… This is Power
Posted by lordpinoy on April 21, 2006
Since the summer term began in UP, i’ve been getting summons to the higher planes of existence. It’s usually a network/computer related problem except when I have to sign some forms or papers that are vital to our survival in the university. Oftentimes too, I get summoned by the ONE himself, the Head Honcho of the outfit, The Invisible Hand, Power Overwhelming, Power of (a) god on earth: The Director of the Insitute and my research advisor. As if to complicate matters, it usually involves a Mac and unfortunately my know-how is, (bragging aside) best demonstrated on a PC (even those hopelessly obsolete, dilapidated ones). Still, there are enough commonalities between the two architectures … and yes a Mac’s engineering is superior to the PC (stop getting all geeky and stuff!!!!!)
This day was different because, the ONE had to attend to some all too important event, the institute will-suffer if HE doesn’t go and HE’s the only ONE capable of accomplishing a task of such MAGNITUDE. So HE promply left HIS office.
A few seconds in isolation and … Wow this is what power is: On one corner of the room are numerous personal awards consisting of medals (some heavy, some ….) Pla—s (forgot the spelling) of appreciation, plates, and the whole enchilada… and then there’s the Mac. Where most lesser beings are accustomed to plying their trade on the PC, the ONE would have none of it. HE goes well with the Mac and only with the Mac. To put things in perspective, even 6 years ago, a Mac would cost about PhP 150 K, while a PC could go for as low as PhP 18K or as high as PhP 50 K (like my PC back at the lab, hehehe <— that is also power). If this doesn’t sound awesome enough, just think of all the bureacratic procedures you’d have to go through just to import a motherload of stuff in UP. If it was less than PhP 5K, you don’t need inches thick paperwork. Beyond that, it would be hell following the trail your inches thick paperwork leaves in its sorry journey.
There are stacks of Scientific Journals waiting to be read, there’s a space in the other desk for papers/classcards/petitions/appeals/applications that needed signing, You get a VoIP phone too.
A pocket dictionary and thesaurus lies next to the Mac and a small pile of notes from your staff in the other room.
At this level of existence most of the time you are alone. Powers such as those accorded to the ONE cannot be shared. The setting certainly gave justice to the phrase "slave to the whim of the gods". Whatever your mind was contemplating, good or evil, for the institute, and the fact that you have a dedicated staff under your command (plus numerous underlings to complete the power structure) is just plain awesome, albeit terrifying at times (<—i haven’t lost my humanity after all).
While fixing the Mac (which thankfully was only having minor problems), there were humorous episodes involving people barging into the office thinking Herr Direktor was there and would stop dumb in their tracks because I’m in the Throne and not HE. Then I’d do a mock gesture, a Power Thing, that would probably pale in comparision to the REAL THING.
After about an hour, I was wrapping up, finishing hardware tests. Then HE arrives, sees the job done and says: Thank You. Thus, another aspect of Greatness is Revealed: Humility. With a customary bow, I turned about and walked away, feeling a little bit smaller but nonetheless wiser.
