Not literally of course, it's just that the BHP takeover has brought new offices and workshops - in fact, a whole new Ore Handling Plant - to Yandi and by the time I returned from my break, everyone but myself and the Sparkies had packed up and moved. However, despite the schmick new building at the schmick new plant (and the schmick new coffee machines and office chairs within), it is apparently horrible there. Reports filtering back from those in the know describe it as a prison. In fact it has already been secretly nicknamed: Alcatraz.
The problem, it seems, is there are all sorts of stupid new rules. Not just stuff like you can't play loud music (I can understand that in an open plan office); but, for example, you are not allowed to have your jacket on the back of your chair, not allowed to eat at your desk and not allowed to put your sunglasses on your head. WTF! I really feel for the guys who are over there and have noticed that morale among the crew has gone right down. They are used to a lot of humour and mess and freedom and, as long as the work is safely done, the mood has always been good. Alcatraz is quite a change. Hopefully it is just a matter of everyone settling in and feelings will lighten again soon. I have heard rumours that we will also be moving over there once the Sparkies' new workshop is ready, but fortunately not just yet.
Having said that, it's a bit lonely in the office now on my own. 'Carl Guy' and his back-to-back colleague ('Son Of Family Guy') have also moved to the new site and so now it's just me. Of course I used the opportunity to quickly commandeer their desk to get away from the mud spitting air-conditioner, but it's a small consolation. It was fun having them alternately in the room as they tag-teamed their shifts. We all had the same taste in music and, with the help of a most excellent speaker system, it was great listening to the radio while we worked along. Mostly it was my favourite station (Triple J), but sometimes we would switch to "South Africa FM" (from where SOFG hails). This gave me a blast from the past feeling, reminding me of when I used to live there and causing me to attempt long-ago learned Afrikaans phrases (which I stuffed up completely).
When he left, SOFG gave me his good speakers. "I won't need them in Alcatraz," he said. To my surprise, this random act of kindness sparked a small crush on him, even though he is only 25 if he's a day. And he looks like the son from Family Guy. I wish it would hurry up and go away. It's annoying me. Completely ridiculous.
Anyway, so I should be listening to awesome sounding tunes through high fidelity speakers right now. Should be. In fact I would be but some bastard from Night Shift stole them from the desk before I had the chance to set up. A search party was, of course, immediately dispatched, but to no avail. I would ask around some more, but it is December now and even if someone did give me a name, I wouldn't know them. With all the moustaches suddenly shaved and faces baby smooth, I can't recognise anybody any more!
2 comments:
Hopefully things will settle down at the new place, but unfortunatly all these big companies seem to have these strange rules. Not sure what they are supposed to achieve though but there you go.
Aah I think I know the origins of the no-jacket-on-chair rule. In Poland it's call working with two jackets. "Where's Luke?" "I don't know but he must be here because his jacket's hanging on the chair." ;)
Still a silly rule, ofc, but somebody upstairs probably thought that it would help.
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