Spiral Bound Journal

Engineering the Outcome

I got caught in the rain waiting for the bus, but if it means staving off another summer drought, I'm fine with it. Too bad there isn't a Target or something near my office where I can buy another pair of socks. The closest one is in Midway. We'll see if I have time to stop there on the train ride. Perhaps I should move to St. Paul to alleviate some of these transit issues. On the other hand, Minneapolis does have a wider variety of places to run and work out. That makes a big difference to me.

By the time I complete both the bus and train rides to the office, my socks are dry enough. With most of the moisture around my ankles, I can get dry without having to remove my shoes. I still grab a couple paper towels from the break room while getting coffee so I can soak up a bit of the water while I'm at my desk. The two other people in the break room are too caught up in trying to wake to even notice me. Thank goodness for small mercies.

Being at my desk is another story. I'm still early and getting ready to buckle down with some reports, but my boss is already hovering. It's not my fault that he has to be in everyone's business at all times. Still, I hate having to manage him in some ways. At least the paper towels fit in my back pocket without being too noticeable. This makes me thankful that I took the time to find pants that weren't too slim fitting, something that was at first a challenge but became easier once designed realized just how many people gained the so-called Covid-19.

"Morning," I greet my boss. "Once I unlock my computer I'll review my emails and screen for the urgent items."

"You do that," he replies. "We got an update from Fillion this morning that we need to act on."

With that, my boss heads off to antagonize a cohort a couple desks away. I manage to not roll my eyes as I unlock my computer. Fillion's update (whatever it might be) is not bound to be Earth-shattering in spite of his rather intense personality. As demanding as he can be, he can prioritize things better than my boss. When I find his email, I am assured that my assessment of the man is justified. He's giving us a week to respond. I reply back giving a rough outline of what we'll need to review in order to act on his update and that it will be a couple days before we can do that. After I send the reply, I also send Fillion a quick IM letting him know my reasoning for responding as soon as I did. As expected, Fillion sent an eyeroll emoji and said he'd have a word with my boss about prioritizing. At least someone gives a damn, because my grandboss doesn't.

I do get enough peace in the morning to read over the reports and also look over some drafts for lock disposal at the old Ford Dam. As much as I personally agree with removing the dams and locks, the carp invasion to the south has made such aspirations more difficult to justify. If keeping the dams in place for now means having to forsake a bit of whitewater kayaking in my neck of the woods, so be it. I have plenty of other ways to keep active. That said, the removal of the lock system can assist in getting the water quality to a more acceptable state. I remember taking a boat tour through Ford Dam a couple years ago and seeing a rather large dead smallmouth bass floating in the lock water being used to lower our boat at one point. It was unsettling, especially since the fish lacked any signs of external decay. I force myself to not think about the fish too much, though, as it's almost lunch time. At least I have a salad that is devoid of fish on tap for today.

I decide to take my lunch out to the building's courtyard since the sun has decided to put in an appearance. By the time I get out there the tables and benches have dried off enough that I can sit without worrying about my pants also getting wet. After all, I had just finished getting my socks dry earlier in the day. I grab a table and unpack my lunch: kale and chicken salad with a lime dressing, yogurt, and water. I get part way through my lunch when I get some company.

"Garrett!"

I look up and spot a familiar blond hair colleague donning khakis and a navy polo shirt standing on the opposite side of the table.

"Hey, Trey. How's it goin'?"

"Not too bad. You?"

"Besides having to manage my boss with Fillion's help?"

Trey laughed. "Sounds like the usual."

"Yeah, although I got a couple hours of uninterrupted reading done, so maybe Fillion made some headway."

"Wow. That's a miracle."

"Tell me about it. Hey, you can sit down if you're not going anywhere."

Trey checks his watch. "I have a little time."

I looked on as Trey settled in across from him. I like Trey even though our paths don't cross much. He has some experience with my dillweed boss and talks sports without getting too far into ruminating over stats. Sadly, he's not up for ogling the players like I do (sometimes), but he is game (so to speak) for discussing with they do outside of the sport from time to time. I take a couple more bites of my salad and sip some water before picking up my end of the conversation.

"So how's life in the wonderful world of sewage?"

Trey smirked. "Thanks to a bit of state money going to Greater Minnesota, we have our share of rural projects to review. So many water treatment plants out there either need to be significantly overhauled or rebuilt from the ground up."

"In a related story, electric shocks hurt."

"No kidding. I suspect I'll be busy with reviews and cost analyses for the foreseeable future. Maybe I can half look at them while watching the NHL draft?"

"NHL," I ask with a slight grimace. "I'm more of an NFL draft sort."

"Ah, yes, I keep forgetting that. Strange since you live in the state of hockey."

"You'd think that with such a title the Wild would bring the damn Cup back."

"I'm sure they'll do that right after the Vikings win a Super Bowl."

"Touché."

"Any big plans coming up?"

"My parents invited me to the cabin for the Fourth, but I kind of want to stay here and get in some extra runs."

"Have a race coming up, I take it?"

"One in Stillwater toward the end of July."

"10K?"

"Yeah."

"No wonder your lunch looks so healthy. Well, I should probably head out. I have a meeting in a half hour and need to make sure my computer is sufficiently charged for the presentation."

"Understandable. Later!"

Trey waves and gets up from the table. I take an imperceptible glance at his posterior as he leaves but go back to eating my lunch before anyone sees anything. No need to feed the water cooler chat when my boss has skewed priorities. If I didn't like my job so much I'd be somewhere else. Since I'd rather not lose my career here over something so mindless, I try to keep my head down as much as possible. With that thought in my head, I work my way through the rest of my lunch. I know that I have quite the afternoon in front of me.


Entry 8 in "The Bard's Hall Contest"  June 2022