Unfiltered Story #56734

I work as a contractor at a semiconductor plant. The plant, instead of a separate cafeteria and lecture hall, has one large multipurpose area with a kitchen attached. Unfortunately, there are not many areas that can accommodate hundreds of contractors when there is a lecture or other plant-employee-only event going on.

Today is a lecture day, and what few seating areas remaining have already been taken by other contractors. Two coworkers are with me, and we have just come out of the cleanroom area for a coffee/breakfast break. The only place we can sit is a vacant folding table.

Coworker #1: *exasperated* “This place needs a real lecture hall. There’s nowhere to sit down!”

Right on cue, a plant employee approaches the table.

Employee: *cheerfully* “Are you taking donations for the calendars?”

Thinking she is joking, we all chuckle, but she looks expectant and serious. I look at my badge and lanyard – yep, still a contractor.

Coworker #2: “No, we’re just sitting down.”

Employee: *still cheerful, painfully oblivious to the lack of seating available* “Oh, well we could always use more volunteers! We are setting up here!”

Coworker #1: “Everyone else is gathered in [other lobby]…

Coworker #2: *downs his coffee* “I’m going back to the cleanroom. See you up there, [my name]!”

To top it off, the doors to the multipurpose room, which happens to house the company-supplied lunch refrigerators, is guarded whenever there is an event. No one is allowed in.