Suspended

The disappearance of a colleague for over a week was overlooked by many of us in the office. He used to be part of the automation group downstairs and have recently joined us under my boss's supervision. No one seemed to know where he went, most likely in our other office across the road.

I was caught reading Mun Keong's blog during my lunch break a couple of days ago. My boss peered through my shoulders and asked what I was reading. No where to hide. No hands to change screen. I was eating my chicken sandwich - messily.

My boss proceeded to advice me to read less of such articles on the web, particularly non-work related stuff. I nodded, with my mouth still in full action desperately pushing the food down my esophagus. Then, he walked away.

Ten seconds later, he reappeared behind me and I still had MK's blog displayed on my screen. CRAP! He wanted to rephrase what he said earlier and emphasized me not to do any non-work related things anymore. "Urm, what about news?", I asked. That was certainly everyone's routine during their breaks. "No" was his answer. And then, he left.

I was left stunned. Guilty.

Not long after, the senior manager came around to interview us about our missing colleague. I was shocked to learn that he had been suspended since last week pending investigations into a huge breach of computer policy that he supposedly had committed. Rumours have it that he might be sacked.

No more blogs. No more hotmails. No more news reading, though some were pretty unhappy about this.

Work time is for work. Guess I'll just have to stare out the window while munching my food. Maybe I would be able to see "snow" on the road, that is if another truck drops its cargo of white plastic cups again. I suddenly think of Austria where I saw snow fall for the first time. Memories of that place seem distant. I was only fifteen.