Mileage

On this, my most recent job interview, I found myself less worried about the impression I made on the world, than the impression the job and its surroundings made on me. Having been to the London Middlesex suburb once before, and left unimpressed, I felt the need to explore. It is a village cum suburb which neither aspires to, nor achieves, a sense of quaintness. Here, the high street comprises establishments of three categories: home improvement, feeding and drinking. You live here, you have to eat (though just how this small community can conceivably consume that much junk food is a mystery) and you drink to forget about it all. Perhaps it is an indication of this pragmatism that Tesco Metro and the Methodist church share a building (and a bell tower) in the middle of the street.

Having done the high street in 4,3 minutes, I had ample time to explore the residential areas. And was immediately struck by a realisation: the people who live here don’t use the village centre. Ever. The comfortable, pleasant and at times very pretty homes suggested an affluence not present on the high street. No, this was the perfect sleeper town. Any needs beyond the four walls of home can be fulfilled elsewhere. By car.

My walk finally ended with me ending up at my destination. I look for work along three parameters: relevance, location and salary. And this job scored quite low on them all. Living in a place which most people can’t get out of fast enough? Or having to live somewhere else and commute to a place which most people can’t get out of fast enough? Commuting, by the way, strikes me as unhealthy. At least in big cities. My day took me from Woking, via north London city, to Middlesex. And back. I’d love to know just how far I travelled, and at what average speed. Maybe humans should come with mileage counters?