A Sad and Sorry Testimonial
06/29/08 01:03 AM
| Up ChucksJenni and I go to lunch together nearly every day. We work within a few blocks of each other, we ride in together most of the time and we deal with each other adequately most times. We know the things that annoy each other the most and play those cards when necessary. We know what pleases the other too, and withhold that as long as possible or until a need of some sort or another arises. Of course we would never say that or admit it to ourselves or to each other because we are actually like most couples that have seasoned together like fine food. We go together even if the ingredients don't always make sense. We play the subconscious chess game as wall as most couples.
Recently we both surprised each other. Knowing each other so well we were both just knocked for a loop.
Is age creeping up on us. Are we both slipping. Is this a case of cosmic coincidence? Worry is just around the corner. I think we are still too young for senility to start staking it's claims on our mental faculties. I think.
I get three weeks of vacation a year, that is how it works for a chap or chippy who works at Roberts for over 15 years. Now, once I finish this coming August and the first week of September I get four weeks from then on until the vague and indiscernible future. That is if I remember it.
Because there is very little sales floor employee turn over at the Roberts Rodeo the camera cowboys are all getting up in their vacation days. Being a smart wrangler like I am with a lot of experience at not getting the time off I really wanted I got me an idear this year. I moseyed into Evie's office on the third of January third and staked my claims on the calendar. There is a long standing rule in place that nobody gets to take two weeks in a row. I picked my weeks, and I confirmed them with Jenni via fax and telephone call. She in turn turned in her requests for sanity recovery times.
Tuesday last, when Jenni and I went to lunch she shared an amusing circumstance at her work-place. Lori, her "Lead" person sent an e-mail saying that because Jenni was going to be on vacation this coming week that they would taper off her work-load so that she (Jenni)could concentrate on closing all the work that was out there before the requested time out of the corporate mind. She told Rebecca, her long time friend and at work superior that she wasn't on vacation this week and that she would tell Lori not to limit her incoming appeals since the department was short handed (non-overlapping vacations were taking place there as well). I listened to her amusing recital with amusement (see, it was amusing as I have already stated). The next day Rebecca told Jenni not to tell Lori, that way her (Jenni's) work load would be a little lax for a bit, Jenni again took the high road because of the work-load /staffing deficiencies and went ahead and sent Lori the e-mail.
That same day, Wednesday. Evie handed out the upcoming month's schedule to the Roberts staff, there in black and white was my vacation this upcoming week June 30th through Tuesday July 8th. Humph, I said. Later I told Evie I had considered taking that week off with the possibility of visiting Washington DC for the 4th. She said you did schedule it off. I called Jenni and reminded her of the DC possibility plans and that she and I were indeed off this coming week.
Until that moment neither of us remembered the actual act of scheduling the time.
Now I'm a little confused and concerned.
I think Jenni might be losing her mind.
Chuck Pace ©2008
I HAVEN'T LOST MY MIND, I JUST HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHERE I LEFT IT, IT'S HERE SOMEWHERE.