The Cling On

At one point in your life you also will experience the absolute misery of having a 'Cling On'. The 'Cling On' is the person who, no matter how hard you try, is unshakable. He is the guy who will stand there and talk to you while your standing in the doorway to the restroom ready to piss your pants. He is the guy who will find the most oblivious of things to talk about just to have a reason to come to your desk. He is the guy who makes you cringe just at the sight of him from 100 yards.

This is my story.

Laura had approached me today to ask for my assistance in an acceptability matter. She had received 11 boxes of components that were packaged in the most haphazard way I have ever seen, to top it off, these components were supplied to us directly from one of our customers.

Our customers are our worst suppliers.

So, seeing the static sensitive components completely engulfed in static generating packaging material, I say to Laura 'We need to get Static Matt back here with the Geiger counter and see what the heck we've got going on. There's no way I can pass these through receiving, this is horrible.'

Thinking this to be a pretty cut and dry thing, I go to Static Matt's work station and request he bring his Geiger counter to the consignment area, I need his help.

Biggest mistake I've ever made, hands down.

For the next hour Laura and I stood around listening as Static Matt lectured us on everything he knew about static electricity, on how he would handle the situation if it were he who ran the company, and offered his assistance to us 'in any capacity we may need'.

I was ready to pierce my eardrums with a sharp implement before it was all said and done.

I wish I could say this was the end of my encounter with Static Matt, but, it was only the beginning.

Static Matt returned back to my desk 3 more times before it was all said and done, the final visit lengthy enough that he had to pull out the step ladder so he would have a seat to sit on while he chatted with me.

I wanted to die.

Apparently he had been mulling over my situation for the rest of the afternoon, literally discussing it with several people, and he felt the need to fill me in on their discussions.

This is the last time I ask Static Matt for anything, ever.