I’ve often seen packs of financiers in bars across the city, stewing over something or the other, so this might not have been a particularly remarkable group. However, I decided to investigate further, especially after recognising an old banker acquaintance among them.
I waddled over and tapped him on the shoulder. “You alright?" I asked. "You don’t look very well.”
The whole corner went silent and my friend turned to me, looking like I’d just murdered his cat. “We were all fired today,” he said.
I have never really liked this chap anyway, but I figured I would try to offer him some comfort before slipping away. “Ah, well, don’t worry, it happens to all of us at some point,” I said. “Never happened to me of course, but times are different now.”
Back to my seat I went for another drink, knowing that I would have to encounter similar conversations at least a few more times over the next few months. With bonus season coming up too, there’s sure to be the usual merry-go-round of bankers.
But all I could think of then was that the chaps were still cursing instead of drinking up. They should take my usual advice for tough times: that a few swigs of alcohol always brighten up the darkest day.