MY FIRST DAY OF WORK

Today, I have had my first day at the office. At least a reliable, full-time job! I was excited about having got a job which is more diverse than usual and makes it necessary to speak foreign languages. Besides, the office is in Palma. It is a luxury to work in the city where you live.

Being the first day, I had to go to the headquarters in Costa d’en Blanes to sign the contract and receive some training. As I sold my car before moving to Hamburg, I had no option but taking the bus. Everything was going right... until the contract was signed. Then, the colleague who had given me the documents told me that I had to go to Port Adriano to receive some training. Ooops.

- Errr... You know... I have no car.  

- Really? And... how did you get here?

- Errr... I took the bus.

- And, have you got no driving license?

- Of course I have!

- Lovely! Then take one of the green cars over there. We have several.

She handed me a document to be signed, confirming that I had received the vehicle, and a black, rectangular, plastic card. I stared at the card with the same expression of a Paco Martínez Soria recently arrived to the capital city of Madrid. This was lofty.  

- Errr... And... where is the key? Is it inside the car?

- (My colleague looked at me with the expression of someone who doesn’t understand what is happening) No. THIS is the key.

- Oh! And... How does it work?

- It is quite easy: stick it in the slot over there and push the “start” button.

- Great – I said . I did not understand it completely, but tried not to call the attention too much.

I got into the car, adjusted the seat and mirrors, stuck the black card into the slot and pushed the start button. And then I began looking for the going back. It is not this way. No, not this way. No, no, no... it is not this way either. Finally, I swallowed twice and decided to go back to the office.

- Excuse me! Can anyone explain me how to go back in this car?

A colleague came out to explain me that I had to pull the gear up and then push it forward. I headed to Port Adriano as a child with new shoes. It has been a busy day, as it usually happens when one starts a new job: highly motivated, trying to pick up as much information as possible. As the training will last a week, the company has left me the car until Friday evening.

I drove back to Palma as happy as a larry. I washed the car at a BP station. Considering that the company has had such a good gesture, I will have to take care of it properly.

I parked the car. And I was looking at the it for a good while. I even took a picture, which I can not show you, because I am not allowed to show a young baby photograph. And I walk back home with the same feeling than I had when I was a teenager living in Montevideo. So happy, happy, happy.

http://www.fernandezbaladron.com/

 

Copyright Luisa Fernández Baladrón