The view from Mount Olympus

Only 4 weeks until I finish work. And because I only work 2 days a week that means only 8 days of actually going in there. Pretty exciting huh?

My boss has decided that he should be 'touching base' with me regularly now. Every time he sees me he smiles, greets me and checks on my health and welfare. Something about horses and barn doors springs to mind but I won't be uncharitable. He also told me that my leaving caused him 'a bit of grief'. 'Is that right?' I thought. 'Hmm, well....let me see....suck it up' again I only thought this response, why make his life even more miserable than it obviously already is?

The colleagues with whom I share an office aren't happy with me. We have fun in our office. There are only 4 of us and we all get on, which is amazing in a family never mind in an office. We have our own photocopier. And espresso machine. It's pretty damn good in there. We also enjoy many happy hours at the expense of our workmates on level 3. Our whole department is up there, except us. About a year ago it was noticed that there was gross overcrowding in the level 3 office. Our manager secured some spare office space on the second floor. He asked for volunteers to go down there, and didn't get any. He then 'chose' the four of us because we were the lecturers who taught the 'higher levels' so we could all be together in the new office. I came back from holiday to find out I had been moved. Rude I thought. Everyone thought we had drawn the short straw in getting office 'W204' on the second floor. Then they saw it.... our big spacious room with the huge arched window and the photocopier..... and espresso machine. And they shook their fists in wrath.

Anyway, our favourite game in W204 is tormenting the level 3'ers. We mock the torture of their cramped little cubicles and instant coffee. We snigger at their frustrations and the inevitable conflict that occurs when you squeeze that many people into such a small space. They fight and squabble and I think it's only a matter of time before they start eating the weaker ones.

Occasionally one of us will venture up there and make some observations. Then we return to 'home office' and report our findings (like Diane Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist). They're fascinating and comical. How we laugh. One of my W204 colleagues commented on how enjoyable it was to sit in our 'palace' and scoff at the 'others'. I prefer to liken us to the Gods on Mount Olympus, tormenting the mortals and being entertained by their helpless strivings.

I'm going to miss that.