Complex Numbers

Stocking

Time for another one for "Journalistic Intentions"  [18+]

Stocking

I suppose there are worse jobs than stocking. Cleaning bathrooms comes to mind. Bussing tables. Active sewer maintenance. Come to think of it, most of the worst jobs in the world involve cleaning.

But stocking has something in common with all of those: it's never finished. You do the same thing, all the time, and no one even knows you exist, even if they actively see you doing the job, unless you do it wrong, in which case, look out.

Doesn't matter whether you're stocking goods in a warehouse, or stocking groceries on the supermarket shelves. The only difference there is that, in the former case, customers aren't audibly displeased as they grumble about having to maneuver their shopping carts and mobility scooters around you. Then they pick the shelves clean of all the delicious merchandise you've just arranged pleasingly for them, and so you have to do it again. And again. You're stuck in a time loop.

It's a job a robot could do, but then you'd be out of a job, wouldn't you? But hell, when the robot uprising comes, it'll be led by the stockers.

Of course, "stocking" also refers to an article of clothing, one of the myriad articles of clothing whose name makes little sense, like jumper or dress (since anything you put on makes you dressed). Turns out that the verb "to stock" used to mean "to cover one's feet and ankles," and had nothing to do with covering shelves with consumer goods.

These days, hardly anyone wears stockings; they're mostly associated with the little gifts you stock them with at Christmas.

At least that's not the worst job in the world.