Every day Nate laughs and shakes his head at me. Mainly because every day I generally ask him the same things (how was your evening) and say the same stuff (isn’t today a GREAT day?) in a very enthusiastic manner. I’m sure he finds me mildly annoying.
Every new starter is given a tongue-in-cheek-but-is-it-really Nate warning, and there’s a standing joke that he’s not allowed near anyone who’s being interviewed, just in case [he’ll put them off].
Actually though, he’s one of the most kindest people I’ve ever met. Admittedly with questionable (to me) music tastes and a habit for always going just slightly way across the line. If there was a checklist of inappropriate jokes, he’d tick quite a few off.
I sit opposite him on Pod 3 at work (so named because it had 3 of us on it, there’s actually 4 of us but the name has stuck) and he makes me laugh every day. He’s such an integral part of the whole team that as much as we all take the piss out of him on a daily basis, we’d be lost without him.
On my birthday this year, I got a text in the morning from him wishing me a happy birthday (he was off for the week).
When I was away for a long weekend, I got a text checking I was OK because there’d been a nasty road accident in the general vicinity of where I was.
When Big G (his work buddy and other Pod 3 original) is away, Nate misses him – even though he pretends he doesn’t (and vice versa).
Nate puts his family before himself, all the time. His boys are into sport and he spends his entire spare time taking them to/watching matches and when he tells me about some of the lessons he and Lisa are trying to instil in them for adulthood, it makes me smile.
He loves history, like absolutely loves it, and knows more about the UK and Ireland than most British and Irish people. As he comes from a country that doesn’t have a long history, I can see why this appeals. The first time I found out he’s never seen a castle I was bemused, because everyone has, haven’t they? But of course, I remembered that there aren’t any here in New Zealand. I just take them for granted in the UK – I got married in one – and so forget how magical and mystical they can be. I would LOVE to take Nate on a road trip around England to all the castles and old stuff and see his face.
He’s hoping to get to the UK and Europe one day and I really hope he does so he can see all the things and places he’s read about. I tell and show him places where I’ve been or lived, and maybe he’ll visit them. I think he’d like Lincoln especially.
Until then, he’ll have to put up with me being too jolly and British across the way on Pod 3.
The Paps Life 