Dyed In the Wool

1

I've been very lucky with my job.  There is no other word than Luck to describe how I have been able to travel across the US with my boyfriend than Luck.  My job isn't very glamorous, not like his, but it pays my bills.  IT networking can be a very boring job, but without it hospitals wouldn't run, giant call centers wouldn't be able to take calls, businesses would not be able to operate.  My job isn't very glamorous, but it is vital.

My boyfriend does have a glamorous job.  He is in a band.  A pretty successful band too.  He has one of the most glamorous jobs known to man.  He plays to sold out crowds, has groupies hanging off of his arms, wanting nothing more than for him to sign their tits.  His job may not be vital to the operation of businesses as mine is, but his music touches people's souls.  It helps those who are at their lowest find a way to keep fighting.  As a fan of their music, I can vouch for that.  Their lyrics, not all, but some are so powerful, you just want to keep going, to keep fighting.  Fighting for yourself.

The ability to travel with my boyfriend and his band was just an opportunity that landed in my lap.  Ryan brought it to my attention one day, saying how cool it would be to have his girlfriend on tour with him.  All of the other guys' significant others were on tour with them, why couldn't his?  Which in fairness is a very valid question.  Why can't I, his girlfriend of two years be on tour with him?  The other guys, for example Chris' girlfriend a kick ass makeup artist was on tour with them.  There though is why I couldn't be on tour with him, Chris' girlfriend is a makeup artist who helps on tour, I work in communications.  Two different worlds.  One houses many different tools and has many canvas' on which to work.  The other, sits at a desk all day, gains weight and works on the computer, manipulating networks.  You see the difference?

Ryan asked though, and I was already an anomaly as it was.  I took it to my manager and their manager, and explained that I could do this.  All of my work that needed to be done in an 8 hour period could be done, at night as we traveled.  They were hesitant at first, and who wouldn't be?  However, they realized that it would be a great opportunity for me, and my work would get done.  They said yes, and now I am traveling across the continental us with my boyfriend and his band.

We were somewhere between Virginia and Florida headed towards The Sunshine State.  The band was doing one of their final Warped Tours, preparing to go into the studio to work on their fourth full length studio album.  Most of the stuff they talked about on any given day was about some rift that they had in their head that would sound great as a song.  Majority of the other time, they were focused on whatever new game had just came out on whatever gaming console was cool.

As my usual, my nose was buried in my notes, my hands flying across the keyboard as I replied to emails, getting ready to start an order for one of the big accounts they company had.  It wasn't a very exciting order, one that on any given day would send me to tears by the time it was ready for signature.  My manager was honestly surprised I was working so early on a Wednesday, but with a quick explanation of it was a travel day, he understood.

"Hey Gemma?"

"Yeah?" I asked, looking up at Vinny who was giving me a quizzical look over the top of my computer.

"What is it that you exactly do?"

Ryan laughed from the couch that he was sitting on with Ricky.  "Dude, you know what she does."

"Yeah, no I know.  I just don't understand.  All I know is she sits there at all hours when we are on the bus with her computer and types and types.  Most of the time it's angry typing.  And Monday's she is always on a call early in the morning.  I don't know, I was just curious is all."

Snorting, I nodded.  His explanation was pretty accurate.  That's all that they see me do.  Granted, they have asked, but when I try and explain they seem to lose focus and not really care about what I do.  "Fair enough Vinny.  I place orders for my company's data and internet circuits, even voice and track them through implementation.  It's pretty simple stuff, just not very fun.  Or happy." I added, quickly going back to my computer, reading an email about how an order was going off the rails. 

"Then why do you do it?"

"Do what?" I asked, forwarding said email to the escalation manager, the person whose job it was to get it back on track and see to it that it got completed by the time the customer requested it.

"This?  If this job doesn't make you happy, then why are you doing it?"

"Cause, I've got bills to pay?" I said, tilting the words towards the end so it came out more like a question than a solid statement.  Again, he was fair in asking his question.  Why was I doing something that I didn't like, a job that made me unhappy more often than not?  My degree isn't even in networking, communications or business.  I wanted to work in publishing, and I was trying so hard to get there.  But, I just, I felt so stuck in this job, because if I were to leave, no one could actually do my job.

"Yeah, but Ryan-"

"Shut up Vinny." Ryan called. 

I looked up and caught the glare that Ryan was shooting at Vinny.  Quickly I looked back at my computer knowing what Vinny was trying to get at.  Why would I continue to work at a job I hated just to pay bills when Ryan would be more than capable of paying my bills.  This was an argument Ryan and I had had many times over the two years that we had been together.  He was more than willing to help me, he would point this out every time we would talk and I had had a shitty day on the job.  But I wanted... needed to be independent.  If we were to get married some day... then it would be a different story.

"Sorry."

Shaking my head, I picked up my pen to keep my anxieties low.  "No, it's fine.  I'm just going to," I said, putting the pen back down and making a show of putting in ear buds in.  "It's a pretty big order that I have to get the contract generated for." I trailed off, Vinny nodding then leaving me at the table, my work notes spread out on my half.  Heaving a sigh, I snuck a look at Ryan who was quickly back into the video game that he was playing, Vinny trying to figure out a way to integrate himself into.  I was a lucky one, because Ryan was a quiet looker.  He stood off towards the background, out of the attention like he wanted to be, and played his guitar truly unaware of how painfully beautiful he was.  I think for him it was more about the music and recognition from his peers than the female attention. 

He caught me staring and smiled genuinely at me.  Blushing, I went back to my computer.  Carrier hell was where I was going, but I think luck would describe my job.  That smile that he gave me might help me make it through this contract generation with no tears and no angry curse words.  Maybe my manager and boss were right, that traveling with Ryan was an amazing opportunity for me.  Getting to work alongside a gorgeous man instead of middle aged creepy men who seemingly can't take no for an answer is a great opportunity.