such phone calls all the time. I mean: if its a journey that you make quite frequently (usually to-and-from the place of work) what is the point? Such conversations are only necessary when things aren't going to plan: "Hello Darling, I'm afraid I didn't get off work till late. You're going to have to pick up the kids; feed them; clean them; read to them". These conversations I completely understand.

Anyway, Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile had been at a job interview and was offered the job! Her first conversation was to, what I presume was her back-up option. "Oh Hello, this is Miss Puffy-cheeks speaking. I'm just calling to let you know that I will not be attending the interview I have scheduled with you....because I've just had an interview now and been offered the job". Now, I would have thought Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile would have chosen a slightly different choice of words with her back-up prospective employer. Such as: "My name is Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile, I recently applied to your firm for __________ position. I am just calling to let you know that I am no longer interested in pursuing this position and would like my application to be withdrawn".

By the way, this was a conversation that I think most of the carriage was listening too. Everybody was sharing in the excitement: looking up from reading their newspapers/books etc - especially when it first became clear that Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile was so ecstatic because she had been successful at a job interview. There were, however, only two people who were close to her: me and another guy (who was, I would say, in his mid-forties but was working his way through what seemed like a Mathematics examination paper). So, I thought to myself (and I think the 45-year-old mathematician must have thought this too) should I too congratulate Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile when she hangs up the phone? May be I could even determine which sector she worked in - annoyingly, this was difficult to tell.

There was no time for that, however. Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile ended that conversation and then began the next one.

Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile's next phone call was to her Grandmother, bless. Grandma Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile (if it is to be assumed that her good looks were inherited. I can never tell but it didn't look like she had a lot/any make-up on (not even, surprisingly, lipstick; though her pretty puffy-cheeks was plenty snoggable)). Turns out Grandma Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile was recently in hospital for an operation of some sort. Nuff said. Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile inquired about her health post-operation and then gave the big news.

So, the point of detailing this brief encounter between myself (a Lacklustre Lawyer) and Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile was because I got wondering about my own successes and how I went about disclosing them to my family and friends. In particular, I was thinking that if I was in the same position as Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile, would I also have these very public conversations on the journey back home? Truth be told: I don't think I would. I'd be more secretive. Especially, if my success ran the same course that passing my driving test did. For that one, after I passed, I didn't tell anyone I had passed. No one. I had, however, told everyone about each of the times I failed (quite numerous). My thinking was: one day they will ask me "Have you passed your test yet, Lacklustre Driver?" And I could say: "Oh yes; of course I have. Errr, it was a while back now. Let me think.....no I can't remember its been too long now".

Listening to Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile on the train, I can't help but think that I wish I was more public and open about my successes (as strangely I am with my failures). Its just with standards so high - in part set by myself - I just don't feel I take in just how much I have accomplished sometimes. Instead, I am always wanting more and more and more. I turn my attention to the next challenge and then drive myself insane going after that. Thing is and Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile brought this to my attention, its always good to enjoy successes when you can, so you don't have to when you can't.

Broadly thinking: perhaps my ambition to pursue a career at the Bar is a direct result of not wanting to just be another solicitor. I don't doubt that all solicitors are not the same; my point is: perhaps I am interested in the game (pursuing a pupillage/tenancy) rather than the cause itself (representing and doing good for clients). There is an established adage that expresses that feeling better but, for the life of me, I can't think of it.

Anyway, Miss Puffy-cheeks with a nice smile, where ever you are: Congratulations on the job offer and thanks for the lesson.