So they announce the Democratic National Convention will be held in Charlotte, everyone is hype, the city is excited, it's the talk of the town. Me? I really didn't have much to say, didn't make me a difference one way or the other, didn't think it would affect my life at all. I couldn't have been more wrong! My work life if nothing else was about to undergo some renovations...
At first there were only subtle changes, waxed floors, cleaner building ( why they don't just do this for us I don't know) and then they replaced all of the blown out light bulbs. So I suddenly went from working at a place I affectionately call the "domicile of the damned" to Charlotte Douglas International Airport. It's so freaking bright in here you would have no problem landing a plane inside.
Then I travel to another floor to get a snack. I'm pass an office, then another office.....WAIT! There was only one office here, I'm sure of it. Maybe I'm losing my mind so I back up and look again. One office, two offices.. I've been working hard but didn't realize I was working that hard. So I go to get confirmation from a co-worker. " Is there a new office on the 3rd floor that wasn't there before?" My co-worker replies in the affirmative, which eases my mind that the little bit of sanity and memory I have is still intact.
Days later we receive an email telling us that we need to get our photos on our work ID's updated. Really? Seriously? I've been on this job 22 years, my badge works fine, why change it now? So I pull it out of my purse to look at my picture and it's so worn you can't see the picture. It looks like this........
OK I admit I need another badge! Downstairs I go to get a new ID. I'm feeling nostalgic and I tell the security guard I'm going to miss the old one since I was only 26 years old when the photo was taken. She asks me if I'd like my old badge back for old times sake. I tell her no, my face looks the same, but if I could have the 26 year old body back I'd appreciate it, please and thank you! Unfortunately she couldn't help me with that one.
Lately I have been hearing the sound of hammers and drills close by. I look out of the window expecting it to be construction but no, the sounds are coming from inside the building. Usually when I leave my office I go to the right and nothing has changed there so I venture to the left to see what is going on. Lo and behold, a small colony of cubicles has emerged from where none were previously located and I'm told that is where NPR will be located during the convention. Oh goody, I'll now have tons of neighbors where previously I had worked in relative silence except for my small radio. Thanks DNC!
Friday I decided I would go to lunch somewhere close by so I venture out to go the block and a half to one of my favorite restaurants. I could not count the number of security personnel, black vehicles with tinted windows, and delivery trucks I saw in that short distance. By now I'm feeling rather paranoid so I decide to get lunch to go and return to the familiarity of my office. When I repeat what I've seen to people they excitedly ask " Did you see any snipers?" Uh no, I wasn't looking for any. Isn't the point of being a sniper is to NOT be seen?
All of this excitement and the convention hasn't even started yet. I'm really getting too old for this.......
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