Having a Ball Breaking the Chain

The Odd Couple

I'm new to the cubicle jungle. I never realized that there's a whole set of etiquette rules for an atmosphere where you can hear people you can't see. It's a strange feeling to know so much about coworkers you don't really know. I share a wall that is the outer border of my sub-department, so the two guys on the other side of the wall aren't part of the group I work with, lunch with, and go to meetings with. I recognize them by sight, but I feel like it would be rude to openly acknowledge what everyone already knows... the wall is thin and voices carry.

Oscar and Felix are technical writers, scientific story tellers, immersed in the prose of rules and regulations. They seem to be some kind of hired guns, brought in for a special project as a team. They don't live in the area and have obviously been put up in the same hotel, if not in the same room. In the beginning, there was much talk about where to go for dinner, what sights to see over the weekend. Felix is an older gentleman, either childless or with grown offspring. Oscar has youngsters and often talks about this or that aspect of their upbringing, involved even from a distance.

As the project has progressed forward, the twosome has apparantly spent a bit too much time together. The tone has gone gradually from easy familiarity to polite distance. I knew there was trouble brewing when Felix told Oscar that he was on his own for dinner a few times, then started making solo plans for the weekends. Then, yesterday, there was the "advice."

"I'm not saying you should do it this way, but I told my wife at the beginning that the house and kids were her domain. I provided the support, but she wasn't to expect me to run her errands. Your wife has you hopping, taking care of all kinds of things. That's why you're late all the time. It may not be my place to say it, but you have to get your priorities straight."

As Oscar delivered this little tirade, I turned to see my cubicle buddy laughing while trying not to make a sound. He gave me a thumbs up, implying that ol' Felix had it right, and we had a 5 minute exchange of notes about how things were a bit different in Felix's time. What we waited for, but didn't hear, was what Oscar's reaction would be. Silence. More silence. In fact, that was about the last thing we heard from the boys the rest of the day.

Today, things seemed to be back to polite cordiality. I think it helps that Friday is the end of their tenure with us. Both men talked of flying home, and I don't know which one sounded more relieved. I, personally, can't wait to see who moves in next. It's better than daytime television.

posted by Sheryl @ 9:18 PM