being on site

So like I mentioned in the last post, I've been at a customer site the past couple of weeks. At this site the security is high, so that means I have to be escorted at all times. At all times means even to the bathroom. This was difficult for me to adjust to since I exercise quite a bit and tend to drink lots of water. Well, what goes in must come out.

Now they don't follow me into the restroom, but they do have to stand out in the hallway while I take care of business. How awkward is that? Real awkward. But you get used to it.

Have you ever seen that episode of Seinfeld where in the standup bit in the beginning of the show Jerry is talking about how he used to work in an office and he would pass the same people in the hall multiple times a day and each time he felt compelled to say something different to them. Saying 'hi' to Jim in the early morning turned into 'hey Jimmy' around lunch and 'yo Jimbo' in the afternoon. Just saying 'hi' over and over again feels weird. I know exactly what Jerry is talking about!

I ran into this same issue asking my escorts to escort me to the bathroom.
'Hey Brian, how about a bathroom break?'
'Hey Brian, let's hit the head, huh?'
'Hey Brian, it's 10am, guess what I want to do?'

Then at some point (over the course of nearly 3 weeks) it stops being a question and becomes a statement.
'Hey Brian, potty break.'
'Alright, gotta take leak.'
'Hey Brian, guess what I need to do.'

However another issue that comes up is getting "synched up" with your coworkers who also on site with you and also have to be escorted. That meant if my coworker had to go and I didn't, I went anyway; and vice versa. You learn things like not to have that 2nd glass of OJ at breakfast and to sip your drink at lunch.

What ended up happening was a very dehydrated me returning home earlier this week. And now that I'm back at the office I enjoy my unescorted liberties!