184. In need of a change

Down in the poorly-lit basement, the coffee machine is still wrapped up in red and white tape, a long-forgotten appliance (us teachers probably threw a terrible tantrum for that) which now could pass for a work of - very - modern art. The most convivial place at work is now ... the photocopiers room! The photocopiers room is upstairs and it has got a window that, on - very - sunny days, makes for plenty of natural sunlight. It is small and so almost always warm. The three great monsters are whirring softly in the background and when you are here on your own you are in great danger of falling asleep. But today the three monsters are churning out last minute piles of revision booklets or test papers depending on the pedagogical choices of the teachers: panic gang (revision booklets) vs keep calm gang (test papers).

But today it is as crowded as a café on a rainy day.

'Hi there!'

'Hello.'

'Hi.'

My goodness! Everybody seems to be down in the dumps this morning.

'Hey! You guys are a bundle of laughter! Not happy to be back in school?'

They all sigh in unison, looking a bit sheepish. I have to own up.

'Actually, I feel terrible. It's cold. Work is a topsy-turvy kind of affair and I feel my life is just a terrible dreary routine.'

This triggers off an avalanche of similar moans.

'I am just the same. I feel my life is so boring and meaningless.'

'Yes, same here. I want a change! I need a change!'

'I'm so fed up. So, so, so fed up.'

One hesitates for a moment but then decides it is time to get it all out of her system.

'You know what?  I watched a documentary on TV the other night ... about Rwanda ... Well, you know, by the end I was ready to pack up and go there!'

'Excellent! Now that sounds like a really good idea. Definitely not boring routine.'

To my surprise everyone in the room is in perfect agreement. Not a sensible soul around to put some sense into that woman's head! Quite the opposite.

'Well, I wanted a change too. But I couldn't find anything to change so I just put our house on the market ...'

Everyone is staring, wanting to hear that the following day she rang the estate agent to say she'd make a terrible mistake.

'And?' Pairs of goggled-eyed teachers turn towards the colleague who is now sitting with her back to the screen.

'And?'

'Don't tell us you've sold it!'

Our colleague, instead of looking stressed and worried, is beaming at us.

'Yes. Settled the sale on Friday.' She is laughing now as she adds.

'But we've got nowhere to go. We haven't found anything we liked yet!'

Now everyone is talking at the same time and making a terrible racket. The mood has completely changed from the gloom and doom of 10 minutes ago. 

'This is crazy, right! I sold the house just for a change. I was desperate to make a change in my life ...'

'Oh my! That is drastic! ... But good, real good. I guess that's an adventure too.'

I guess it is safe to tell my own crazy plan.

'And I'm planning to drive across Africa!'

'Really? Will your husband go along with this plan?'

'Yes, he even started it all at the beginning of lockdown, on his own in his office, browsing the net all day long.'

The bell rings ans we head off to see our students. I walk past the colleague I had greeted, all morose and miserable, first thing that morning. 

'Hey! You got your smile back!' 

'Just been using the new copiers! Great fun!'