I can remember the exact time the telephone rang. 12.32pm. Why so certain? Well I have this annoying little habit of reserving an uninterrupted hour for my lunch break. Despite the fact I only lecture from ten in the morning until three in the afternoon, that hour, that golden hour is all mine. Mine alone. It fills me with the greatest pleasure to shut my office door and turn the key in the lock. The students are well aware that if Mr Morgan’s door is closed then it is closed for a reason and they should not disturb. At 12.30pm I stand, with my back to the door, looking over my desk and out of the large window at the view to Frederick square. I bend down to undo my shoelaces. I’ve tied them using the standard shoelace knot which means I only have to pull one end of the lace to undo them without having to actually touch my shoes.
If there is a pencil out of place or if the two cardinal red leather chairs are not lined up then all this needs correcting before I can relax. I slip out of my black brogues and smile at my daring emerald green toed socks. The light from the window creates a shadow across the floor, I arrange my shoes so that the rim of the soles lines up precisely with the shadow. The grey carpet comes into a life of its own without shoes as I walk and take a seat at my desk. The screen saver on my computer has already kicked in to surreal images of over green forests and freeze framed waterfalls. I sit back in the Eames wicker chair and entwine my fingers behind my head bringing my feet up onto the desk. I let out a long and satisfying sigh.
