You know how sometimes you just need a break between work and home?

You go to work, you come straight home, you go to work, and you come home…

It all gets a little monotonous after a while. And even though I lead a reasonably rich and fulfilling life, sometimes I feel like I’m living and working in a sausage factory.

So tonight, rather than coming straight home, I went for a walk along Oxford Street.

I actually texted a mate to see if he wanted to catch up for a wine. But working as an up and coming lawyer, he responded with “Flat out at work James. Will have to take a raincheck”.

So I wandered up and down the street by myself, in and out of several bars trying to find a spot where I could take a moment to have a glass of wine, relax, and separate work from play.

I finally ended up at The Columbian, which I noted from last night’s television news is one of those bars with a violent reputation. I suspect it’s because of its location on the corner of Crown and Oxford Streets more than the bar itself.

Inside, there were lots of people dressed in suits chatting away with friends.

I found myself a quiet spot on the corner and sat down and drank my chardy.

“There’s a lot of great talent here tonight”, a bloke said to me, interrupting my moment of solice.

“Yeah”, I agreed without really offering much.

“Was he being flirty?”, I wondered. Was he just being friendly? Or was he reaching out to another human soul who he thought needed a moment of humanity?