Yesterday came the moment I'd been dreading for the past four weeks (yes I know, four weeks already). I had to cover our receptionist for the first time.
There are three runners at our company and one receptionist, and we all have to squish our lunch breaks into the afternoon, so when the receptionist goes on her break one of us covers the desk for her. I'd managed to escape doing it so far (less 'escaped' and more wasn't asked because I didn't know what the hell I was doing!), but, rightly so, my time to learn finally came.
I've been sitting on reception in our second building since my first day, but there's more to do on the main reception, so naturally I was... well, insert your own faeces-related obscenity. The job in it's entirety would probably prove damn near impossible for me, but covering for an hour, I knew, wasn't going to be all that bad. Basically I answer the phone, transfer calls to staff and clients, take messages, book couriers, log/dispatch tapes and generally be front of house. And, you know, it went ok. Although booking my first courier was bloody scary and could have gone much more smoothly - although tonight, as a result, I booked two, and each went perfectly!
It wasn't until afterwards that I realised just how irrational I was being. One of my bosses said she'd never seen someone look so scared! And I was. But then, when talking to a colleague in the kitchen after my ordeal was over, I realised that this fairly small thing - which, granted, does carry a lot of pressure when there isn't really room for mistakes - scared me more than all of the other, much bigger, less ordinary that I've done and am doing.
Should I travel through seven airports and take two mammoth bus journeys without really knowing where the hell I'm going? Yeah alright. Today you're going to be our sound assistant, which potentially could have a big effect on several takes of our film, alright? Yeah... alright. Wanna film Clothes Show Live with me? Yeah, course (Haven't told you that bit yet, have I!).
This stuff. No probs. Some nerves, but more excitement and total willingness. Covering reception? I'd rather not. Ok, so I did it again today and it went fine. I'm getting the hang of the phone, what to do and what to ask and whatnot, as well as getting to know the system much better. So generally the worst is over, and I should be fine now.
But it's funny. It's funny that the stuff you wouldn't expect to be that scary frightens me much much more than some stuff that would make some people run a mile.
I'm basically just a bit of a silly goose.
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