Work Ranting, day 2...

[mapsedge]

I stood, staring at the pile of lumber.  It was hot and dusty, and the sweat was stinging my eyes.  Deadline looming, and I still had no idea what to build.

"Good morning!" a cheery voice behind me sing-songed.

I turned.  A woman I'd never seen before was smiling at me.  The smile said, I'm working with the customer.  I'm here to help. 

She said, "I'm working with the customer.  I'm here to help."

"Ok, great," I said, relieved.  "My question is --- "

"That's a table saw."

"--- beg pardon?"

"Here, I'll show you."

She moved past me.  There, on a pair of sawhorses, was a brand new table saw, plugged in and full of lumber-cutting potential, it's blade gleaming in the sunlight, each tooth glinting it's deadly sharpness into the morning. 

She pointed at the matte black chassis.  "That's the power button."  The pointing finger moved.  "That's the cutting fence."

I stood, mouth agape, looking into the abyss I had so recently backed away from.

She picked up a board from the pile.  "You set the fence to the width you want the board to be, turn on the saw, and slide the board through."  She held up a piece of wood, sized for holding with one hand and shaped vaguely like a dolphin's silhouette.  "When you start getting close to the blade, finish pushing with this."   She demonstrated.

"Do you know what I'm building?" I asked, trying to maintain my sanity.

"And of course, you'll want to wear eye and safety protection -- "

"Do you know what I am building?"  I pronounced each word carefully, like a priest officiating his first mass.

"Hmm?  No, sorry.  No idea.  I just provide the wood and the tools."  She put the push-stick back onto the deck of the table saw, the wood back on the pile, and straightened.  She gazed at me.

"That's a nice shirt," she said.  "Will there be anything else?"

"No," I despaired.  "I'm ... good."

Satisfied at a Job Well Done, she walked away.