The Doors Are All Locked
The other day I went to meet one of the managers for ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) in a local college. We had spoken on the phone when I had called enquiring about part-time work and he had invited me to come and meet him for an “informal chat” and tour of the college. The college is in Hayes a rough part of London where some of my friends from school still live. To get to the college I had no choice but to take a bus called the 140, which is like a tour of the dodgiest areas in North West London. I usually have my headphones in for the whole journey and try to zone out.
The meeting with this manager went very well and he seemed very keen for me to work for him in some capacity. However, the interesting incident occurred while I was waiting in reception for him to come and meet me. It turned out that a group of young offenders had been transported to the college that day to do some classes. However, two of them had done a bunk and could not be located in the building. I knew about this because while waiting in the reception the security guards and receptionists openly discussed these transpiring events in front of me. What really surprised me was no one was panicking or seemed in any rush to locate these ruffians. As one woman commented,
“Well, they can’t get back in, because the doors are all locked!”
The meeting with this manager went very well and he seemed very keen for me to work for him in some capacity. However, the interesting incident occurred while I was waiting in reception for him to come and meet me. It turned out that a group of young offenders had been transported to the college that day to do some classes. However, two of them had done a bunk and could not be located in the building. I knew about this because while waiting in the reception the security guards and receptionists openly discussed these transpiring events in front of me. What really surprised me was no one was panicking or seemed in any rush to locate these ruffians. As one woman commented,
“Well, they can’t get back in, because the doors are all locked!”