Blog Week 115: Hairy matters.
Sunday 3 February 21.40
I am still none the wiser about what jobs can be brought inside the office. I had a coffee this afternoon around Sablon/Zavel with some friends. I mentioned this issue and it basically drew a blank. The only suggestion was could everyone do their own cleaning? When you think about what has happened around the office before, I think that is a definite no no. I'll explain to the powers-that-be that I have no meaningful suggestions. Hopefully the idea will die a quiet death, forgotten and unnoticed.
Monday 4 February 23.01
I explained to Pierre and Old Timer I have no proposals for insourcing anything. They agreed the whole concept was a bit silly. So the idea should languish quietly in a corner somewhere.
As I was leaving I heard Neanderthal talking in the corridor to Shakespeare about Hairy. Unfortunately I could not make out what was said. It sounded significant.
Tuesday 5 February 22.36
Was walking past Mockney's den (can I call it an office?) this afternoon when I heard a howl of pain. Looking inside one of his arms was bare with the a lot of skin ripped and some blood oozing out. His other hand was holding some industrial-strength adhesive tape with arm hair and blood attached. I took him to get some office first aid.
Turns out the trap he was laying for last week's comic robbers (who still have not been back in touch) involved this adhesive tape. I have no idea how the trap was supposed to work. But it appears Mockney got bored and decided to test it out on himself...
Pierre was not impressed of course and made Mockney sign a disclaimer stating the wound was self-inflicted. It seemed a bit drastic; I suppose there are Anglo-Saxon rather than Belgian ways of dealing with these things. The wound itself was superficial. Mockney only lost a little hair and a little more pride. I am sure it all grow back, even thicker than before.
Wednesday 6 February 23.02
It was in January last year when we lost one significant client. Never a nice experience, but life goes on. Turns out Neanderthal's concern about Hairy relates to how her and Bill are pitching to our office's clients. Neanderthal wants him and Shakespeare to go head-to-head with our former colleagues on a couple of upcoming pitches.
If you think it all sounds less professional and more amateur than it should do, then you're right. There is a pitch executive in another office who normally prepares these matters. (After all that is what she is paid to do). For some reason, best known to Neanderthal, she has been sidelined. So I am helping with the preparation of some of the documents.
I feel it is going to be an uphill battle. I once heard one critical part of the success or failure of these pitches is the chemistry within the pitching team. I don't think Shakespeare and Neanderthal know each other that well...
Thursday 7 February 23.03
One of the forthcoming pitches has been cancelled. The GC has decided to give the work to one unnamed firm. We don't know if the work went to Bill and Hairy. Maybe it did, maybe it didn't. I know Neanderthal and Shakespeare will be gutted if it did. Best not to know. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.
I feel it is going to be an uphill battle. I once heard one critical part of the success or failure of these pitches is the chemistry within the pitching team. I don't think Shakespeare and Neanderthal know each other that well...
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