Thursday, July 31, 2008

Does this make me a germa-phobe?

I don't think that I have a tendency towards any sort of OCD-obsessed germa-phobe behavior.
At least, I didn't think so before this week.
I mean, I have seen people that get all shades of crazy when it comes to body function and keeping themselves germ free.
I tend to not get too worked up about that stuff. Maybe it is ignorance. Maybe indifference, but I have a ton of other things to concern myself with ...
That was until this week.
And frankly, I don't feel like the story I am about to share even constitutes extreme in any fashion -- more like common freakin' sense.

I work -- as does a good portion of the working class -- in cube-land. Its Dilbert actualized.
This means that I am privy to all the conversations you have with your wife, husband, sisters, friends etc. I know when you are going to the doctor. I know your weekend plans. That is, providing you work within a 10 ft radius of me.
And I would expect that my co-workers can say the same for me.
The woman in the cube right next to me had been out of the office for the latter part of last week due to not feeling well.
Came in on Monday -- still looked like ass for the record -- and I poked my head around the corner.
"Feeling better?"
To which she raspily replied "Not really. I have pneumonia"

My brain quickly reacted with the following thoughts...and in no particular order:
-who in their right mind comes to work with freakin' pneumonia? Answer as far as I am concerned: NO ONE.
- why on earth do you think that your work that you "just can't let sit for a day" is more important than the health of the people that didn't come to work WITH PNEUMONIA?!?!?
- and no offense to the overall health of my co-workers but my ass is pregnant. And you know that. And well, should I catch your lung-infesting germs, I am guessing that those kick-ass antibiotics that you claim are keeping you from infesting the rest of us wouldn't be available to me in my delicate state and thus I would have to suffer through it. Thanks for that.
I really have to wonder about what it is that actually makes people tick sometimes. As clearly, the logic that dictates my some-what screwed up life doesn't not translate at all to others.

All I can say is whatever.
One more thought in a similar vein...

Public women's restrooms traditionally have multiple stalls that allow for you to choose from. Any bathroom with a decent amount of usage is going to have 3+ stalls. My primary work restroom falls into this category. We have 4 regular stalls and a handicap one. This translates to the following rule of thumb...
If you can select a stall that doesn't have anyone next to you, you should. So, I am in the restroom yesterday, at the last stall in the row and someone comes in. There were no others in use and this person chose the stall RIGHT NEXT TO ME.
Why?
Is the one-stall separation rule something have invented myself? Does it not make sense?
I think this might be another sign that I am getting old. Who know?
Old or losing my mind.
Odds are favorable in either direction.

Now Listening: The Reminder by Feist

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Did you know that the cubicle just celebrated it's 40th anniversary...simply amazing, isn't it?