The Warfront...

My office is not the last bastion of hope and peace in the world. It is a place of war and desolation; political conflagration and wearied but frenzied activity with one's head down to avoid stray shots and shrapnel from other camps. The only territory that is considered neutral is the restroom, but occasionally overly zealous snipers ignore the rules of combat and fire explosive rounds there, too. Best to wear your flak jacket at all times and keep your backside covered.

It is not open warfare we fight here. It is cold war tension – cease-fire peace at best – all camps ready to return fire and weary front line lead by a trigger happy leadership used to full frontal assault to gain small patches of ground. Sweating front line guards hold back rowdy crowd of protesters without ammunition or even permission to fire upon threatening forces.

Many battles are fought across the desk and on papers in piles collapsing like burnt out buildings in a seige zone. It is intended that my cubicle be an ammo dump with all that I need to return fire – assuming I can find the weapon I need.

Sly smiles and cryptic messages pass over my desk all day long, making me wonder what espionage is transpiring in the nighttime hours when I return to the safe haven of my home. Alliances are made and broken for convenience of attack.

Propaganda is the strongest weapon, wielded with the threatening nature of a nuclear missile. The rattling of sabers and growls of the loyalists on each side traverse the hallways and atriums.

One day an office will be a DMZ, the next a position that is suddenly undefended and overrun by the enemy. No one uniform is identifiable as hostile or friendly without checking dispatches from the the home office on an hourly timetable. Even then, some simple action may set off hostilities or someone may fire for effect to gain attention and announce superior position at the bargaining tables.

In-fighting has even undermined many forces. Where strength in numbers could be gained, loyalists draw invisible lines and follow orders from above.

The balance of power is a fragile thing, each ounce of influence hard-fought and tenaciously kept. No one faction would give in, even if it were to their benefit, because that would be a sign of weakness and they would soon be usurped in their power.

Would that I could be a Switzerland, land of peace and neutrality.

Currently Playing [ Papa Roach : Getting Away With Murder ]