I perform the same activities every day. Often it feels as though I am a hamster on a wheel and can’t seem to find a way out. There is only so much I can do at my job. Pretty much, every day starts like this.
I am startled awake by the annoying buzz of the alarm clock. I roll over and hit the snooze hard. I roll back over and snuggle my face against my husband. He sighs lovingly. I whisper softly, “I don’t wanna go, I wanna stay here with you. ” He grunts in reply as if to say ‘me too’ if he were actually using words.
I get up and stumble over the cat as I leave the bedroom to go to the garage to have a cigarette. Nebbie is always at the door waiting to greet me in the morning and escorts me to the garage. They each come over for their morning ear rubbings and head pats and I talk to them. Yes, I talk to my cats and yes they do talk back but since I can’t understand them, I feel that this is completely okay.
Having fed and watered and properly addressing all three kitties, I tippy toe over to the hall to see if there is light under my youngest daughter’s door. Yes! There is indeed life behind the door.
I shower, dress, primp then kiss my still sleeping husband good-bye. My youngest daughter has her permit now so she drives us to her school while we talk. She parks the car and we play Chinese fire drill in the parking lot. Then I drive the rest of the way to work via some place to get breakfast.
Like a zombie, I park in the same spot every day. Upon arriving, I unlock my door, turn on my lights and put my things on my desk. I turn up the air since it is so cold there is condensation on the windows. I grab the overnight print off the fax machine and put it on my desk. I grab my coffee cup and the coffee pot and clean them filling the carafe with water to make a pot of coffee.
I start the coffee then spread out my breakfast and begin to munch while the coffee is brewing and rifling thru the morning faxes. The coffee pot gurgles telling me it is done, so I toss aside the papers and go get a cup of coffee.
I come back with my coffee and while finishing my breakfast, I sort the trash from the three pieces of paper I actually use. The filing goes to the side upside down. So much for being a paperless office, I think to myself.
I have three email boxes to check for my job. After checking, the last one and answering any email that needed attention I say aloud to no one. “Well that took all of five minutes.” In actuality, it takes about five if I dawdle.
I sigh heavily and look at the clock. Not even close to being nine o’clock yet. I print out the reports that are never looked at, punch holes in them and put them into the binder that is never opened.
I sincerely believe that if exercising futility made you fit, I would be incredibly buff by now, somewhere between Susan Powder and Arnold Schwarzenegger. It is apparently in the fine print of my job description somewhere.
I look at my overdue list and make my calls if there are any. Usually I know who is going to pay and when without calling, however, since I can’t fib my way out of a wet paper bag, I call some of them anyway just so I can say I did. Not sure if that is a virtue or a character flaw. I will have to contemplate that.
Shouldn’t it be incredibly disturbing to know who is coming by the way they walk? I am really not a creeper. I have worked in this particular place of business for 4 years now. With exception to the coworkers in my office, everyone else in the building has worked in here as long as I have or longer.
I think I have too much time on my hands or not enough noise to keep me from actually memorizing everyone’s walking pattern. I hear the elevator ding and listen to the footsteps. As soon as the doorknob turns, I know whom it is.
One of my coworkers is pregnant, very pregnant. Her walk went from the tickety tick of high heel shoes to the slow deliberate steps of an end of the 3rd trimester mom to be. She is in good spirits despite that fact. We are down to counting days instead of weeks. Can’t wait to see the newest member of team pink!
Another coworker is the pseudo manager now, since their manager is temporarily indisposed due to medical reasons. Yeah, no stress there! Nevertheless, he does try to be in a good mood most of the time. I think he would make a most awesome manager. He walks with the fast and rhythmical steps of a soldier.
The other coworker is doing his very best to stay positive and happy and he tries hard to keep the rest of us in good spirits. Most of the time it works, we appreciate him for this. He walks like a jazz musician. Not very fast and not real slow but he keeps a beat.
Well by the time everyone gets in, it is about nine thirty. So, I decide to change my scenery for a minute and go outside for a bit of air, a cigarette and to warm up. Our office is always cold to me. I like to go outside for a bit to defrost.
Upon returning, I go to see if there is anything the agents need from me. Usually there is not but sometimes they have paperwork for me to do. We chat about what is going on with all of us for a bit and then I toddle back off to my cube.
Eventually it gets to be lunchtime and I go forage for food, if I haven’t brought something. Sometimes I go to the grocery deli next door and sometimes I just go get a drink at the gas station that has cheep sodas. Sometimes I’ll just wander around a store for something to do. After lunch, I do the same thing in reverse and then count my money and go home.
Yes, my workday really is this exciting. At least it is a job. I do occasionally get the walk in client that needs help. That is exciting sometimes. At least it is a break in the monotony anyway. Since the family is addicted to food and electricity, I suppose I will keep hanging out here every day. It beats scooping elephant poop!