No... I am not suggesting I have multiple personalities.
It's just that this week at my job, instead of the English teaching I was helping at the office, and I got to spend time with Veronica Del Rio. She works at the office and I should say that she is GOOOOD!.
Although sometimes I felt that I made her work double, because she had to teach me a lot of stuff, and because there were times when I just felt as idiotic as Patrick Star trying to spell a word in a fast beat tune, I guess at times I did manage to get some stuff off her shoulders.
Working at this office makes you have to deal with two very different paces. There's the calm stage, where there's no one at the office, the phone magically seems to be disconnected or something like that, because it does not ring, and there is a beautiful, delicate silence.
Usually this stage is abruptly interrupted by the rush pace, and then you have to kind of multiply yourself so that you can get everything done. It's usually stuff that you have to get to right away, like a kid breaking her ankle, or another one missbehaving, or two others just coming to say hi, and insist on going through the papers on your desk, while teachers come and ask for materials or any other needs, and Office Depot tries to deliver boxes that you need to decide where to put. These all, happening at the same time, with everyone looking at you and talking to you while you have to answer 7 phone calls that require taking notes or looking for files AND making notes, and so you feel you should have been born with 6 arms and two heads.
And then there is the times when you have to take a bathroom break. It is my theory --and I'm sure many will agree with me, that both the chairs and the phones in every office have sensors that will go on when you stand up with the intention of doing something important away from your desk, like going to the bathroom, for example.
There would be not enough paper in the world for us to try and make a tally each time you have to go back to your desk to answer the phone when you really start perceiving the bathroom as an oasis where the most exquisite relief awaits you. So a second theory-almost-statement is: start heading to the bathroom 45 minutes before it becomes rather urgent, or right just after you return from your bathroom break; that way, there is a scarce probability you will make it there on time.
I have to flip my lid, and say that I am most admired at how Veronica could handle all this, without even blinking; during all the calamities she kept her cool... even during the yuckie moments, like kids vomiting or bleeding! PLUS, during the "marimba" times (you know, happy times), she was able to express herself, and show everyone her contagious laughter and her friendly smile. I should say, Veronica, I salute you!!!
Me? I was slooooowww... First of all, there was the issue of being a second Veronica, so I had to give too many explanations when people started to talk to me about things they thought I was supposed to know because they were sent to talk to Veronica and they thought they should talk to me. Then, I had many misshappenings with the phone, specially with the speaker. I ended up answering the phone and everyone in the school AND 8 miles around could hear me.
I must say I had never seen this amount of accidents ever before, not even when I enrolled David in a Soccer program, and I was the one with the antibiotic gel and the bandaids. Neither had I ever even imagined all the knowledge kids have under the sleeve to trick you. And sad to say, but I also saw my bit of sad cases, where I could just drop everything and start crying right there on the desk, and beg for my psychiatrist. Tough stuff gets tougher when kids are involved.
Monday I am back to teaching. I love it, don't get me wrong, but I am sure I will miss the office, the rush, the adrenalin, and most of all, Veronica.
God bless our kidneys.
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