The Haves and the Have Nots

I ran brake neck speed down the hallway...Well not that fast I had my heels on and would have really broken my neck on the marble flooring had I gone all out in my dash to my destination. Setting up the conference was not my job, but like many previous encounters I realized it was my responsibility because those in charge would not do what was necessary and fingers would be pointed in my direction should things not be up to par. It comes with the territory of the corporate world. I don't necessarily collect the accolades but whenever there is blame it is spread evenly around.

One hundred people were to have shown up for the conference, I ordered food for one hundred and fifteen people knowing full well that free food, no matter what your economic status, is just too much of a good thing to ever pass up. Seventy showed up and damn Atkins or South Beach or whatever diet du jour people are depriving themselves on but the bagels and pastry lay untouched in the back row while the attendees gulped the good coffee (a rare thing in an office setting) hoping it would help them fight the lull of the monotone at the podium.

Nothing new to learn, people are unhappy with their staffing allowances, bonuses were not up to expectations, accountants should never try to speak in public...My eyelids sneak down across my irises and I struggle to hold my head up. After hours of self congratulatory nonsense those who weren't shipped out to the Jersey facilities get up to tour our offices. I feel like a lamb in a petting zoo. People touch my workspace and make comments on our location and surroundings. (Come, observe the Jersey employees in their natural habitat. Touch them, play with them but don't get too comfortable, one never knows the true nature of the Jersey employee so approach with caution and always keep your guard up.) Fuckers!

The day draws to a conclusion and our visitors depart. I take survey of the mess left behind that no one will claim responsibility for. Trays and trays of bagels, pastry, pound cake, and salads are uneaten waiting, on their plastic white trays, to be thrown in the garbage. Now the good catholic/jew that I am I feel great shame/guilt knowing this food will go to waste. Echoes of my mother asking me if I'm just going to throw it out when there are starving children in Africa, ring through my ears. (Like eating all my food would some how help those starving children, but I digress.)

I return to my workstation and Google homeless shelters in Jersey City hoping someone will be able to pick up our extras and put it to a good use. Call after call I'm greeted by the same comments; thank you for thinking of us but we can't pick up donations today. I ask time and time again if anyone can recommend a place and the same answer is repeated so often that I have now made it my mission to take this food there regardless of the pick up abilities of said shelter.

7PM and I load up as many plastic bags as I can carry and trudge in my heels to the shelter of many recommendations and drop the food off with a pleasant man who greets me with a smile and reminds me that things could always be far worse. I could be the person in need, not the person in greed.

The next day I check with HR to make sure I won't get in trouble for the "company" donation I made yesterday. I get a line of responsibility and corporate babble. I'm really not in the mood.

"Ya know what??" I snap..."It would be really good PR for the company if you fired an employee for donating food to a homeless shelter." My brain screams at my mouth stop talking and in a desperate attempt to swallow my last sentence a low chuckle emits from deep in my throat. HR chuckles along with me and for one more day I've dodged the bullet that I know has my name on it waiting silently in the chamber until it is called upon to do its business.