There are morning people and then there are non-morning people. It’s fun to watch the two types collide, in the office at 8am.
My supervisor is a definite afternoon delight. She does not enjoy the mornings, even though she is always there, early. But she is not bright and cheery. She tiptoes into her cube to avoid the madding crowd, takes off her coat and settles down for a slow but steady dance into consciousness. It is inevitable that the chipper morning-ites bounce over to her desk, to wish her a fabulous day, after unloading their myriad of problems on her shoulders. She forces a smile, and is very pleasant, but deep down, she is most likely thinking, “Hey turkey. Buzz off. OK? I am just waking up and need my caffeine.”
At the other extreme is Ann-Marie. She makes her entrance in a dramatic sweeping way, wishing each and every one of us a very good morning, and a fantastic day. She makes her rounds, and misses no one. “Good morning, Wolf! How you doing? What a beautiful day. I can’t wait for our meeting today.” Most of us humor her. We answer with a thanks and a half hearted good morning, hoping she will go away and find someone else’s life to brighten.
Then there are the tired people. No matter which day of the week it is, they are tired. “How are you today, Sue?” “Tired.” “I didn’t sleep well.” “I almost took the day off.” “I just can’t wake up.” “I don’t know how I will make it through the day, I am exhausted.” The tired group takes longer than the rest of us to settle in. They are late for the morning meeting. Their computers take longer to start. They barely get their daily reports done by 9, and they won’t answer their phones until 10am. I guess their phones are tired too.
By noon, the tired people are raring to go, usually to lunch. They make plans with their other tired co-workers and dash out to a restaurant, smiling, laughing and chattering. “Thought you were tired?” “Huh, what you talking about?”
Ann-Marie is quiet. She has swung to the other side. She eats fruit for lunch, at her desk, alone. She has crashed from her morning high. She suffers all afternoon, clock watching until the stroke of 5pm. Then she whisks out the door. Doesn’t even say goodnight.
And my Supervisor? She is alive, fresh, focused. She is in her element as the day goes on. She never leaves at 5. She is just getting started.
I love watching the daily office movie. As they say, “It never ends. It goes on and on and on.”
Wolf
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