This is not a test

I have decided to hide in my metaphorical shed.
I suppose we are living in 'interesting times'; rioting on the streets, everyone applying for their own jobs or facing redunancy, a generation about to be written off from education and jobs. Anyone would imagine that it's summer and a Tory government are in power.
So I'll hide here for 10 minutes whilst my co-worker on the desk opposite me seethes in silent fury at us all for the second day over the fact that he didn't get the job he wanted in the reshuffle.
Here's the back story (very ordinary);

1. Department says 'we've got to cut the budget so there may be possible redudancies, and at the same time we'll reshuffle to make us more commercially viable get rid of some of the higher tier useless paperwork producing jobs. Any-one for voluntary?'
2. All the old people clamour for early retirement and the enhanced payout, seeing as they don't want to be moving offices etc, and they go.
3. Whilst us lot with mortgages and kids sit tight and hope to ride out the storm, and pray for spaces in the 'life-boat of job security'.
4. There is hope! As so many oldies grab the cash and fall upon their own swords, there becomes more jobs avaialbe than people. We now not only have to apply for our own jobs but the opportunity arises that there may be a few promotions in the offing.
5. We all apply for jobs and to the management's shock we apply for jobs higher than our current grades. 'That shouldn't happen' they say 'you were just meant to apply for the job you currently do, and be renumerated exactly the same amount'.
6. We the workers say 'B****lks to you, thank-you oldies, show me the money!'

Of course in the ensuing scrum someone is going to get hurt and not everyone gets what they want.

I admit I tried for a higher position - I didn't get it. 9 months ago I was being told I might not have a job, so for me the same job, in the same office doing the same thing = bonus!

This bloke he had his heart set on it, thought he was sure he was a shoe in as a candidate for this upper tier position. He's a company man been here over a decade, almost straight out of uni... loyal, knows all the words to the company song, dedicated hard-working beaver... etc.

And they gave the job instead to a colleague who has been with us only a year.

I know he has been dealt a bit of a rough hand in life and the extra money would be something of a way out. But for him nothing has changed. He still has the same job and the same money, with the same conditions.

He's been on holiday for a week and a half since being told and he came back yesterday and he's still in a foul mood today. We didn't make the decision. Why take it out on his co-workers? He barely acknowledges us, the guy got the job is dead to him.

He is not a happy bunny, therefore neither are we.

I'd better press on.

I'll go and have a cup of tea.