About ten minutes ago the 44th President of these United States finished giving his first speech in that capacity. But instead of watching a lovely color feed on my nice 17 inch flat screen computer monitor I watched this historic even on a 5 inch black and white television one of my co-workers brought in. I guess there were so many people in offices around the country who were trying to watch the inauguration live that the internet basically said “No More” and wouldn’t let anyone else on.
So my department gathered around the small TV, like a scene from an M. Night Shamalamadingdong movie where there are reports of aliens or killer trees (did I ruin that one for you? Say hello to your mother for me). But then a few things happened that distracted us from watching history unfold in peace.
The phone rang. Luckily it wasn’t my phone (no one calls me anyway) but that of a co-worker who was forced to answer it. I know, I know. Our jobs here entail us speaking on phones and selling stuff, but what was the person who called thinking? I don’t care what your political affiliations are. Don’t you assume people might be watching the inauguration and therefore don’t wish to speak with you? Kind of like how my friends and relatives know not to call me during a variety of TV shows such as “The Office”, “True Blood”, and “The Amazing Race”. It’s a common courtesy people.
The other really distracting thing was the sudden appearance in our grouping of cubicles of the printer repair guy. I swear to god he came out of nowhere. And he doesn’t even work for our company. He was just there to fix our printer, which stopped working yesterday, and leave. But instead he sidled over and stood with us for like 20 minutes and watched TV with us. I hope he isn’t getting paid by the hour because we shouldn’t have to pay him for that time.
So in 50 years when people ask me where I was during this pivotal moment in history I can tell them I was watching it unfold with my co-workers, the chick on the phone, and the printer repair guy who kept nodding and kinda creeped me out a bit.
~ The Office Scribe
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6 comments:
I was sitting in the Rec Center with airmen and soldiers deployed to Joint Base Balad, Iraq. All three wide screen tvs were on the ABC feed through the Armed Forces Network. And I was on my laptop, in IRC chat with friends from across the US and Canada, all watching it at the same time (I checked, no one was in the DMI chat at that time).
Goosebumps.
Clapping when he finished the swearing ceremony part.
Onward to the first 100 days!
I was at the auto repair place and had just been told I need $1600 in repairs. Great way to start the new administration!
Hey don't feel bad...I was at work (I'm a teacher) and didn't even get to see it.
I was in an auditorium full of Twits who didnt care, most of which talked and laughed, and the ones who were paying attention were making rude comments and laughing at how people acted... it was a good ceremony, but it was ruined by the people i was forced to watch it with.
One of the beauties of being partially employed is that I got to watch it drunk from a bar stool.
and M. Night Shamalamadingdong, good one.
I thought I had it bad here at my home office-- where if my cat steps on the keyboard, I miss everything. Happened that way with the ball dropping on New Year's. Now I don't think we're actually in 2009. I'm still in 2008. :)
Glad you were able to see it with all the special people in your life.
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