Restrictions

I'm not very particular about clothing. I just like comfortable clothing and I don't wear heels if I can help it. But I would rather wear heels than closed shoes.

Well, I was in full battle gear (laptop, smock gown, stethoscope, mobile phone, mobile broadband thingie, Pilot sign pen) and on my way to the Nestle Factory clinic for my night duty.

I was about to go in when the guard stopped me and said,"Ma'am, we don't allow sandals inside the factory. You have to wear closed shoes." (Of course, Binisaya ni. Sosyalan nga guard.)

I just stood there, dumbfounded. How was this going to be resolved? It's not like I carry around closed shoes in my duty bag. Anyway, to their credit, they went to get me some closed shoes.

So, there I was, waiting in the reception area, waiting for my special shoes. There were signs everywhere and I was reading this one sign about factory protocol and such. Ah, there it was. The No Sandals policy. But then right under that was the No Laptops, USBs or Mp3 Players Policy.

Surely you jest! They can't mean to include doctors, right? I mean, it's not like I'm going to be anywhere near machinery or something. Or even the Nestle Factory database where I could possibly download the secret recipe for Milo and sell it to the highest bidder.

But no.

"Ma'am, is that a laptop?"

Uhm, no? I just like to carry around Hewlett Packard laptop bags. It's a quirk.

They took my laptop. And then they made me wear these butt ugly shoes.




And I was wearing a red shirt! The stark contrast between these fugly black and yellow shoes and my red shirt had me looking like some weird Twilight Zone McDonald's service crew.