I am trying to maintain a positive mental attitude. No, not trying, having a positive mental attitude. I open up the office, turn machines on, set up the kitchen, book rooms, sign for packages then distribute the packages, stock the refrigerator, distribute mail, take inventory of supplies and kitchen things and answer the phones. That’s what I did at Wanker Banker that is what I do now.

I know it sounds a lot more glamorous than it is. I’ve been at McMann and Tate (MT) for five days now. Today while loading the dishwasher, I asked my supervisor Felicia how she thought I was doing so far.

“You were a lot more energetic during your interview.”

“Okay…?”

I don’t think that could be considered constructive. I was deflated. Day five at the new job and your supervisor says that. I mean, WTF?

I admit I’m eager to please, not kissing ass. Multi tasking and adrift. There isn’t any handbook to go to and whatever notes I find seem to contradict each other. David, the Oedipal temp ‘trained’ me for two days, and it was more of a hands off on the job not much at all training type of thing.

At Wanker Banker, (where I was, yes unhappy) I could seize the situation a lot of the time. No earth shaking decisions but small and smart ones. I was also my own boss basically. And I also had friends there.

There’s no real system at MT and Felicia keeps telling me how we have to keep things under budget. That makes it difficult to keep up on ordering supplies.

On an odder note, Felicia told me she was not going to be in on Friday. Trying to get a bead on something resembling cordiality, I asked her if she was doing anything special.

“No, I have a Doctor’s appointment”

Oh I hope it’s nothing serious. (And I was sincere in that regard)

“I have cancer.”

Now what do you say to that? Jeezy Creezy!

“You’re kidding. No wait, you wouldn’t kid about that. Wow. Sorry” That’s about all I could say.

This place is bugged for sure. Bugged in the sense that it seems a bit weird. Street slang if you will. Perhaps that’s why Felicia has been a bit distracted.

Yeah that cancer, one major distraction.

I do hope that it’s nothing really serious, maybe a melanoma. My money’s on the melanoma. Speaking of hope, I really hope this isn’t a rehash of the Bleedin’ Hope scenarios.

I don’t plan on leaving, but Felicia told me they had gone through quite a few receptionists before finding me. I wonder why that might be? Nah, I’ll hang in there, making a concerted effort to smile often while doing such drudgery. I had even run once or twice to answer a ringing phone. And I don’t even run for the bus. Skip maybe, but run? Nah, not really.

The plan is to maintain a positive attitude. If I’m going to stay I have to adapt to them because they aren’t going to adapt to me.