So here we are, nearing the start of the silly season.
And judging by some of the interesting characters who have graced our offices this week, it seems this year is going to be a very silly season indeed. It was with a mixture of angst and fear that I watched as another telephone was gloriously shattered, with some of the pieces flying dangerously close to my head. Some even landed in my roast chicken – oh well, extra fibre I guess.
You see, sometimes we have some very… interesting… individuals who grace us with their presence. In fact, this week saw some real whoppers, to such a degree that my boss even considered letting me out of my cage and putting these fellows in. Considered, but didn’t. Yes, I’m still confined to quarters. But in this case, I think the cage is protecting me from some of the ‘funnies’ out there.
I think sometimes people forget that while we serve the community, we are sort of a business as well. And like any other business, we have one or two rules. Some of these rules include not being allowed more than one bathroom break a day, no coffee in the mornings and no beating other staff members with a stick wider than the width of your thumb. Oh, and all staff disputes are settled in an EFC ring – gloves optional.
Other rules are more in line with best business practice and media law. Believe it or not, we are governed by some very astute business and legal minds, who know what works and doesn’t. These same people have also established rules to prevent the ‘baddies’ out there from taking advantage of our humble newspaper. The fact that these emperors and kings reside in much fancier offices does not mean we can flaunt their rules. You see, the top bosses have a very big man – his name is Bob. And Bob has a very big stick. When we are bad and forget to apply some of the rules, Bob comes along and beats the ink out of us. We are very afraid of Bob.
But this past week’s series of incidents created some more movement within the rusty cogs of my mind. Why do we call it ‘the silly season’? I applied the might of my mind to this weighty topic and came up with an idea.
You see, most of us work the entire year, taking the odd day off here and there to attend to issues like ill health or a weekend away. By the time November and finally December arrive, we have lost a significant portion of our rational thought process. And no, this has nothing to do with eggnog, Christmas parties and the like. People become tired and frustrated. And the more frustrated people become, the more tired they get. It’s a vicious circle. This then affects the way we interact with people. Where we would not normally do something during the year, we now find ourselves doing the oddest of things. Like demanding a journalist – not requesting – demanding. I mean, really. I would love to call the bank and ‘demand’ a financial advisor just to see what sort of reaction I would get. Most likely my (imaginary) funds would be invested in some criminal’s back pocket just to teach me a lesson.
So dear readers, for the sake of our poor telephones, please understand that we too are governed by rules, just like any other organisation or business. We will gladly explain them to you, but at the end of the day, it is not our place to change these rules. That’s Bob’s job.
