Tower Of Babel

…at home, en casa, deh ’bout, loafing…..whatever you want to call it, the point is, I am not at work today!

Yes my crew, I am on a day of departmental leave. Yes, that is the type of leave you can be granted at short notice when you have ‘issues’ to deal with. What issues am I dealing with? Well, yesterday morning, I made a spur of the moment decision that I had to give the wheels in for a service….all this because I had to start her about seven times before I was good to go. Usually, she is humming away after one turn of the key. She has been giving rather poor mileage, and I surmised that a service was due. Long time I haven’t had the fuel injectors cleaned, so she is not quite as quick to respond as she ought to be when given the ‘press’. In addition, as usual, front end could use some alignment and balancing….furckin Jamaican roads with their array of potholes! Now, I did have to go in to work yesterday, so, I wasn’t able to get the vehicle to the mechanic until about 1:30 PM yesterday. At about 5 PM, I got the call (which I was sort of expecting), they will not be able to complete the job until today…..needs some front end parts including tie rod ends…..(hope that’s about it, as I am not planning to milk any whole heap o $$$$ outta the account…as if nuff deh deh anyway…). Fine. I will shout them about midday today.

Eventually, I arrange a lift home. Sometime at about 6:30…my belly feels a bit….’overactive’ shall we say…and I then realize from the frequency of happenings in the next few hours that I have a case of ‘intestinal hurry’ (AKA…the shits) on my hands.

I decide that the days events do not sit well for work on Tuesday. No wheels, regular stops at the porcelain throne….not exactly work conducive.

Eventually Daddy reaches home. Not seeing my wheels in the garage, he asks what a gwaan? (Not his actual words…) He then asks me how I am going to work tomorrow…..offering me his ride (he is his own boss)…..I say thanks. Then I mention that the belly is in overdrive….so I am thinking of holding a day. He replies, “Why not? You nuh always deh on the job up there!” (I think to myself….so effing true!) I am now resolute, and a telephone call to my boss is made. It’s a done deal. She said to me, “D, you are always around, always covering for others. Take the day!”

So, here I am, at the yard, in my favourite attire….boxers, yawning ansd stretching and about to nyam a late breakfast. The belly seems to be slowing a bit, having been doctored earlier by a cup of ginger/mint tea….sweetened with a teaspoon of honey.

Those of us in full time employment are probably quite grateful for our jobs, as am I. (The ‘no work’ ting not cute at all.) But, in most cases, some of our best hours are consumed by our work…leaving us little time to tend to personal matters. Much as I do enjoy my work, it should be a nice thing to look forward to, in the not too distant future, when I have my own office where I call the shots, I decide when to open and close. Actually, it is not quite that simple…your own office is a hell of responsibility….and might I add, leave facilities don’t come easy. Sole private practice does not a salary cheque gurantee….it takes a while to establish yourself. And, a doctor who does not see patients, earns nada. So much for two or three week vacations. Anyway. Today, I am going to enjoy my day, deal with a few things that I wanted to, maybe even get a haircut, get my wheels back, and forget about the hospital corridors, and of course, I’m going to blog at my leisure! Y’all have a good day….even if you are slaving away at the grind while I man deh a yard!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 19th, 2005 at 10:10 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.