Reasons why it sucked to have the back office to myself today:
1. I literally had to do everything. Any calls, I had to answer them, any requests for plans, I had to retrieve them, anybody needed supplies, I had to find them, any paperwork that came in, I had to file it.
2. I had to explain to half the office why so-and-so wasn’t present and accounted for today.
3. I had to smile-and-act-nice to everyone going “oooh, so you’re holding down the fort all on your lonesome today, huh.” all morning.
Reasons why it was great to have the back office all to myself today.
1. Time passes quickly when you can listen to the radio station you want to hear, not co-workers’ religious, Top 40, or Hits of The 1980s stations.
2. Time also passes quickly when you are so crazy busy you can’t think straight.
3. Was free to unselfconsciously nosh on noisy, juicy apples without fear of grossing out co-workers. In retrospect, I should have gone out and gotten a packet of Corn Nuts on my lunch break—another treat I often forgo because of its pungency.
4. Was able to steal Mary’s space heater, prop my soaking shoes against my wastebasket, and roast ’em dry without anyone complaining that the office smelt of nasty feet.
So on the balance, today was all right. I got to listen to NPR at an audible volume, snack noisily, and dry my shoes without incident. The inconvenience of being the sole file-room dogsbody is a small price to pay for ending the day with nice, dry, toasty shoes.