Working at working
Have you ever noticed how there are people who seem to sail along in their job, making it look easy while others make heavy going out of stapling two sheets of paper together?
For example, I have worked with people who appear to be working at a fraction of their capacity when going about their normal duties, and you would trust your wife and kids with them, in fact I did, Mr C (he's the opposite of a mogwai. If you don't keep him wet with alcohol after midnight, he turns into a gremlin).
Others seem to be working at almost full capacity with their daily routines and you wonder how they would cope with something out of the ordinary.
Would they break down and fail to deal with the pressure?
Winners of gallantry awards, such as the Victoria Cross and George Medal, are unlikely to be in the second category. They remain cool and calm under enormous pressure, weigh up the odds and get on with it. Yes they are brave, but most of all they are what we call level headed. They see a situation, find a solution and apply it. They deserve all the accolades we can give them.
I began wondering why that should be. Was it because some are less capable, (I'm sure some are) or was it something else? I think it's how you live your life, interact with the world. Mr C is one of the nicest guys you could hope to meet. He's pleasant and relaxed (see midnight rule above) and takes everything in his stride. Others I've worked with are constantly striving for achievement, battling the world, status is important to them. They are uptight, intolerant, sometimes even belligerent, and that reflects in their work. They are using their mental capacity on things that are not relevant. Many people spend their lives fretting about situations which may never happen, and are outside their control.
So why do we do it? If I knew that I would write a book about it and make millions. I only pose the questions. I don't have any answers, which is why I write fiction.
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