Another Day At The Office

I'm sitting around not doing much. It's been a slow night. I've reached the end of the internet, I've seen all of the shows on TV, and my eyes are burning from reading so much. There is only so much one can do to keep from being bored. And then over the loudspeaker I hear my name followed hurriedly with "Got One".

It's time to go. No more boredom, it's time to think. And so I find out what's going on from my boss. He informs me of the situation and the location and he sends me on my way. The drive out there gives me time to collect my thoughts. As I run through all of the various systems in my head and all of the associated components I try to come up with as many possible scenarios from what I have seen in the past.

When I step out of my vehicle I hope I am prepared. Everyone is looking at me already. Without excitement I reach for my screwdriver and flashlight for if I can't fix it with these two items it will surely be bad. People already want to know what's going on before I've made it to the cockpit. They want to know if I'm going to create an enormous amount of physical labor as well as paperwork for them.

I calmy glide up the stairs as if nothing is worrying me but I am still thinking about all the possibilities. I finally reach the door and there are more people and everyone wants an answer. I politely grin and I make my way to the cockpit entrance and close the door behind me. I am now in control of everything. Before I speak I make a cursory glance at every scenario that has unfolded in my head. Within three to five seconds I have analyzed every switch configuration, every button required to be pressed, and every indication. Before I speak I want to see what's going on. And finally I look at the captain and very calmly say "How are you doing, captain?"

Usually this sets the precedent for a relaxing environment. He looks at me and he wants to talk. They always want to talk. They want me to hear their problems and so I listen patiently. After he has gotten it out I start my procedures and I am narrowing down the possibilities in my mind. At this point, more people want to enter and it starts to get crazy but I have set the tone. People start asking "Are we going to switch airplanes? Are we going to have to move everything over? Do we need to start the process?! What are we goin to do?!" I ignore them. I don't respond.

As I continue with my checks they are nothing more than a slight noise in the background. It's then that I think I've figured it out but I've got to make a very important call. Can I fix it in time and be the hero or will my judgment fail me and make me the loser? There's only one way to find out and so I call for a part. It will arrive in twelve minutes. If I'm right, the glory goes to me. If I'm wrong, I've just let down a bunch of people.

While I'm waiting for my part I proceed to remove the old one. If I'm good enough I can have it out before the new one gets here. Ok, it's out. My part has just arrived. I put it in place, tighten it down and race back to the cockpit. Here goes nothing!

As we fire the system back up I am met with the correct light sequences, the correct noises or visuals, and it has worked. All of the problems are solved. I turn to the twenty waiting people all piled up behind me who have been stressed out since I arrived and I give them a thumbs up. The captain turns around and says "It worked!" and I ask him to hand me the logbook so I can sign his problems away with a flick of the wrist.

As I make my way down the stairs, life goes on. The stressed and anxious people will go on to be stressed and anxious somewhere else and I will remain calm and in control; never moving too fast but never moving slow either. Just the right pace. And then they push her back and I wait in my truck as it lines up with the runway. I hear it put to power three engines that are capable of producing in excess of sixty-thousand pounds of thrust each and I watch it rapidly pick up speed as it hauls ass down the runway. I watch it go all the way down as it rapidly disappears and then it picks up off the ground and sails away into the night sky.

Another day at the job, another gratifying feeling, another mental note for next time and I've got a few more hours left to go. What will I encounter next? Each situation is different. Each one unique. I almost always enjoy them all. Well, at least, the times I am right.