Because you asked, and because I'm bored.

Actually, I'm not very bored; I'm very tired. Work has been a bear lately, and by the time I get home I don't have the energy to think great thoughts, or even random ones. I also made the mistake last Friday of answering the phone at 4:30 pm (you'd think I'd learn one of these days, but I'm dumb that way), and there was a manager type asking who had weekend duty. I dig out the schedule and provide a name. Folks, I should have LEFT RIGHT THEN. But no.

About ten minutes later said manager calls back. "Umm, do you have notes on what you need to do in weekend duty? The person who had it, umm, forgot, and left town. Maybe one of us will do it." I did some quick figuring in my head and figured that a) I knew I didn't have that much going on this weekend; b) I really like October weekends, when I did have duty scheduled; and c) it would have taken me about an hour to "explain" what needed to be done and write it up so I said "Fine. I'll do it. Dumbass kid who skipped town now has a fine weekend in October all to himself. I don't care if he's getting married, going on a trip, or whatever -- that's his problem." So after a week of working 11- and 12- hour days, I spent this weekend....at work. I'm a tad cranky by now.

And it gets better. I sent a note to aforesaid dumbass, and said "gee, I understand there was a mixup over weekend duty. I've agreed to take this weekend, so you've got this other one." Very nice, especially if you saw the original version I drafted. I got a nice note from the kid's boss thanking me which said "that was really nice. We all owe you one, especially [dumbass]". What does dumbass kid write back on Monday? "Thank you for your help. I hope you weren't too inconvenienced". Okay, while not a smack in the face, there was no element in the note from the kid that he acknowledged any personal responsibility for what happened. Eveyone I know, myself included, would have said "oh wow, I'm sooo sorry, I can't believe I did that. I feel really awful. I really appreciate what you did, I owe you one..." and more along that vein. Because while many things are flexible, since weekend duty is single person coverage, it's one of those things that you simply don't not do unless there is death or dismemberment involved, particularly yours. Because if you skip out there's no one automatically there to backstop you. Now do I require grovelling? No. (Okay, well, I do, but not from that kid, and not over this, but that's a whole other kettle of fish), but the tone was so clinical and he didn't seem put out at all.

Not to sound old or anything, but it's something I've noticed with the younger folks at work. They're very nice, very smart, but they seem to come with this sense of entitlement and no concept of "paying dues". I don't care who you are, we all have to do it, and should do it. No one should walk into any organization at the top of the heap. Makes for huge cases of arrogantitis. There's crap in every job. Someone has to do it, and often, it's the new folks. It's as fair a system as any other. But I overhear too many cases of people just starting out going to managers and saying "well, I don't want to do x.... it's inconvenient. I've got something that I want to do instead". Yeah, so do we all. And I still do my drudgework when it's my turn, even though I can say "been there, done that, ten years ago". You just do what you have to. It's part of that game called life.