Epitomy of a city worker

So it goes like this... its Friday morning and we are in crisis mode. You all know what that means. You know, the "Im not feeling well" calls start to flood the phone line and all the supervisors are scrambling to find coverage for the telephones and various window/counter and clerk duties. Does it sound familiar? Think DMV, the Post Office, the Court House or any of your favorite government offices. Starting to ring a bell, huh? Long lines, inefficiencies, angry staff...and then angry customers. What to do? It happens all the time.

Just another Friday working for the City.

Am I the epitomy of a public servant? I used to think not. I am slowly losing bits and pieces of myself to bureaucracy. I am conforming and conjoining to the ugly machine that I used to hate. That cog in the machine. That one piece that is there and does what he is supposed to do to make the machine run.

I hate inefficiencies. I hate that I have to go through all these channels and levels of command to get something done. It drives me nuts.

Maybe I should just roll with it. Take a longer lunch and not complain that others do. Surf the internet. Stop working exactly at 5pm (no matter what). After all, it is the end of the workday.

Everyday is crisis mode. Without crisis, how will these people manage?