Twenty years of schooling and they put you on the day shift

It's hard to know where to begin talking about this week. Monday, as reported, I met with HR and wasn't what you would call inspired about my job prospects past next week. The following days were pretty uneventful -- I took a shine to a pretty girl at work (hey, it's better than meeting girls online) but despire promising early signs I think she's a non-starter. She had the most amazing eyes and a gorgeous smile, but conversation with her was difficult.

She noticed my shark-tooth necklace that I wear almost constantly, but of all the remarks she could have made about it she asked me if was one of my own teeth. If you've never seen a shark tooth you might not get why this seems like a stupid question, but they look nothing like a human tooth. We discussed where I got it from, if I had known the shark it came from (wtf?) and I think she even suggested making a necklace with one of my own teeth. I told her I wasn't planning on losing any in the near future, but I'd keep it in mind...

Thursday morning I got into work about 9am, as usual, and there was hardly anyone around. Some senior exec person was asking a colleague where the newspapers were kept, then turned to ask me when they didn't know why today's papers weren't there. I suggested they hadn't yet been delivered, and was instructed -- in a manner that suggested, I felt, that I was a lowly dog -- to go get one from reception and bring it to her, in her office. I did as I was told. Once in her office, I was instructed to find a certain page. I found it, but it was wrong -- I think I found the corresponding page in one of the supplements -- and was told to keep looking. This time I got it right, luckily for me.

I was then told to go make photocopies of the page, and then scan it. Again, did as I was told -- it felt like I was fighting with the photocopier for ages, while I tried to make it copy in A3 and not cut off part of the article. I eventually managed it, took the copies back and was scolded for copying in colour. It's too expensive, apparently. I would have been there half the day trying to change the colour settings. By this time, the exec's assistant had arrived and she offered to scan the page for me -- but I told her I'd as soon as do it myself, since if someone is on the scanner they need to use my computer anyway. And that seemed like the end of it.

Except later, the exec was passing near my desk and recognised me and took a moment to thank me for my help, and asked my name. And I had me an idea. I emailed a colleague -- and asked her, what do you think of the idea of me asking her for a job? A bit too random, since she only met me today? But my colleague said no, go for it -- this business is all about having guts (you might say it's about having balls, but men are heavily out-numbered in my workplace) and it would be a bold move. So rather than march into her office, I emailed the exec a polite email requesting a meeting with her. Skip to the end, after emails back and forth and I ask my colleague what this exec's particular job title/role was. She's the MD.

Yesterday morning I'd dressed smarter than usual -- on contrast to Thursday morning's "Department of Correction" t-shirt and skate shoes -- and marched into her office to ask her for a job. I outlined the situation -- I've been her three months, enjoy my work, feel personally involved with the campaigns, but if they don't find anywhere for me to sit I'm out of work next week. She thought it was ridiculous I might have to leave, and said of course they will find me somewhere. She also said to submit to her my CV as a formal application, and she would take it from there. It's not every day you have a meeting with the managing director, so hopefully it will be a bold move that pays off.