Even though the
university I work for is closed because of snow, I am sitting in my office listening to “
A Charlie Brown Christmas” really, really loud. Looking out my office window, the streets are empty save for a few cars crawling their way through the gray slush.
My exchange with the security guard this morning went something like this ...
Him: “Scoresby (he didn’t actually call me ‘Scoresby’, but this is for consistency’s sake), what are you doing here? Don’t you know we’re closed?”
Me: “Yes.”
Him: “Then what are you doing here?”
Me: “My boss said that since I live 6 blocks away there’s no excuse for me not to be here.”
Him: “But we’re closed!”
Me: “Yes, I know. He doesn’t care. He doesn’t give me graduation day off, either, even though it’s a university holiday.”
Him: “So you’re not a university employee?”
Me: “No, I am.”
Him: “Well, I guess since he’s your boss, you have to listen to him.”
Me: “Yes, I guess so.”
Sigh. I am so angry right now. My boss isn’t even here, but I have little doubt that he will call to check up on me at some point. Whenever Pantaliamon complains that I shouldn’t be trying to find another job, I point to instances like this. See, when your work is closed you’re entitled not to be there. It’s closed, end of story. It’s not optional. But alas, according to my boss it is.
So now I sit with nothing to do, no one to give me any work. I’ll probably surf the internet today, listen to a Christmas music, and basically do nothing. If I was home right now, I’d be reading Stephen Ambrose’s “D-Day” or curled up in bed with Pantaliamon and the dog. But no, I’m stuck in an empty office with nothing to do. Simmering.
And what makes me especially angry is people keep coming by to ask why I’m here, rubbing it in. And my boss and his deputy director -- both of whom swore on their lives that they would be here no matter what -- haven’t even come in. Isn’t that ironic? Maybe I should call and ask why they're not here, themselves?