Another midweek afternoon and Im sliding into the Jewellry Quarter like Im part of some secret daytime network. Theres something delicious about being out while everyone else is stuck behind desks or in meetings. My shift work means my hours are all twisted. Normal people wake up, go to work, come home. Me? I drift through the city when its bright and quiet.
Today its Laura. Shes new on the scene but knows exactly what shes doing. Met her in a small flat near St Pauls Square. Clean place. Good light. Those moments before things start always feel electric. The small talk. The nervous energy.
I dont do this out of some grand statement. Im just lonely sometimes. The night shifts wear you down. Conversations with machines. Endless computer screens. Laura listens. Actually listens. Thats worth more than most people understand.
Afterwards we shared a cigarette by the window. Birmingham sprawled out below us all golden and industrial. Another afternoon stolen from the normal world. Another connection made in these weird hours that most people never see.