On Wednesday I accidentally dropped my "CONTRACTOR" ID badge in the locked shredder bin. It happened in slow motion - a tragedy unfolding before my very eyes. The bins are locked and have a very narrow opening on top for you to jimmy your papers in. Very "top security" around here, you see. Well, I had a large amount of crap to shove in there so I put my badge down on top and before I could stop it, it slid down in the bin. I smashed my face up against the opening and just stared down at my badge. For what seemed like forever, eyes wide open - not breathing - I looked down at my badge. Panic and embarrassment blossomed immediately. Then I went into "fight mode." The "soon-to-be-shredded" papers filled the bin up about half-way, so I thought - "maybe I can reach it." So I tried to shove my arm into the opening. I got to about mid-forearm and realized that tactic wasn't going to work. I actually broke a bit of skin taking my arm back out, but there was no way in hell I was getting stuck in that thing. I was already embarrassed enough. I would have gnawed my arm off rather than get stuck in there. Imagine if I had to yell for help because my arm was suck in the security/shredder bin. Arm extracted from the opening, I ran back into Conference Room C and in one breath said "IdroppedmybadgeintheshredderbinandneedyourHELP NOW!!!" They didn't hesitate for a second. Together Juniata, Jenny and I marched back to the shredder bin. Juniata smashed her face up against the opening and just stared down at my badge. Then she tried to shove her arm down in there. Her arm is a little skinner than mine so I had hope that it would work. Mostly I was just relieved that I didn't have to handle this situation alone. I had my fellow contractors - and we were all in "fight mode." This particular shredder bin is located in the hall just outside the supply closet - so once we realized no body's arm was skinny enough - we knew we were going to have to go into "MacGyver mode." We went into the supply closed and checked out what we had to work with (tape, folders, letter openers, pens, whiteout, etc.). I went for the letter opener (still in its packaging so that added about an inch of length. I stuck a blob of tape on the end of the package and shoved my arm back into the opening as far as it would go and aimed for my badge. It seemed like I was just shy of reaching it so I tried to (painfully) shove my arm in further. No go. Jenny was already going for our next alternative - she took a legal size file folder and folded it in half. I stuck another blob of tape on the end of the folder and headed back for the bin. I shoved the folder into the opening and aimed for my badge. You'd be surprised how off your perspective can be when gazing through such an opening - I mean I felt like it was RIGHT THERE, but I hadn't reached it yet. I gave the folder a little more length - barely grasping it with the tip of my fingers (praying that I don't drop it too). And finally I reach the badge. I very gingerly stick the blob of tape on my badge and start pulling up . . . . very, very slowly. As I got to the top of the opening I very slowly reached in and grabbed my badge!!! Then we all took a breath and ran back to the conference room. Not once did anyone come down the hall while all three contractors were mysteriously crowded around the security bin. We felt powerful and resourceful. We had worked as a team, together saving me from further embarrassment. We feel closer now that we have been in battle together - and make no mistake - this was indeed a battle. And we were VICTORIOUS!!!!!
Hoorah!!
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| Me and my new "hot flashes fan." If you look real close you can see sweat glistening on my forehead. |
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| Full shot of the shredder/security bins |
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| Zoom in of the opening I tried to shove my arm in (followed by Juniata trying to shove her arm in) (oddly Jenny never tried to shove her arm in - I guess she is smarter than us) |
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