The Orientation (Part 2)

I arrived at the training center slightly earlier than expected. To pass the time before the orientation, I decided to grab breakfast from a nearby convenience store, ironically a competitor of the company I was training for. I couldn't help but wonder why they hadn't placed their own store near the training center. After a quick fifteen-minute meal, I pondered how to spend the remaining hour.

Just then, the store employees began mopping the floor right where I was sitting, indicating that either my allotted time was up (if there even was one) or the person was simply being rude. I left the store and headed back to the training center, only to find the office still closed. With nothing else to do, I settled in to wait.

After what felt like an eternity, someone finally arrived and opened the door. She questioned my presence there, to which I provided the obvious answer. Thankfully, she allowed me inside the office. I had to wait a bit longer before the speaker arrived and guided me to the conference room. I was handed an attendance sheet and a handout detailing the orientation. I quickly skimmed through the material in about ten minutes, realizing it covered basic information about the company, guidelines, and training house rules. I wondered if these were the main topics for the orientation. If so, I was already well acquainted with them.

Apart from the speaker, I was the sole person in the conference room. It was already half past nine, and the orientation had yet to commence. We were apparently waiting for another participant. How professional, I thought sarcastically. Despite arriving early, we still had to accommodate the latecomers. Finally, a little after 10 a.m., the VIP participant arrived. As it turned out, he was a franchisee and clearly quite wealthy. The existence of a caste system was evidently alive and well. I couldn't help but wonder if they would have waited for me if I had been the one running late. The two of us were the only attendees.

The orientation began, starting with the customary self-introductions. When it was the franchisee's turn, he immediately apologized for his tardiness. He displayed humility despite his financial status, making me feel like a jerk for jumping to conclusions. He explained that he had been juggling family and business responsibilities since his wife's passing last July.

The orientation proceeded as expected, covering the same topics outlined in the handout. Since I had already read through them, there were no surprises. The entire session concluded within an hour. I asked for directions on how to return home and then set off. I found myself making my way to SM Megamall, where I would wait for a bus. As always, the journey back home felt quicker. Before I knew it, I was back in front of my PC, writing this post. This would be my daily routine for the next three weeks. God help me.