Thursday, February 09, 2006

What is this person?

They brought me a name today. In fact, more than a name, a big heavy piece of painted metal with a name inscribed in blue and some semi-attached bits of black plastic. "It's very adaptable" they said "you can put it on the table, clip it to a door (which door??) or stick on the wall!" Now, I know this name, I mean, I've seen it before, it's not a bad name, it's served me well in many ways BUT it's not the whole story and I just don't see why I should plaster it up on a door or a wall or a table as if it (and I) is a thing!

I looked around me at others. I have been here 4 months and I pretty much know who everyone is and they know who (they think) I am. Only one or two had a 'name' like I just got. I couldn't help myself. "Why?" leapt out of my mouth. "Well you haven't been here long enough to have a wobbly desk leg needing a prop, or a window needing to be wedged shut, don't worry, you'll find a use for it!".

2 comments:

Nogbad said...

They brought me mine this week. I live in an open plan office and I've known some of the people in there for many years from odd work I've done round the region but I now have a large notice to remind me of the label people use to recognise whichever of my identities I chose to let them see. We live in a strange world.

methel said...

congratulations comrade ;-) now all you need is the one you can attach to any part of your clothing - comes with a strong magnet attached to the back...and PAGES of health warnings about how not to let it get within half a mile of things like pacemakers!! I was deeply relieved to find that instead of "Methel" the one I was given said "Methyl" and thus I had a good excuse for throwing it to the very deepest darkest recesses of a metal cupboard to which it may become attached - and hopefully only be found in the next millenium by an archeologist looking for evidence of intelligent life on earth, thus enabling that poor soul to conclude there never was any!! May the force be with us :-))