You have the right to remain numb

Well its amazing how people around me assume that I have no feelings (all inclusive), no emotions (again all inclusive) and no home at all. I spend most of my time in office because there is something or the other that I have to finish up and I can’t go back home with a peaceful mind if I don’t finish it. I never realized until tonight that this habit of mine has made people think that I am absolutely jobless and that I come to office to while away time and waste theirs at the same time. Ha…ironic isn’t it, as if I get paid for doing my personal work at office. Wow you must have seen what happened tonight. First early in the evening one colleague of mine strikes me fangs, claws and all because I was having the art guy do some work that was assigned to me and told her to come back a little later.

At this point I will have to tell you that this particular work is for a really big client who unfortunately for me, is celebrating its 100th year of existence in the next week. As usual this client has been lethargic and has suddenly woken up from slumber and realizing that the big day is near has drawn its horse whips and flogging us (the agency) to do absurd amounts of work in a short span of time. There are about three of us actively involved in this job; an account director with no juniors sitting at the client’s city, a busy production manager and yours truly, i.e., me, the copywriter. This team of three is all that is doing all the work for this client. No complaints though, we’re managing the show pretty well. But what’s really frustrating is that even though this business is worth a few cool crores of rupees, no one else really seems to bother. They don’t seem to even know that such a client exists in our roster. Well to hell with that, that’s not what’s driving me mad. It’s not the work, the late nights, the petty squabbles over changing the copy according to the whims and fancies of the client or the blissful ignorance of my colleagues that drives me mad it’s the attitude.

Having seen me work relentlessly to gain ground with this client has made people around me think that I am personally profiting from this job or something. Let me tell you I hate working on this account, but its work, and I don’t mind having to do what it takes to get it over with. My colleagues somewhere deep in their minds have watered and raised a feeling that I am working full time and over time on this client because, this particular client is from my hometown. Bah! How childishly ignorant.

Tonight one of my colleagues really got upset that I got a little, just a teeny weeny bit, frustrated when she said she wanted her small job to be done before I carry on with work for this client. She just up and walked away without a decent goodbye. Well, see what I am paid? For being enthused in my work? A lot of flak and no perks. I don’t need the perks and neither do I need the flak. This has really made me think, am I not entitled to a little frustration myself? When all around me I hear whining and grumbling that work is so bad and hectic, don’t I deserve a turn to be frustrated? What am I? A machine in the world’s eye? Do I only have the right to remain numb and nothing else?