# I found the way to determine if you're a lowly grunt or not in the company! Simple! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 3, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-way-to-determine-if-youre-a-lowly-grunt-or-not-in-the-company-simple/205396 "2003-10-03T18:34:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-way-to-determine-if-youre-a-lowly-grunt-or-not-in-the-company-simple/205396/41 "2003-10-07T17:51:19Z")
For a while at my last job, I was truly a god. To trim the story to manageable lengths, I still had a cubicle but never used it, as I did all of my work on a laptop anywhere in the building I could find a network jack. There was a hallway near the back of the building that used to lead to some conference rooms, but after a redesign and renovation, it was a dead-end hallway. Thirty feet deep, ten feet wide, with some abandoned cubicles along one side and assorted office equipment at the end. I moved back there and created the desk of which Plato speaks when he says that all other desks are but mere imitations of the ideal. It was impossible to sneak up on me. Hell, it was nearly impossible to _find_ me. And it was impossible to call me, as the extension at that jack was long-forgotten, and no one except me knew the numbers to the four Nokia cellphones I carried for testing purposes. I spent about two weeks in that heaven on earth. I was more productive in those weeks than in any other month. Then, of course, someone complained, and I was forced to move to a traditional cubicle. I got him back, though … him and that little boy of his. ---
**Author:** ![sportshoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@sportshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sportshoe)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-way-to-determine-if-youre-a-lowly-grunt-or-not-in-the-company-simple/205396/42 "2003-10-08T09:45:19Z")
I’m very sorry but you forgot one very important thing. Your screen can be away from the traffic stream but can be facing the windows meaning reflection when its dark outside (all winter long). So you can make a graduation you are a low grunt if your screen is facing the traffic stream you are a medium low grunt if your screen is facing the window (reflection) you are a medium grunt if your screen is facing the windows but you have drapes!!! you are a total loser if your company does not allow you to have a computer or like me … I have a 21 Inch facing the traffic stream, reflecting drapeless windows and having my boss right behind me thinking I’m typing a very important report at this very moment. Shit he saw me because of my large font It was fun working here ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-way-to-determine-if-youre-a-lowly-grunt-or-not-in-the-company-simple/205396/43 "2003-10-08T19:08:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Satyagrahi \* > \*\*I think I have you all beat for proof of being a lowly grunt. > > The company I work for has offices in a large exhibition center (McCormack Place, Chicago) in what used to be a plumber’s shop. In their spare time, the plumbers made some modifications for their own convenience. When they moved out and my company got the space, the modifications stayed behind. > > So, in addition to a nice desk, computer, etc., my office truly does have a urinal in it. Which is sometimes used by my boss when I’m out to lunch or something. > > OK, who can beat that? 😃 \*\* I’m amazed that no-one else has remarked on how disturbing this is. Are you sure your boss isn’t trying to tell you something, Milton? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-way-to-determine-if-youre-a-lowly-grunt-or-not-in-the-company-simple/205396/44 "2003-10-09T06:11:31Z")
I don’t use a computer at work. What does that mean? Well, actually, I share a dozen or so computers with everyone else in the lab, so none of them are _mine_. Nor do they belong to anyone else, despite what some people may think… But, if it helps, I AM in charge of backing up all the data! ---
**Author:** ![SkyBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@SkyBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkyBum)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-way-to-determine-if-youre-a-lowly-grunt-or-not-in-the-company-simple/205396/45 "2003-10-09T06:36:23Z")
I just wanted to point out that if you were truly a lowly grunt that you probably would not even _have_ a computer. ---
**Author:** ![sportshoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@sportshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sportshoe)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-way-to-determine-if-youre-a-lowly-grunt-or-not-in-the-company-simple/205396/46 "2003-10-10T06:56:30Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Frankd6 \* It can always be worse. Example in stead of a urinal you have a big toilet and your boss it out of paper [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-way-to-determine-if-youre-a-lowly-grunt-or-not-in-the-company-simple/205396.md?page=2)