All In A Day's Work

I'm going to reveal a little bit more about my job. You all know that I am a receptionist, but what you didn't know that I am a receptionist at an animal health solutions company. Animal health solutions, you ask?

Well, I live on the Canadian prairies, which means lotsa farmers! And they farm everything. Our company just deals with the pig and chicken side of things. And animal health solutions means feed, genetics, supplies, vaccines, that type of thing.

So, anywho, I answer the phone for all those farmers who call in to talk to our feed guys, or our vet, or our accounting staff (all the paperwork side of things happens in our office where I work).

However, our office is in a large building that has other businesses in it. For example, a health clinic. For people. This doctor's office is in no way associated or affiliated with us.

I should mention that the name of our company does not have the word "animal" in it. And of course, some geniuses out there decided to put these 2 unrelated health companies in the same building. Can you guess where this is going?

I cannot count how many people have called or come in, asking to see the doctor, or asking me if this is the doctor's office, or asking me where the clinic is (because these same geniuses also didn't put up any clear signs), and of course, people wondering if our company sells vitamins or exercise equipment.

The head honchos (who are truly wonderful people, by the way) comment from time to time that we should probably put up a sign outside of our office somehow indicating that we are about animal health, complete with pictures of pigs and chickens. But I think they secretly get a kick out of people's confusion.

I suppose it is funny, but I tend to be quite a sympathetic person, so I always feel embarrassed for those individuals, wandering around outside my door, clearly not knowing where the heck they are supposed to go.

Another "wonderful" thing about working so close to a people health clinic is that I get to listen to the screams and cries of babies and little kids who's mommies brought them to the doctor. Joy.

And finally, some of those same geniuses I keep telling you about decided to build an elderly complex that is attached to our building. So when I'm not listening to unhappy children, I'm watching really old people take their daily walks, inside and around the building, which leads them right past my office, and as they shuffle slowly by, they stare at me, and it's quite a parade.

And every once in a while, I hear the unmistakable sound of an ambulance siren approach our building, and a crew comes in with a stretcher, rolls it right past my office to get to the elevator that will lead them to whatever old person needs help this time, and a few minutes later they will roll the stretcher by my office again, and this time there will be an old person in the stretcher, hooked up to an i.v. and oxygen, kind of like what just happened as I was typing this.

Well, at least I can't complain about my job being really boring. And this is just what happens outside my office! It's a whole other kind of fun inside the office....