You Can't Make Me

They want us back in the office, Boris told me the other day.

"They want to go back to how it was before the pandemic," said Boris.

We want to go back that far, I think? 

"Really?"

"Yes."

But, what about the discoveries we have made? What about the preferable way to work that we have learned? They want to wipe that away? Seriously? That was significant.

But I don't want to go back to the office, I have been given a whole new way to work and I love it. I don't want to go back. I never want to go back. It is a waste of time.

I get up at 6am, just because I do now a days, have a shower, iron a shirt (is that the most boring, fucking thing in the world, I ask you?), eat my breakfast, walk to the office, - I cannot fathom the people who live an hour, or more, commute wanting to head back to the office - and I am in the office by about 7.30am. By the time I stop crying (well, I will be if this is my future), and get coffee, it is 7.45... I can do a huge amount of work in that time at home.

I don't care you are providing breakfast and coffee, big deal. I can make my own at home at my leisure whenever I feel like it.

No. That is a firm no from me.

(Of course, I am getting an arse like the fat girl next door from the lack of exercise, but surely, I'll be able to counteract that at some point in the future with a pill, or something) *

So, I'm ignoring it, for long as I can. What can they do? I'm not a manager, I'm not in charge of anybody, what does it matter where I work? Shake of the head. No.

I wonder how long I can get away with it? (I'm planning to get away with it indefinitely)

Sam is going to visit his family for most of October, and I'm planning a boys smoking month, so I don't want to be back in the office for that.

And, apparently, I have to look after Charlie, so I can't possibly go back to the office because of that, I'll have dependants. I'll practically be a working mother. And it is so difficult, they grow up so fast. Yeah, sure he's 19 and at uni but they still need guidance at any age.

No, I am just not going back. I ask you again, what can they do? In this era of staff shortages?

I had a cooked lunch at 1pm. I had a shower at 1.30pm, just to brighten up the afternoon, I can't do any of that in the office.

* of course, young Travis lives next door now, and seriously, if I had an arse like his, I'd be a happy man.