lawyers get a B- in the game of life
The mission:
- to get from a building by Heathrow to Fleet Street during rush hour;
The team:
- securities lawyer, JD, Dr. iur., ~46;
- head of US corporate for an international law firm, fifties;
- yours truly;
The resources:
- a pool of about 300 pounds cash and 30 years experience living in London; enough mobile phones and blackberry handhelds to choke a large mammal;
The time:
- 4:30 p.m.
Proper solution:
- minicab to Terminal 1; Heathrow Express to Paddington; taxi to Fleet Street (~55 minutes), ~75 pounds;
Alternate solution:
- minicab to 65 Fleet Street (~1 hour, 15 minutes), ~ 60 pounds;
Lawyers' solution:
- minicab to Terminal 1, no wait, let's say to Fleet Street, um, actually, let's go to Hayes and Harlington (hey, look, it must be really safe because there are like seven cops here! Is there a family and friends discount? Can we get the family and friends discount? Hold on, I think I have a discount card!), wait fifteen minutes (while watching three Heathrow Express trains fly by), hop on the (packed) train to Paddington (with a stop at Ealing Broadway for the heck of it, and would you believe Paddington has a platform 14--yes, it's 14 platforms away from the taxi stand at platform 1!), just in time for 5:30 rush hour and a substantial taxi queue, then a half-hour cab ride to Fleet Street (1 hour, 40 minutes), but only ~30 pounds.
Stay ever vigilant--
/B/
- to get from a building by Heathrow to Fleet Street during rush hour;
The team:
- securities lawyer, JD, Dr. iur., ~46;
- head of US corporate for an international law firm, fifties;
- yours truly;
The resources:
- a pool of about 300 pounds cash and 30 years experience living in London; enough mobile phones and blackberry handhelds to choke a large mammal;
The time:
- 4:30 p.m.
Proper solution:
- minicab to Terminal 1; Heathrow Express to Paddington; taxi to Fleet Street (~55 minutes), ~75 pounds;
Alternate solution:
- minicab to 65 Fleet Street (~1 hour, 15 minutes), ~ 60 pounds;
Lawyers' solution:
- minicab to Terminal 1, no wait, let's say to Fleet Street, um, actually, let's go to Hayes and Harlington (hey, look, it must be really safe because there are like seven cops here! Is there a family and friends discount? Can we get the family and friends discount? Hold on, I think I have a discount card!), wait fifteen minutes (while watching three Heathrow Express trains fly by), hop on the (packed) train to Paddington (with a stop at Ealing Broadway for the heck of it, and would you believe Paddington has a platform 14--yes, it's 14 platforms away from the taxi stand at platform 1!), just in time for 5:30 rush hour and a substantial taxi queue, then a half-hour cab ride to Fleet Street (1 hour, 40 minutes), but only ~30 pounds.
Stay ever vigilant--
/B/