Thursday 20th June 2002
More shocking news at Riversoft (never ends). Yesterday we were told that the company was being taken over by Micromuse (our ‘archenemy’, the company Phil T. had worked for before founding Riversoft). The financial situation is so bad, and the markets so negative, that apparently, that was the best course of action. The offer needs to stay open for 21 working days so that someone else may bid for Riversoft (which is being sold for peanuts – ie. Cash Value). So in about 4 weeks we’ll know exactly what’s going to happen.
We’re being told that some people will stay, others will go, but they have no idea yet. If I go I’ll be in trouble, it was hard enough getting the job here, it’ll be harder to get a job somewhere else. R. has been looking for a proper job for nearly a year now (since Munkey), and all he managed to get was his current job where he gets no paid holidays/sick days. And he’s excellent at interviews! So I feel very apprehensive…
Fortunately I have the next 2 weeks off and I just want to forget about all this. I plan to teach you to swim, and R. and I are going to Amsterdam for 4 days while you stay here with your nanas Linda and Cesca. You are going to be so spoilt. Linda is arriving today and my mum is going to pick her up from Euston. She’s got a massive tiger (fluffy) for you and I really want to film the moment you get it, so she’ll hide it until I get home tonight.
Brazil is playing England tomorrow and the expectation is unbearable, that’s all everyone is talking about. The last time they met in a World Cup was in 1970, and Brazil won the match 1 x 0. But it was a hard match, and it’ll be hard tomorrow too. I’m just going to leave the house at the usual time, and there should be no traffic again (just like when England played Senegal).
Last night Jason (a friend of Francis) came around with Daisy – his daughter, who’s about 3 months younger than you. The last time you saw each other you were about 7 months old. This time, when she arrived you just dropped your head down and shut down completely. You wouldn’t lift your head up or talk to anybody, you even refused a lolly that Jason offered you (I had it instead). Daisy started playing with your toys (she’s lovely!) and I sat next to you.
You just laid on the floor, face down, grabbed my leg with both arms, and stayed like that for about 20 minutes. I tried everything to get you up but had no joy. Next thing I know you had fallen asleep… It was about 7 o’clock. I guess you were tired because you had a sports day, but I’ve never seen you so shy in my life… I took you to bed and Daisy had the time of her life playing with your toys, having your dinner and drinking your juice… When you got up today you said you didn’t speak to her because you were tired and she wasn’t a little girl. I think you were expecting someone like Zoe.
Me and the car… Today I parked the car at the garage at work, and got out. Next thing I know the car was moving forwards. I didn’t put the handbrake on properly! I didn’t know whether to stop the car from the front or open the door and pull the handbrake. So I tried to stop it from the side (like a fool) and then I just opened the door, jumped in and pulled the handbrake. All this was being witnessed by Fraser (the financial director, who helped sell Riversoft) who was having a good giggle, after having just parked his super expensive sports car next to my pathetic little Nissan… I had to laugh too because it was quite funny.