A Very Unwelcome Welcome

It’s beginning to look a lot like Winter,
Everywhere you go.
Take a look at the temperature, it’s lower once again
With freezing rain and no car lanes that show

It’s that time of year again where we layer our clothes, bed sheets and lasagna.

Toque hair is now the style and children’s chins are daily pinched by zippers. 

For those of us who live in a climate with 4 seasons, winter is like that one annoying coworker at the corporate Christmas party. I am not insinuating that I have one of these… a work Christmas party I mean.

They show up early, are in your face, cause awkwardness and make you want to drink. 

I’ve always enjoyed winter, especially when I have a warm holiday booked. The cold season brings a sense of coziness and an excuse not to leave the house. 

However, this year winter came in with a vengeance and did not feel very welcome. Similar to my surprise guests…

In Lanterns and Traps and Broomsticks, Oh My, I couldn’t open a door. Today, I opened a door, but in an unprofessional manner. 

As we continue to tread along in healthcare, majority of our meetings remain virtual. When we are sitting in virtual meetings, we have magnetic signs for our office doors that let staff and residents know that we are here, but currently unavailable.

Kind of like a ‘do not disturb sign’ on a hotel door except we’re not sleeping. (Well I can’t speak for everyone). 

One morning, I was in a meeting with the sign displayed when there was a loud knock at my door. I looked up to find a tall man attempting to look through my blurred office window. 

There are two PPS workers at our site who I like to call maintenance workers because if you were to say you’d pay me a million dollars to tell you what PPS stands for, I would still not be a millionaire. They are around my age and our interactions usually consist of sarcasm or me begging them to help me with something that I forgot to ask for in advance.

However, because of their long legs, they often peer over the frosted privacy film in my office window whenever I’m needed. So I assumed it was them at the door. 

We all know what they say about assume. Don’t.

I removed my headset to open the door and asked with a side of attitude, “boys… what do ya want?”

To my surprise, two men I did not know emerged from around the corner. They were holding iPads and inquired about completing a quick scan of my office; assuring me it would only take 2 seconds.

After that very kind welcome, I didn’t ask any questions and motioned for them to come in.

In hindsight, I probably should have asked what they were scanning for. Leaks? Mold? Ghosts? 

I immediately apologized for my behaviour and for referring to them as boys. I explained how I thought they were two men who worked here.

Both men began to laugh and said, “no need to apologize. It was a great welcome and well, we are boys…”

They may have been kidding around with me, but they were not kidding about the 2 second scan and were gone as quick as the season of Fall.