No Strike!

An impending strike by the union that represents the 30,000 doormen, porters, janitors, and building superintendents in New York City has been averted. On average, these union members will make about $40,000 a year plus benefits. All in all, seems pretty fair to me. Just as important, this agreement means I am now free to receive and return communications of all kinds. In fact, I am going to have time on my hands. I had anticipated being very busy with garbage disposal and taking my turn at the front desk. In fact, I had secretly looked forward to this opportunity to be a New York City doorman, if only for a day or two. Perhaps I should make a request to apprentice to one of the nice doormen in our building. I could learn all about being a doorman and then if my own day job fell through, I could always take my place proudly and competently at the front desk. And if this should occur, you can be sure I would be an especially caring doorman, going the extra mile to help the elderly with their packages, and making sure to smile broadly and genuinely at every one who passes me by.

Of course, occasionally you run into these residents who are negative and grouchy no matter what you do. You smile at them, wish them a good morning or a good afternoon, and they scowl back, and tell you why it's another lousy day. They demand better service from you and insist that you are favoring some residents over them. They're the ones who want to know why you didn't tell them more promptly that they have packages waiting for them or dry cleaning to pick up. They're also the ones who criticize you for not keeping the lobby tidier or for failing to greet them with an umbrella as they get out of a taxi in a nasty New York City rain storm. They also can't got over how high the management fees have gotten and remind you that you are overpaid and underworked. They threaten to report you to the co-op board for failing to do your job well and they also can't resist hassling you about your chronically crooked tie. There is no end to their carping, their criticisms, their personal attacks. Ah, the job of a doorman. I'm going to do all I can to hold onto my day job.