Gluttony and grand plans

The plane leaves the ground and we steer into the sky, leaving the patches of yellow, brown and green behind. Cars zip along winding roads, off to their jobs, their homes, maybe some new adventures. I'm on my way back home. 

It's been a nice little trip away, a unique experience and one I'm unlikely to have again. I tried to enjoy it more as I realised this, but it's difficult to do because it's just so different to what I'm used to - right from the off. This type of event can divide you either two ways; looking around at the sights and sounds and 1) aspiring to become one of the affluent people who float around the stands or 2) become grounded and humbled by the material worth of everything that surrounds and realise happiness in the normal day to day life. For me, it has to be latter.

It's all so over the top, excessive, greedy. It's clashing egos, loud voices and shiny white teeth. It's beautiful, amazing, inspiring and very ugly all at the same time. It brings out a side of people I tend to not favour much. I will never be impressed by the bragging and wonder if this sort of life will go on for these people or if it will have to deplete. Surely our planet doesn't have the resources to maintain their lavish lifestyles. There is only their future in mind, not their children's or friends. 

My boss can't get enough of it all, he feels he is in his element however I think he's out of his depth. I can't tell if the American team find him genuine or just amusing for them. For me it was only three days but for the rest it was two weeks - two weeks full of three course meals, bottles of the best wines and beers followed by talks at bars with whisky, gluttony and grand plans every evening. I was done after night one. I sat in beautifully lit restaurants to observe the clashing personalities, always in a rush to order the finest plates which don't come quick enough. I smile and try and absorb it all but it's like water and oil that separate where one clearly sits above the other, looking down with a condescending tone, confused by what they see before them. When did it change for them, at what point of their lives did they become like this, or were they born this way? I thought it would be better this time around as I'd met them all before last year but actually, it wasn't.

One of the guys decided to bring a young, female, obnoxious 'friend' along with a glowing tan and endless stories of drunken nights, it tired me to the core just to sit opposite her for a mere hour. I can't stand people who feel they have to live up to a persona they give themselves. 'I'm bubbly! I'm a party gurl! That's what you get with me!' Why such pride? In the end I stopped adding any comments in her pauses as I realised she didn't actually want any of my input. She was catching breath so she could go on even more. Topping up her glass she loudly tried to talk at waiters and ask for their names. The effort to be so...memorable. Completely forgetting her manners, she was a guest paid for by the company - eating in some of the best Swiss resultants and staying in a nice hotel. All filler no killer. Just, vacuous nothing. It was creepy as well, she can't have been much older than me and this 45+ guy was entertaining her to get something out of her in the end, so seedy. 

It's everywhere though. Money is power. Power is important and enviable. I shook hands with a multi-billionaire and saw some of the worlds most exclusive jewellery pieces; emeralds of the deepest green, highest clarity with internally flawless diamonds...yet I felt no joy. I couldn't help but think about the minors who had sourced these beautiful gems and their lives. Had it been worn with enjoyment? Probably not. What times had it seen? 

It was really a chance for my boss to try and impress me, which is absolutely pointless. I played up to it because it would have been rude not to, but I just couldn't see past how crazy it all was. The scale of it, the money thrown into it, I just can't be a part of this industry any more. I know I've wanted to leave for a long time but it's time like these I feel it stronger than ever. But it's a memory that will stay with me, the secret little side room, the plush suede tables. Ornate boxes with the highest jewels I have ever seen.