It seemed like we’d be WFH forever

At some point it seemed like Trudy Tyler would be WFH forever, how things change, now her plans are in a mess. By Christine Manby

(Illustration by Tom Ford)

Despite the grumblings of her staff and the potential for a “back to school” rise in Covid cases, my boss Bella pushed ahead with her plan for “La Rentree”. We were all to be back in the office on Wednesday 8am for our first face-to-face IRL staff meeting since March 2020.

Going back to the office wasn’t going to be such a problem for me as it was for some of the others. I live a short Tube ride away. If pushed I could be at my desk in half an hour by bicycle. I’ve got a bicycle, but for the past two years it hasn’t moved from my hallway, where it doubles as a handy place to hang wet coats and umbrellas. Its tyres are flat and I’ve got no idea what happened to the pump. Occasionally, I catch my shin on a pedal and tell myself I’ll move it.

I bought my bike as part of a plan to get fit by cycling into the office on those days when I didn’t have a meeting that required dressing up. I pictured myself serenely gliding into work, having filled my lungs with fresh air instead of Tube fug. The fantasy was cut short when I stopped to catch my breath at the entrance to Battersea Bridge and caused a ten-MAMIL pile-up.