For Whom The Bell Tolls

"Perchance he for whom this bell tolls may be so ill, as that he knows not it tolls for him; and perchance I may think myself so much better than I am, as that they who are about me, and see my state, may have caused it to toll for me, and I know not that."

In John Donne's round about way, he was observing how interconnected we all are, which was a good effort in a world before globalisation. On the other hand I recall learning that same lesson on the bus on the way home from school aged 14, as I sat next to one of my best friends, Birdshit. I should qualify he was named that because of a permanent, natural little blond patch in his hair that.. well, you get the idea.

I recall turning to say something to Birdshit, with my mouth wide open, and at that exact same moment he (with a streaming, heavy cold) turned and sneezed in my face. I can still remember that feeling as his snot was catapulted down my throat. The cause and effect was apparent within seconds. I had him in an armlock and was repeatedly beating his head against the glass, and then two days later I had a streaming, heavy cold up at my Grandma's.

Anyway, the events of the last year can only have confirmed to those in the City that their welfare was actually strongly interlinked with red necks in the States. I know a few who would probably snort indignantly now at such a suggestion, but the facts speak for themselves given how many currently give a best case scenario of ending 2009 still with a job.

That process of interconnectedness is beginning to get juicy here at the Bank. The bell is busy tolling like a death chime for the coming cull on the trading floor - only really noticeable during the quiet periods before Squark Box. A number of my fellow bankers have had a quiet shoulder tap or 'invitation upstairs for a chat' from an unknown HR manager in recent months, and as I mentioned previously, that process has actively fuelled fear and I think is soon about to continue.

For some who are more in need of a job than me, supporting families with all the costs associated, I can almost see the sense of semi-permanent desperation and fear. But actually the whole thing *is* an enormous joke, and we really need to confront it and realise that the worst case scenario isn't actually that big a deal.

Otherwise I wish people would stop bringing their stress to work, the City just isn't as much fun as it used to be. Until something interesting kicks off at the bank, I think it's time to get back onto investing again next time.