They may take our Casual Friday, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!

Okay, I know the movie Braveheart ended badly but that doesn’t make the urge to go all William Wallace on my company’s ass any less desirable.

The owner/founder/whatever was supposed to be in the office tomorrow and Thursday for a visit. We have been reminded to make sure our desks are clean because god forbid the man think we are actually doing work with all those wacky files and papers. But I don’t mind. It’s as good as excuse as any to dust the ‘ole cubicle.

But then we just got an e-mail informing us that because of the weather in London, which contrary to popular belief is not sunny and warm, his flight was cancelled (along with every other flight at Heathrow) and now he will be in the office Thursday and Friday and we have been requested to keep our dress business casual for Friday. That means no jeans, sports jerseys or funny t-shirts that have been won via a radio contest*.

Why we need to feign like we don’t have casual Fridays? If you were invited to a costume party would you be shocked to find people dressed a ghosts and Britney Spears and Ooompa-Loompas? I bet not. Then why would we seem less business-like in a pair of jeans? And why are we being punished for it snowing across the Atlantic? And why was the trailer for the new GI Joe movie so damn short during the Super Bowl?

And guess what – they will take away our casual Friday and we will not be compensated for it in anyway. Not like I want them to pay me more, because in this economy that ain’t going to happen. But perhaps as a gesture of goodwill an extra casual Friday would be greatly appreciated.

But methinks William Wallace himself would return from the grave to fight this battle for me before the company does that…

~The Office Scribe

* In the midst of writing this I received another e-mail that defined what we couldn’t wear, which means someone sent my VP an e-mail asking her to define “Business Casual”. I weep for my co-workers sometimes.