The waiting has always been the difficult bit. Not knowing what is happening in the background by other people – professionals - to prepare for my ‘big day’. Work was superb, though. I talked with my manager regularly and trained a colleague to cover those bits of my work which were needed to be done. I was also set up with a homework office – monitor – computer terminal – keyboard – telephone and multiple leads to plug everything in and fix to my internet. All very 90’s but perfectly suitable. I just needed a desk.
My manager gave me a quick demonstration of how everything worked and how to log in remotely. It seemed so straight forward that I wondered why I had baulked against the idea of working from home previously.
I was sent home on my penultimate office working day with boxes and items wrapped in bubble wrap, to set it all up and make sure it worked. After an hour I had leads and extensions all plugged in and ready.
The white one went from the connection box into the back of the computer terminal; the pink one from the terminal to the monitor; there were three black ones. Two going into the back of the terminal connected to keyboard and mouse, and a third going into the monitor and with a plug on the end. That was a bit of a giveaway.
I perched on the edge of my sofa, the monitor on a coffee table and attempted to log in.
Nothing.
I went to water the plants leaving it for a while. Still nothing.
I sent messages to my manager and a colleague to see if they could help.
No replies. I felt lost. Then after switching everything off and starting again, I remembered to log into the VPN and connect the grey lead to the internet box. Suddenly things started to happen.
Lights flashed on the phone, and the monitor came to life.
I sent an e-mail and switched it all off before retiring to bed.
In the morning my wife came home and saw the boxes, leads, monitor, computer, keyboard.
‘What is all that?’ she asked pointedly.
‘My home Office’ I happily replied. ‘We shall see about that’. She retorted. ‘What are the children going to do? Where is your bed going to go?’
‘It will be okay, ‘I jauntily said. ‘I shall clear it up and then set it up with a proper desk. You’ll see, it will be fine’
The hmph could probably have been heard over a crowd singing On the Ball City.(At least when Dean Smith was in charge)
That evening, I stuck little coloured labels on the ends of each lead and on the piece of equipment it was stuck into. Just to make sure I could remember, before stowing it all away in the shed.
I then settled down with a glass of water and some chocolate to await my first Buddy Call.
All I knew was her name.
