In search of the niche

Six weeks flew very fast. Nobody was taken to mechanical department. From time to time Grechko called Koifman and asked him to go to the mechanical department and tell people how hard he is living with a broken leg, how he takes morphine, does not sleep at night, but his heart with his colleagues. In parallel, he phoned his colleagues directly and told the same stories, but with much more details. At the same time he scolded "stubborn" doctors who did not allow him to return.

The day before the end of the glorious six weeks, Nilolay, as was planned, called to the head of the mechanical department and said that he needs two more weeks. Boss, who by that time barely coped with the accumulated volume of work and had already planned something for the missing designer, squeezed his teeth and told a neutral OK, and hung up with a big disappointment.

Two weeks later the situation was completely repeated, with the only one difference - the head of the department asked Grechko to send him an official e-mail, which he joyfully did.

At the end of the working day Nikolay"s boss came to Koifman"s office and without even saying "hello", exasperatedly asked:

– Nick Grechko, your friend, is he a "smart-ass", man with protection or just an idiot?

– What happened? I hope he didn"t solicit you or asked for the date?
– Leo, who knew Mechanical Department Manager for many years from his previous job, tried to laugh it off.

– Leo, listen, I'm serious. A man is over fifty, and he behaves like a kid. What kind of games he is playing here?! He thinks that I do not understand that he wants to stay on temporary disability as maximum as possible? Or does he think that he's so clever and all the fools around?

– What can I say? I told him... And he just plays down. Oh, I feel so bad, oh I'm taking morphine, oh, doctors do not allow me...

– You understand, he is really weak designer, but he even doesn"t want to work. Anyway, if I understand correctly, your friend wants to sit at home for 3 months, until he will receive temporary disability.

– How do I know? I told him my humble opinion three times already, but he still cries how he feels bad.

– OK, don"t be offended, but I will take your friend off the project. Management will transfer him to another project, but I"m not interested in this guy at all.

Koiftman decided not to tell anything so "sick on his leg" man. Maybe management will not be able to find a person to replace, maybe another big project will start, or maybe the boss will change his mind... or maybe another miracle will happened.

Grechko continued to call every two weeks and sing the same song. However, in all subsequent times the boss was very kind to him and always wished him a speedy recovery. And in the mechanical department a new designer already started to work.

Pain, morphine intake and permission of the doctor ended for Nikolay exactly the day before the end of temporary disability, i.e. in three months sharp.

Grechko appeared at work with a wand and a mournful expression on his face. Putting five boxes in the fridge and turning on the computer, finally returned "disabled", began a leisurely round of all colleagues. Strongly lame he approached everyone, and slowly, in details began to tell how everything happened. How he slipped on the slippery stones and how did he hear the crunch that still hangs in his ears... How he was transported by ambulance, and how was he sure that he would not survive. How he recalled the children and the colleagues... Everybody expressed full compassion, asked additional questions, which he was even more than pleased to answer, recalling more and more details.

Having finished in his department, Grechko smoothly continued to visit other departments. At last, somewhere before lunch, he came to visit Koifman.

– Oh! Look at you... Almost a Jesus came from the sky. I thought you would not appear at all... You look good, lost weight...

– Ha, lost weight there. I scored another 7 kilos.

– It was a joke. I saw that you added to your superfluous 30 kg, another 10 kg. If I would in your place, I would begin to lose weight, because all this extra weight falls on your injured leg.

– Yes, you are right, but I'm not too limping. Tomorrow probably I will be without a stick.

– Well, have you already been given a job?
– The owner of the office asked cautiously.

– Not yet. The head of the department is not in place, so I've talked to the people so far.

– There, at mechanical department, one more man was taken, - again from a far began Leo.

– Yes, I saw. Pleasant guy. By the way, he broke his leg three years ago. Do you know what happened?

At this time the telephone rang and Nikolay, waving goodbye, left the room. However, in ten minutes he returned without a stick and without a smile of happiness on his face.

– Listen Leo, I turned on the computer, but I have no access to the project's folders or drawings. And what I suppose to do?
– he asked nervously without preamble.

– Check your internal mail, maybe some notification has been sent to you.

– Precisely, I completely forgot, - Grechko quickly went back.

Nikolay appeared at the end of the day and fell wearily into the chair across Koifman.

– You will not believe, I have not been on this project for over a month.

– What do you mean?
– Leo pretended to be surprised.

– I mean exactly what I told, damn it! And no one even told me a word! And this boss, shit! After he threw me out of the project, I talked with him at least three times. What, it was so difficult to inform me?!

– But how you figure it out?

– He sent the message to the entire mechanical department that another man starts instead of me.

– Ah, is that one who broke his leg too? Kind of good guy.

– Yes, him.

– By the way, you started telling me that something funny happened to him...

– I don"t care what happened to him!

– Well, you have friends... And you shared the literature with them, discussed family problems, - Koifman put on a sympathetic grimace.

– I can understand everything, but without hesitation lie in your eyes! And this son of bitch, with his gentle talk: "Nick, do not worry, feel well... take your time". And he already threw me out!

– Yes, you right. Lie to people not fair, - Leo smiled wickedly.
– You are honest with people, open your heart, and they are just waiting to return you a dirty trick. Anyway, I told you do not play your two weeks game. I understand that you upset, because not just you lie...

– What?! Was I deceiving someone?! You know that I felt bad!! Have you ever took a morphine?! The pain is such unbearable that at night you ready to climb on the walls. And he... nit, immediately threw me out, like a used napkin.

– Yeah... Not funny... And now what? What are your plans?

– I really didn"t understand. I went to the HR department. And there is a young girl, who is younger than my daughter, and so tenderly asks me: Nikolay, why you didn"t come to us in the morning?