When is something “urgent”?

So there I was, dashing from shop to shop in the rain (although, thankfully, nothing like that’s been hitting our friends down south) when I receive a text message from my commandant. Normally when I receive a message at this time of day when we have training at night it is to tell me it has been cancelled. However, not so on this occasion.The message read something along the lines of “please attend tonight, letter received, urgent”.

My companion at the time started asking me what I had done wrong, assuming the message had been sent to just me. I racked my previous duties to consider if I had done anything worthy of a letter from above. They best I could come up with at the time was this poor blog. I wondered if someone somewhere had found it and had a problem with what I was writing.

As we pondered, I dropped a quick message in to one of my colleagues who also happens to be a Glasgow medic. They eventually got back to me to let me know that they might struggle to make it, being out of Glasgow and having a fair bit of work to do and I inferred (correctly) that she too had received the message. I also had a lot to be getting on with as my essay at that stage was far from finished. However, being urgent, I attended dutifully.

Was it urgent?

No.

I don’t think so anyway.

It was referring to the possible increase in insurance that might happen due to a lack of people attending moving and handling courses. This fee might even have to be paid by members! However, if that was to happen the company would pay it on our behalf. So all in all the letter was meaningless.

My colleague was really annoyed at this, as she could’ve been doing her work due in tomorrow. I was only mildly annoyed as I hadn’t really expected anything big. However, it raises a point.

If this is to keep happening for trivial matters (we have an AGM in 3 weeks, could’ve waited till then, no?) then when something that is actually urgent occurs I may be inclined to ignore it.

That said, something positive did take place which fully justified attending. We each received a new and improved first aid bag. They’re only about a month and a bit behind, but that’s not too bad I guess. Here’s a snap of the new (left) and old bag, with a pen for size comparison.

Ignoring the fact it’s a really bad picture, you can see why it’s such an improvement. Now all I need is some stuff to put in it. I think I’ve bought enough so I’ll just keep my eye of for free supplies.

Another benefit of attending was the chance to put my name down for a rather big event at the end of the month. Not 100% sure I can make it, but I’ll hopefully find a way to get there. All I need to try and do now is get a hard hat and blue suit before then. Heh, one can dream.