Undoubtedly most of us are still becoming accustomed to the new, hopefully temporary, normal.
State and local government agencies have mandated that in addition to social distancing — avoiding large groups unless they are family members and keeping at least six feet apart when shopping for food or walking around the neighborhood —only the most essential of workers should be leaving home.
For thousands of people countywide that means working from home has become part of their 9 to 5 grind. Awkward periods of adjustment are to be expected.
That has been the case in my new arrangement.
My new office mate is just now becoming accustomed to my working from home.
Before COVID “S” was used to my leaving early in the morning and not returning until the evening. She has her own thing going and her life was devoted exclusively to her needs while I was at the office.
But now that I’m here 7/24 seven days a week, I’m finding that my continuous presence is not the blessing I thought it would be.
Evidently “S” had a particular spot on the couch she would occupy while I was gone. I discovered this the first few times I tried to set up my home office in the living room, on the couch that is considerably more comfortable than an office chair.
Begrudgingly “S” settled on the opposite side but spent so much time staring at me that it unnerved me enough that I escaped to a separate room with a desk and an uncomfortable chair.
You’d think she would revel in her victory but instead she spent the next few days coming into my office checking on me. Wordlessly she stood at my side and stared at me as if to ask “What are you doing here?” But when I asked her what she wanted she merely turned around and left the room.
I could hear her settling in on the couch, only to come back in 20 minutes to see what I was doing. It’s the same when I go to the kitchen for a coffee break. She follows me there, wordlessly asking what I am doing, wondering what I am doing in her space at this time of day.
The dog has been patient with me so far but I have a feeling that it won’t be long before she starts barking at me, demanding I go back to the office. Back to life as we knew it.
