Khat and the Imman

Monday and Tuesday 4th and 5th October 2010.6am -12pm

This week was always going to be trying because the new Imman was due to commence his tenure at the PLC.

The Algerian has returned from Paris and is already causing problems for the staff with his crass behaviour.He asked me whether everything ran smoothly whilst he was away.I replied in the affirmative and told him that it went very smoothly in his absence,but he had to have the last word,"they put extra staff on last week" he squirmed.

This bloke is so insecure he needs to fell indispensable or he gets worries and realises that any old fool could do his job.The Imman buried his head into the computer and all the other supervisors were scared to go in the office.Even the ex-king's assistant was undertaking significant manual work like putting paperback books on the shelves.She is also more friendly that usual.My assessment of this new behaviour is that she was so in awe of the king she just couldn't be herself.I have been trying to work out her sexuality and may well start exploring this further because i am determined to establish which side she bats for.However,i have been wrong twice so far,with the queen and ginger.

I spent a large proportion of Tuesday removing stock and cleaning shelves,it was very depressing and my hands were filthy.

I finally saw the new Imman in close quarters.He's about 40 and unfortunately has the same bedside manner as the king.He stood next to me whilst talking to the Algerian and didn't introduce himself and ignored me.In all my time working in various sectors i have never come across these type of ignorant rude bastards.

The contract negotiations have gone on the back burner but i need to lay it on the line with the Imman.I noticed the rotweiller sucking up to him,and one of many rumours is that he is maybe related to the Imman.

The slow Somalian has a good laugh with me and there was an interesting exchange of view between him and one of the Somalian cleaners.After they had finished their chat he told me that the cleaner is on Khat.For the uninitiated Khat is a root vegetable commonly available in the Yemen and Somalia.It is also available at certain establishments on Edgware Road to those in the know.

In my younger years i used to chew on a bunch of Khat and eventually it produces a similar sensation to consuming Amphetamine sulphate.Apparently,the cleaner is a Khat addict and it explains his erratic behaviour and confrontational temperament.

Needless to say the Imman's arrival has created mass panic in the ranks and the Algerian is trying to create the perfect unit in one day.He showed me how to use a barcode scanner which is networked to a price sticker printer.Its great technology and i was enjoying zapping all the unprice products.