Groningen, The Netherlands
Somewhere between 5pm and 7pm cleaning shifts and 9am to 5:30pm day jobs are those individuals who fill and empty trash cans, read and dust books and those that sweep and weep as they make their way through the day. Somewhere between credit card payments and state support, is the thread that links those individuals who come together at the office each day: the janitors and the office staff.
Somewhere between 5pm and 5:30pm two different worlds meet and acknowledge each other’s presence through small talk and numerous exchanges of awkward smiles and gestures. When the office staff and janitors meet during these brief encounters, it sometimes feels like they are all just performing roles in a play wherein reality is a script that nobody thought could be written. It is interesting to say the least.
From this perspective, life seems like a series of scenes consisting of those wearing suits and those wearing rubber gloves that metaphorically resemble the different sectors of the work force and thus the different social layers of society.
The irony is that the common topic of conversation of both actors in this play is the excitement and anticipation of the upcoming vacation. It seems that all everyone just wants to do is move on to the next scene and take a break. Keep on playing I say. Keep on playing, as long as I can play my desired role. I’ll take the 5pm to 7pm shift, but just don’t let me wear those rubber gloves again.
- Scenes & Angles -
(C) Anthony Jake H. Atienza
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