When A Gift Certificate Just Won't Cover It

I’m sitting in my office trying to get some work done when in strolls one of the field operators. I turn to him, remaining seated, as he hovers above me with a big smile covering his face. He proceeds to tell me how the maintenance program I created over the summer for his equipment really helped in reducing failures. “Why then,” he wonders aloud, “don’t we have a similar program on these other, similar pieces of equipment?”

Before I can answer, I am interrupted by someone else walking in wanting to know the answer to some simple question. I respond and he leaves, but it doesn’t stop there as another individual walks through my door asking another question about their equipment.

I’m really surprised because I’ve never been this popular at the office, at least where there’s a revolving door of people asking for my help. In a way, it’s overwhelming, but it’s worth it as I feel like I’m really making a difference around here. I quickly lose track of whose coming in and out of my office with such rapidity when suddenly our British employee enters my office with a reward for my efforts.

And what, pray tell, is my reward?

He pulls out and sets down on my desk right in front of me, a lobster.

What?

As if that wasn’t enough, he pulls out a knife and cuts it in half! He presents me with the gift of the bottom-half of a lobster, then makes a remark that I chuckled at because I thought it was from a Grey’s Anatomy episode. He walks out with the others leaving me alone in my office with my “lunch”.

I turn to my computer and try to read some quick emails. Man, this day is going pretty well. Let’s hope the day’s almost over. But when I try to read my emails everything is blurry and illegible.

Stupid contacts. I close my eyes, rub them with my hands, then open them back up.

…

There’s darkness all around me as I’m staring at a clock that reads 4:40AM. Another 35 minutes of sleep await me as I shake my head and rollover in bed. There’s something unsatisfying about waking up before your alarm goes off. Of course, there’s something even more unsatisfying about dreaming about work.

I slip back into unconsciousness wondering what happened to my kudos and lobster. If only today really went that way…. Here’s hoping for the best.