Office Recluse

When I started in the business 25-years ago I was the water cooler guy, talking about sports, badmouthing management, giving people grief about their bad haircuts. I would hold court and visit people at their cubicles to pass on joy and good natured quips. Fast forward 25-years and I'm the office recluse, hived away in my cube avoiding eye contact in the hallway. Hoping people will leave me alone.

Yesterday was office bliss, all of my co-workers were out of the office. It was like the public library, complete silence. I was typing away at my computer without interruption. By mid-afternoon there was high volume babble emanating from The Doors, but I tried to tune that out.

I don't understand why The Doors don't use the door when they have conference calls? Pet peeve #347.

The longer I'm with the company the less people I know. I'm down to about a dozen people. My goal is retire and have people say "who was that guy?". I have not had a meal in the company cafeteria in at least 4-years. I did walk in their for a coffee a couple of years ago. Someone left a yellow sticky with a note "thanks for stealing my milk" I added a note "can you bring 2% next time?". I laughed and laughed at my joke.

One of the older guys in the office looks like Captain Kangaroo. He is a nice enough guy so I don't give him any grief. There are a couple of older guys on contract. I'm pretty sure I will end up like them. At least they have pensions. Public sector types have no clue that private sector workers have no pensions these days. We do get contributions towards self directed pensions, but they are minuscule compared to gold plated public sector pensions. I squirrel away money for retirement but I think a lot people are going to be in for a shock when they retire.

I'm sticking my head out of my cube like a groundhog, making sure the coast is clear when I dash for the copier room. I'm like a doomsday hoarder, adding to my stash of yellow stickies and pens. The precious post-it stickie file tab things being the most prised procession. Some of my co-workers may find their stash a little lighter today when they return to their hovels.