Arrivals and Departures

The phun continues at the local government office where I continue to work(and now for a maximum of 17 months--yes, much like serving time!)with another round of layoffs. 

Last Friday, we lost 7 people from our office. All but one of them have other jobs, and with other agencies, so at least they have somewhere to go. And the common sentiment among those of us who didn't get cut is that they're better off. In a better place, as it were. That phrase, as well as everything happens for a reason, usually kinda irks me, as it presumes an omniscience none of us could possibly have(yes, thank you but how the fuck could you know that?!)but in this case I like it. They probably are in a better place. We'll leave the other platitude alone for now....

 Of the people we lost(which includes another 3 last October), there's no one I outright didn't like--even though there were a few who were sometimes less-than-easy to work with.  Didn't know some of the newer folks real well, but still had a couple years working alongside them, doing all that Important Government Work we purport to do. It's gonna feel weird tomorrow at work without them there. 

But as happens in life, one door closes and another one opens(this is a 'common' phrase I actually like!), as we get a whole new crop of people to replace the old ones. Actually, the "new" folks we're getting tomorrow have much more experience than the "old" ones we just lost. We got them because they have enough years in to survive the layoff. A couple of these "newbies" I've worked with in years past--and right where we'll be working again--and am looking forward to their return(even though they may not be!). 

Our job is not an easy one. We deal with an often unfriendly and often undereducated public, a group of people who've just lost their jobs and-again, quite often-don't have the skills or the means otherwise to get another one. They don't read the materials we give them regarding the rules and regs of the program--i.e. how to get the money they're supposed to get--and then come back on us when they screw up, claiming "nobody told me". That's the kind of stuff that wears you out over the years. 

When I started, back in 1991, I remember our manager telling us newbies that the folks you're gonna see the most of are the fuck-ups. And damn if that isn't true. Really, how could it not be?! If you have the wherewithal to file your paperwork and follow it through, chances are you won't have to see us. If you do it online, you may never have to set foot in our office. Probably some great folks out there I'll never meet, who'd be easy to deal with if they ever had a problem. But they don't. 

So your main clientele consists of the fuck-ups, sometimes year after year. They can't hold a job, and don't read the material we give them--well, I went over all this a minute ago. Some of them are personable, and thus more enjoyable to deal with, but they're still fuck-ups! You still have to fix their boo-boo's, and spell everything out as far as what they're supposed to do next(we actually have a booklet which explains all that!!). 

What saves this situation(besides the fact that despite the difficulty in dealing with some of these folks, it does feel good to have helped someone out of a mess)is that there's always been a good camaraderie among the workers. We get along, and enjoy a fair amount of jocularity. The new/old crew we're getting tomorrow should fall right in, as far as that goes. As I said, I've worked with some of these folks and am looking forward to working with them again. 

In my almost 22 years, I've seen the playing field shift more than a few times. This is not, as it were, the first Rodeo I've been to. We are also getting some staff from our regional office, the "honchos" who oversee what we do as well as the other offices in the region. That is a change I'm not looking forward to. New workers, yes!; honchos, no!  

17 months to go, until I can receive a pension. It's been a bumpy ride these past couple years, what with all the changes: layoffs, office closings- and I anticipate more bumps in the road before it's all over. I told one of the folks returning to the office, 'it'll be crazy, but I'm glad you guys are in it with me'. We shall see.....