Middle world

Man, the last few days were just so busy at work. It's the National Day period. Most of our orders are coming from governmental organizations - schools, statutory boards, ministries, etc.

I wanna whine about it but I think back and in actual fact I actually have it easier than all the other guys at work.

The bosses and manager are forever busy planning, planning, planning. I really have no idea how they manage to make sense of everything so quickly. Everyone's so fast, fast, fast I actually see myself like the only guy moving in slow motion in an action movie.

The drivers just know when to prepare what in anticipation of the next few orders. I really admire how they can anticipate things three or four steps in advance while I just stand there and freeze in my own world.

There are the Sabahan (people from Sabah, East Malaysia) attendants, who along with all the other foreigners in the kitchen department, are the most sympathetic group as they work so hard without question to back everyone up for less money and more basic hours.

They do 12 basic hours while us Singaporeans do only nine. Anything on top of these are considered overtime.

The kitchen staff (both cooked food and baking) keep on churning food after food after food for thousands and thousands of people every single day in less than dersirable conditions, I'm like wow. How do they do it?

Me, in short, I just float around. When at our premise, I just pick anything up. I used to give orders to people but now I only take orders. What they tell me to, I do. My favourite food these days is humble pie. It's all I eat.

Whenever our customers ask for service staff, I get sent out, most times with at least one other person, either one other driver or Sabahan attendant. That means I get to stay away from the madness at our premise for as long as the customers require and I don't actually work for the entire duration. There's always a lull period in between setting up and packing up.

Personally though, I've been clocking the overtime hours a lot the last few days. I start at 0700hrs or 0800hrs and only finish at 2100hrs or 2200hrs. Most of the rest of the guys do even more. We're all just so tired.

When we're tired, my colleagues and I do crazy things. We spurt out nonsense, sing to the top of our voices, screeeam out to empty space then exchange high fives and whoops, honk our trucks and shout "Happy National Day!" to every babe we pass by while on the road.

It's necessary insanity.

We got to keep our morale high. We look after one another because none of the top people do. It's understood between us mortal workers that the big boss' only concern is that as long as his stuff gets sent out and money comes in, whatever happens to us doesn't bother him. Even if we don't eat.

So we get by with a little street smarts. We nick some of the customer's food at the buffet table while their events are still on or we eat the leftovers or we steal some time off work to eat someplace. Main thing is we stick together.

I actually belong in that group called the "top people" but I feel more at home being down and dirty with all the mortals.