First Contact – New Guy At Work

I wrote the recent post about first contact as a tribute to a new friend.  It was great, then, that on thinking further about it the reality was that there was enough to base it on the impact of an old friend.

It wasn’t just Lloyd, though.  I’m grateful to Reuben Harris for being the key first contact for my time with the Peckham brethren (who are now in Deptford).  That time was precious and I’ve loved that Reuben was great as the crucial link man of peace as it were.  When I did my voluntary stint at a housing association in Stoke-on-Trent there was a great man by the name of Mike Dockery who was a vital first contact for the voluntary sector and living in Stoke-on-Trent.  I love him for his wisdom, maturity and ease of personality and evidently he was able to accomplish much because he wasn’t selfish and his compassionate understated manner won people over.  I learnt so much from him. Still in the working environment when I started at Staffs University, my line manager at the time was one Janet Weaver who looked out for me and although the time there was difficult, the relationship I had with ‘Momma’ helped even as we came to an end.

All to say that first contacts have been pivotal in helping me during certain times in my life and there are yet still others who could be mentioned who have been a tremendous support.

The issue that motivated it, though, was the latest episode of the first contact opening the doors to acceptance in a new place.  So I started at the work place and as ever there is a sense it which it can be daunting.  It’s all new and even though I’ve had some experience around the subject matter, I haven’t worked here before, I don’t know these people and even the town itself is alien to me.  So to get ingratiated in the whole work culture required that critical first contact.  Get that right and all would be well.  Get that wrong and it could take a while for my confidence to be built to ever feel comfortable and thus liberated to give 100% of me in that place.

Once more in His wisdom and love, God hooked me up with another brilliant first contact.  Rob Simmonite is his name.  I love the man’s name.  It’s ace.  Simmonite.  It sounds like a material that could be used to defeat a super hero.

The Evil Dude: So Mighty-Dude, you think you’ll foil my plan of world domination, but you came without thinking I didn’t know your weakness.  And here it is the dreaded Simmonite, that will crush you into nothing.  Now I shall rule the world and there’s nothing you can do. (Cue suitably malevolently sinister gloating kind of maniacal laugh type utterance.)

Before the rest of the team and the rest of the office, I got to know Rob, so he would be my first contact.  He himself had only recently started because the project that we’re both working on is new. Being the perpetual pedestrian that I am and with some travelling required Rob helped me out with the lifts to the training location and then because he didn’t live too far he’d also be able to take me from my crib to the work place and back again.

Those car journeys could have been times of lovely silence as he gets on with his business of driving and I could get on with my business of reading.  Instead he would engage in conversation with me and it was great getting to link with the brother and share a bit of our life’s experiences.  In the brief time that I’ve been at the company, he has already proven to be a good laugh, and a man worthy of much admiration.  Most importantly for my time in this strange alien place, he has been a great help in getting me in there and knowing who’s who and what’s what.  As a result some of the key dudes in the place know I’m a safe guy because of Rob.  (So don’t tell them the truth, alright?)

He also went to a fair deal to allow me to enjoy some of the social aspects of working life – after all it’s not all about 9-5 hitting targets and that’s it, there’s more to life than that.  Rob has been tremendous is that aspect likewise.

The rest of the team of which I’m a part are all cool people and I’m looking forward to getting to know them all better as we crack on with the project.  I am very grateful for getting another ace First Contact and if he proceeds to be as good as Reuben, Mike, Janet and especially Lloyd, then I’ll be in very good hands.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd