Blizzard puts workers in their place

December 22, 1:38 AMBoston Independent ExaminerKeith Raboin

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If you live anywhere near the Boston area, I need not go into detail about what happened to us this weekend. My socks are soaked, my car is buried, I need not go further. There are many miserable circumstances that accompany New England weather, and days like these are when the sick calls come in and people detest even thinking about commuting. Trust me, the 18 hours I spent shuttling around and on duty today showed that. However, many state workers were granted a reprieve Friday, with a day off. How did they classify who got the day off? Well, those who were considered "non-essential" state employees. Many rejoiced at the prospect of the day off, free to do as they wish. Why should the state be looking at them with further scrutiny?

Oho, my friends, do you see the clear line being drawn here? Workers can, by this standard, be thus assigned 2 categories: essential, non-essential. Things they need, and little giblets that are nice to have but thrown out immediately when they've worn our their welcome. You see, the workers here are like my cable package. I pay for all my channels, and each has a specific need they fit, some more essential than others. I have my news and weather and network television that makes life bearable, and these are my essential workers. Then I have ESPN 3 through 22, Lifetime, and Showtime. Now, these are nice to have when I can afford them, but when it comes down to it I can cut them loose if times get tough. I'm sorry, Telemundo, but are the soap operas that necessary in my life? Then, of course, are government pet projects, these being the high numbered channels, for those times I need a little boost, some private time on a lonely friday to, uh...

Like I was saying, be wary of small hints such as this. In a rocky time like this, no one is safe, and it pays to know what is ahead. That day off you so covet may just become permanent.