It’s a rainy day and I’m sitting at our local dog-friendly cafe watching football. It’s Sweden vs Slovakia and I am the only person who cheers as Sweden scores. I am the only person in the bar/cafe Wags N Tales that is even watching the game. Elvis, my eleven-month puppy is sitting by my feet and whines. He’s had his puppacino, goat’s milk with pieces of bacon in the bottom, and is now bored. I was supposed to work this evening. England is playing Scotland and the pub has sold tickets to watch the game inside the music venue.
This morning I texted my manager asking when I should come and set it up when I got the reply that I was no longer needed. This happens a lot in the industry and we don’t get a warning nor compensation for when it happens. I could’ve potentially had another job this evening, even though it’s unlikely in this restricted work climate.
It’s still raining and I’m cold. Before the game, I was standing outside the university with my puppy and fiancé in line for his first vaccine shot. I’m getting my second next week. We waited in the long queue for 40 min and I then took the bus to see the game. He waits for another hour and a half. At the same time, my sister and mum are in Sweden, sending me beautiful summery pictures of the lakes. I miss them and I miss the heat from the past week. I had then hated the high sudden temperatures and had wished for rain. I got my wish, now it won’t stop.
I’m sending off an invoice for a job that came in this morning, it’s local and easy money. I sigh with relief.
The British government just decided to keep the final restrictions for another month and the entire entertainment industry had to once again scramble, cancel and move events. In just a few day’s time we had planned for full capacity gigs at The Half Moon and instead I now anxiously wait for my new rota. Yet again we have no idea what’s going to happen, how long they will push this and we have to accept it. I thank my friend Andy for booking me in on this new job and instead, I get excited about my double shift tomorrow. The tribute band The Smyths will do their 7th sold-out gig since we opened a few weeks ago and they are so lovely to work with, a sense of calm spreads within me. I miss the sweaty full capacity gigs, but for now, I will relish my evening off with my puppy, a cappuccino and that Sweden has just won against Slovakia.