Time Gentlemen, please

The gap between Christmas and New Year is one of the few remaining in this day and age when one can work “Gentlemen’s Hours”. That is to say, in by 10, off for lunch at 12, back around 2 and off home at 4. Civilised indeed. I was just shaken out of my reverie by a phone call; I wasn’t expecting the damned thing to ring and the chap on the other end wasn’t expecting an answer. It’s like that this time of year.

I was, I think, the sixth person to arrive on this floor. I am probably the final person to arrive, too. Maintaining a skeleton staff presents unusual problems: the lighting here is on a timer and set to detect movement; if there is no movement for a few minutes the lights switch off. Now when the office is full, this is rarely a problem, but on days like this it can get quite stygian in here and people get up and walk around simply to have the lights flick on again. The sensors aren’t always as sensitive as you’d hope, either. On occasion simply sitting at your desk typing isn’t enough to attract the attention of the motion sensor and you can be plunged into twilight at the drop of a hat. To compensate for this, we have the ‘ghost factor’. This is where, for no apparent reason, a light across the office will suddenly switch itself on. Presumably a mote of dust or something catches it just right and voilà!

It can be a little spooky.

Time Gentlemen, please

The gap between Christmas and New Year is one of the few remaining in this day and age when one can work “Gentlemen’s Hours”. That is to say, in by 10, off for lunch at 12, back around 2 and off home at 4. Civilised indeed. I was just shaken out of my reverie by a phone call; I wasn’t expecting the damned thing to ring and the chap on the other end wasn’t expecting an answer. It’s like that this time of year.

I was, I think, the sixth person to arrive on this floor. I am probably the final person to arrive, too. Maintaining a skeleton staff presents unusual problems: the lighting here is on a timer and set to detect movement; if there is no movement for a few minutes the lights switch off. Now when the office is full, this is rarely a problem, but on days like this it can get quite stygian in here and people get up and walk around simply to have the lights flick on again. The sensors aren’t always as sensitive as you’d hope, either. On occasion simply sitting at your desk typing isn’t enough to attract the attention of the motion sensor and you can be plunged into twilight at the drop of a hat. To compensate for this, we have the ‘ghost factor’. This is where, for no apparent reason, a light across the office will suddenly switch itself on. Presumably a mote of dust or something catches it just right and voilà!

It can be a little spooky.