NORMAL LIFE: Bizarre Friday & The Liberal New Best Friend!

Surreal days are few and far between these days, but last Friday was kind of bizarre. It started when I got off the bus on my way to work and, as I crossed the road, a car sounded its horn. I glanced in the direction of the vehicle and who was the driver? It was my former supervisor's, boss at my last employer. What a slap in the face it must have felt like for her to see me on my way to a much better job than the one she had given me! With a mug in my hand, she open the the window of her car. As I proceeded along the pedestrian crossing, I raised my mug (which was wrapped tightly in a plastic bag) and said I was on my way to work! I approached the open window of her car, put one hand on her shoulder and asked her to keep in touch.

You see, I had notified my former employers (as is normal in Finland, don't ask me why) of my new job opportunity, but nobody had replied which some might have took as an ignorant snub. In the circumstances surrounding my leaving the company, their response - or lack of - is hardly suprising. However, it was still unprofessional on their part. I think my former supervisor's boss was embarrassed more than anything, as I toddled off before she even had an opportunity to say anything!

Within minutes, I had arrived at work and started working my way through one of the medical exercise books a colleague had left with me the previous day. Every now and then, someone would come to my section in the open plan office to introduce themselves; their visits were a welcome distraction from the heavy theory sessions on oximetry, entropy and haemodynamics! One particular young lady came by to leave some material with me which I had requested over the telephone. Instead of putting the material in the internal mail, she exlained, she wanted to meet me because her husband's Godmother was none other than my previous supervisor! I was like oh my god! The only woman in Finland I truly detested had already made her mark on my new employment on my second day at work!

Later in the evening, I actually met up with a good friend of mine from my old work place. On an exceptionally warm and sunny evening, we met on the terraces in the city and proceeded to drink pints of booze. We had a giggle about my bizarre day, but little did I know that it was about to get even more surreal. You see, I had told my friend (let's call him Zack until he chooses an online name to preserve his true identity!) that I was gay. I recently told Zack in an email and his reply was nothing other than sincere; I am pleased to add him to my list of friends and, on Friday evening, Zack took a step into my world! As a masculine, straight man, he was curious to know where the hell the gay bars were in Helsinki so I gave him a quick overview. By this time, we were a little bit pissed, but were soon in my favourite gay bar, the very same establishment where I had met Bree more than four years earlier (you can read about that here)!

Zack was absolutely fine with the environment and was popular with the smattering of girls on the dancefloor! Feeling some degree of responsibility for him in this alien environment, I kept a watchful eye on him. I just couldn't believe it - this guy, a Finn who had lived in the UK for a few years previously, actually understood me and was taking time to understand what it - and I - was all about! We had a boogie on the dancefloor - the music was great, much better than it had been in ages. In a way, the music singalong, the booze and dancing my new best straight friend was like a much-welcomed belated birthday present and job-offer celebration in one!