There’s something about just shooting the breeze…

There's something to be said about going out after work with a couple of work mates, and sitting shooting the breeze, knowing that what you say won't be taken out of context or taken any further the table that you're seated at.

It started out as a joke between me and one of the other girls that I work with. We'd arranged to buzz off to a pub after work for a quiet drink and a chat, and as a joke, asked one of the guys that we worked with.

To be honest, I was rather sceptical about his participation, and as he was finishing after the pair of us, I gave him my mobile number with the request that he called me to make sure that we were still at the pub.

Well, much to my amazement, about an hour or so after we'd gotten to the pub, my 'phone rang, and my colleague said that he was en-route, and would join us in the pub.

If I'm brutally honest, I think it did me the world of good, as I was able to talk to people I like and respect, knowing full well that what I said would go no further. But I also leant more about the people I work with, and more importantly, how people in my department perceived me.

The fella who met us at the pub was part of the team that was doing the presentation on Tuesday, and he said that both he and my line manager had been really concerned about me, as I was paler than they'd ever seen me, and it was only because I was wearing a dark coloured shirt that I managed to get any colour in my face.

"To be honest, I was wondering if I was going to need a shovel, you looked like you were absolutely shitting it. But you really proved that you've got great strength of character - and that's been noted by the powers that be."

That really surprised me. Yes - I will admit to being terrified, but to have it open stated that I looked terrified really surprised me. Mind you, I wasn't really taking much notice of how I looked when I nipped into the ladies loo to change into my t-shirt!

We then got talking about other things, and I finally admitted the reason why I'd been so keen to get out tonight. Simply because talking to my ex had upset me more than I'd realised. Or, more to the point, it had upset me more than I'd been willing to admit to myself.

The more the three of us talked, the happier I became, and by the end of the evening, I was even getting the claws out, and having a quick swipe at people.

But, the most important thing for me, was the fact that the three of us have gotten to know each other slightly better, and have said that we'll have to go out again after work, and the agreement that we keep what is discussed between the three of us will be our bond.

Time to call this entry quits - I need my ugly sleep as I've got to be up early tomorrow morning.

Back tomorrow - if I get the peace and quiet at work!

Karen.

Don't let the b'stards get you down.