{"id":455,"date":"2013-09-11T10:43:25","date_gmt":"2013-09-11T15:43:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/extraterrestrialvisitor.wordpress.com\/?p=455"},"modified":"2013-09-18T12:21:55","modified_gmt":"2013-09-18T17:21:55","slug":"employee-of-the-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.extraterrestrialvisitor.com\/?p=455","title":{"rendered":"Employee of the Month"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"employee3\"<\/a>One of the best day jobs a writer can have is in an office. Once you\u2019re there for a while, you\u2019re considered a trustworthy employee. Security becomes relaxed and you become convinced it\u2019s your right to exploit the company\u2019s computers, printers, copiers and the endless supply of paper. It\u2019s not really theft. It\u2019s more like a fringe benefit, isn\u2019t it? I believe in an honest day\u2019s work for an honest day\u2019s pay, but it\u2019s after hours when the day job really pays off. Once everyone has gone home, the entire building is mine.<\/p>\n

I spend so many nights at the office; I\u2019m on a first-name basis with the cleaning staff. I can tell you the names of their children – their interests and ambitions, too. Why just last week, Maria invited me to her wedding; and Hector has been giving me Spanish lessons during his 9:00 PM lunch break on Tuesdays. During the lunch breaks on Thursdays, I read chapters of my novel to the entire cleaning crew.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Months ago, I was polishing up my manuscript – making a few revisions suggested by Dave and Hector during the lunch break readings. I could hear the Xerox machine down the hall spitting out copies of my 398-page manuscript and the buzzing sound of the laser printer warming up outside my office, while Dave\u2019s vacuum cleaner whined somewhere on the end of the floor. Hector ran into my office and sputtered between gulps for air. \u201cThe boss is here. Your boss is coming to here! He\u2019s coming now!\u201d<\/p>\n

I closed down my manuscript file and booted up the company\u2019s job estimate computer program as Hector scampered away. A few moments later, Donald Cristenson, our Chairman of the Board, walked into my office. He\u2019s a classy guy \u2013 a sharp dresser \u2013 and on this night he was wearing a tuxedo. His cashmere coat hung over his shoulders like a cape. He stood there looking as uncomfortable as I felt. We said hello and stared at each other while the clacking of the Xerox machine filled the uncomfortable silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs someone else working tonight?\u201d Don asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. That\u2019s just the Xerox machine warming up. It always sounds like that.\u201d I said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWow. That\u2019s noisy. Doesn\u2019t sound good at all. I\u2019m going to have Jeannie check that in the morning.\u201d Don took a step closer, then adjusted his trouser creases as he sat on the corner of my desk. He looked at me as though I was his son and said, \u201cKatherine and I were at the opera tonight. I left her with friends and came back for my briefcase.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe opera?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. I\u2019m a real patron of the arts \u2013 well, Katherine is. Opera, Symphony, Repertory Theatre, all that stuff \u2013 she\u2019s got me donating to every one of them. I\u2019m a big patron of the arts.\u201d He placed his hand on my shoulder. \u201cI want you to know that your contribution is noticed. Why there isn\u2019t an evening that I don\u2019t see your car in the lot.\u201d He smiled and punched my arm. \u201cHicks, you remind me of my younger days, when Bruce and I were starting this company. Hell, we were in here day and night, too. Keep up the good work, my boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don got up and adjusted his topcoat while I prayed that he wouldn\u2019t turn to inspect the loud copier. He turned at the door and winked. \u201cDon\u2019t stay too late. And remind me to have Jeannie check that copier tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Within weeks, I received a substantial pay increase and at the end of the year, my bonus was doubled from the year before.<\/p>\n

Sure, I\u2019ve used the company\u2019s resources to create my novel \u2013 a poignant story about an extraterrestrial monkey that works in a circus as a mind reader. I don\u2019t feel guilty. My writing is art. And Donald Christenson is a big patron of the arts.<\/p>\n

(Originally written February 25, 2004)<\/em><\/p>\n

Share this:<\/h3>