Of Walking into Doors

I'm in Orlando for some new employee orientation with my company. It's not been much of a picnic. I was supposed to stay for 3 extra days to hang out with a family member who has been having a rough go of it lately, and at the last minute plans went up into the air...and stayed that way for 2 days. I finally had to call and see what was going on...and was told to rebook my flight and leave 3 days early because the family member could no longer see me.

So I did. And by re-booking I threw corporate at my job into a tizzy because I have to pay about $150 to change the ticket...but they're unsure of how to get that money back into their account.

So they've been on the phone, and I've been on the phone, and I've been on the email, and sending emails, and somewhere in there actually getting oriented on what it means to be an employee here....

And today, on a break, while I was talking on the phone I disinterestedly watched one of my fellow new employees head outside for a smoke break. But, something amazing happened here. Rather than take one of the obvious doors, he went straight for the window with the etched 'M' in it between the doors, and then, rather than putting his hands in front of him to push the door that wasn't there...he instead just walked full-tilt right into the window.

And fell back dazed and confused as to how this had all just happened. Not to mention embarressed that he was sitting on his butt in the lobby rather than outside where he had intended to be.

And rather than laughing at him (though it was a bit funny), I quickly turned away so he wouldn't know I had seen his blunder...because I felt a pang of empathy with him. In that one move he had summed up my whole Florida trip.

And I'm ready to go home.