Sunday 15 March 2009

Protocol/New Girl

I am one of four females in a forty-person office.
One of four.
The place is quiet. Really quiet. Scary quiet.
It is populated by developers and they've never really had to sell or market.
They go by nicknames, not by actual names.
This is because everyone is named Mark, Stu, or Matt.
Even the females.
They have office protocol they have you read.
One is "How to cope with the phone."
The instructions:
You may notice from time to time a strange buzzing or ringing sound emanating from a box-shaped item located on some, but not all persons desks. This is called a telephone. To activate the phone pick up the small, funnel-shaped stick (known as the receiver) which is attached to a spiral code. Say "Hello." Should you not wish to activate the phone simply let it sit and buzz or ring. Eventually this should stop.
They also have office protocol on toasted sandwiches, and one on milk delivery.
The milk delivery should come with flow chart and algorithm.
This is because, I fully believe, one day someone really got irked about the milk situation.
There are ratios of milk to beverage to consider.
Today, a soap protocol appeared.
Being that I am now, officially, surrounded by developers this sort of amusing, yet passive-aggressive behavior is probably going to be common.
I think I will do fine.
I'm the new girl, after all.
But I miss the loud sales folk.
I miss my friends.
My office.
The things that I considered mine.
And I feel like a total muppet on my bicycle.
A complete newbie.
Such mixed emotions.
It's strange, really strange, to be new.

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