Monday, June 18, 2007

Another Day in the life of an Office in Jo'burg

While my weekend was all relaxed and nostalgic, for reasons I can’t get into as I am requisitioning the story for a mate, who is by now hassling me cause of some looming deadline, my office was The Place To Be, it seems.

Faceless nameless people tried to get into our pretty sparse office on Wednesday night. This should make me kinda nervous as I am always one of the last to leave the workplace. I happily work late on my ace till any and all hours. I’m a night person. Strangely, I felt unbothered when I heard the news of the attempt.

They tried again this weekend. And succeeded. Damn straight they should have succeeded. They did cut a hole in our wall this time! Such effort at least deserves SOME reward.

Sadly for them, their reward was like getting only a lotto number or two. All they grabbed was one projector. Not even a laptop. Or tons of petty cash - that was taken when we had a mid-day burgarly months back now. Not even the condoms littering my desk. (I have noticed they did check out the dates of expiry on the government freedbies – 6 months left – how responsible of them!)

The “amusing” thing for me. Well, other than the gaping hole that was sawed into the drywall from the neighbouring offices. Is that my boss and I had an argument on Friday afternoon about where the safest place was to leave my laptop, passport, iPod and all.

I was leaving the office on Friday afternoon to head straight to Melville. First drinks at a mate’s place, and then dinner. My car would be parked on various roads the whole night. My boss reckoned my precious possessions were safer in the office. Oh please Champers, why are you taking the risk of Melville. One hopes to still have a car after a night out in that area!

I reckoned the Wednesday night guys would be back on the weekend, to have a field day amongst the cubicles.

I finally decided to put my passport in my handbag (which also is never safe in crowded drunken bars) and my laptop in my car, park my car in the EXPENSIVE parking, and hope for the best.

HA! It’s always so nice to be right.

To go back to a post from awhile ago – not having a space in which to leave your daily precious possessions is not normal or healthy.

11 comments:

High in Dubai said...

Ja, its definitely not healthy or normal... But shpank heavens all the important stuff still remains in your posession!

I realised how unhealthy it was yesterday - when I was told to speak to the maintenance people about why our smart card was missing from our DSTV-equivalent - only to be shown that we didn't need a smart card and that some of our wires were connected wrong - felt like a royal prick... It was easier to be bare; only because it was my irritating digsmates assumption!

Revolving Credit said...

Does this mean that you can now claim the cost of parking back from the company??

Due to your foresight on Friday, you managed to prevent the theft of your laptop. Thats gotta count for something.

Champagne Heathen said...

Highs - ha ha, shame! Lay ALL blame on the fool of a house mate!

I have realised how bad it is when you are nervous about what details (banking/ home/ saving passwords on your computer, etc.) onto things like your laptop & cellphone, cause of WHEN they get stolen!

Rev - EXCELLENT plan! I will definitely make enquiries into this, and report back.

Mr Memetic said...

Have you checked out my blog yet?

I thank god I started it yet. Even though it's fictional, so it's more of a pseudoblog, I have vented some of my recent frustrations at the lousy place I work into it.

I was so angry when I started the next entry, but by the time I finished all I felt was peace. I also felt an altar boy, but that's a different story...

Revolving Credit said...

Anton felt an alter boy???

Champagne Heathen said...

Anton - you finally organised yourself a blog?!?! Great!! But what is the address? Your name won't link to it.

Yes, it is a great destresser. You'll enjoy it. Especially considering your thoughts and ideas and love of writing! Now we just have to get others to know you and your blog are out there.

Rev - I choose to read right over some sentences people write. That might be one.

Anonymous said...

I think it'll work now. Try clicking on my name now.

And keep in mind this...blog requires some hectic layout changes... So start from the bottom entry from now and work up.

Mr Memetic said...

er...

"for now."

And revolving credit:

Yes I did. We held hands, even. It was sweet.

Champagne Heathen said...

Good luck with the blog! Yeah! The address is: http://swordsaint.wordpress.com/

rather than name clicking and all.

Mr Memetic said...

Thanks for the promo, Champs!

I'm not ready to go large yet. One day, hopefully when I'm far ahead enough in my work (why do I hear sniggering in the background?) I will upload as much as I can, and start mass netvertising (I think this may be a new word - if so, you heard it heard first!) with links and another things from sympathetic bloggers like you.

So... shot!

Mr Memetic said...

crap... "netvertise" is not new :(