Road to corruption
I am going to take some time off next week. In response to my impending absence, someone is going to cover my territory.
Cool. It's still way too early in my career in this facility to have pissed off any of my customers or for any of them to hate me or bad mouth me. So all is great.
Towards the end of last week they let me know that they wanted the "new guy" to cover my territory rather than the regular swing person. This is the new guys first week in the position. And that they wanted him to travel with me?!! ALL WEEK.
Oh hell.
I fretted about it all week end and finally as I was heading out the door Monday morning, still gloomy that I was going to have a shadow with me all week, I thought maybe, just maybe, this could be fun.
I arrive at work and there he is. "Hello!" he says greeting me at the door, "T. said he saw you park in the lot!"
Oh my God. It's a BABY!!!
We shake hands. "What's your name?" He has only been referred to as "the new guy".
"W."
Well, well, well. I have an assistant all week and it has been extremely good. My assistant makes my phone calls for me. Makes copies for me. Does my e-mailing for me. Makes up forms for me. Does my daily sheets for me. Has been my muscle all week. All under the guise of "training him".
He is like a puppy. So eager to please. He is like a sponge. I tell him, or show him once and he gets it. He has been with the company for a year and this is his first promotion. Since I worked the "other side" of our business (the dark side) I can relate to him.
I have spoiled him rotten. It's amazing what buying lunch for a 26 year old kid all week will get for you. I have shared my wisdom with him all week. This is hilarious because as I "trained him" I realize how seasoned I actually am. (jaded?) It's been fun. I am so accustomed to being alone all day, it was pleasant have him around.
I have corrupted him for "the dark side". He will never again be satisfied working for them. He wants with "us", the fun side.
I am going to miss him. Not only for the wonderfulness of having a side kick, but because he is an interesting, quirky, intelligent and a Boston Irish transplant.
He showed me a used bookstore that is fabulous in downtown that never in a million years I would have found if he had not shown me.
I really really lucked out this week.
2 comments:
Y'see? Blessings often come in the guise of curses! He's lucky to have been assigned to you, Mar. A lesser person would have been stingy with the knowledge, just in order to feel superior.
This brought back some fond memories. I remember being "the sponge" and learning a new gig at work. My first big promotion. Sounds like this kid has the right stuff. His age is about the time I got serious about my career. I can't stand people with a poor work ethic. I'd work my ass off and slackers would really piss me off. :-) Hope he does well flying solo next week. Makes it easier to enjoy time off when you know the person covering your ass will do a good job of it.
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