Surely there is something wrong with a business that is so vulnerable it cannot be without a key employee for a few hours. Don’t these poor b*stards deserve a rest? I’ve been there myself, running a subsidiary of a British company in Scandinavia, but in those days, when called home, it was a 24-hour boat trip (had to take the company car with me) and I used to get on board and crash out, waking once on the voyage to have a decent meal. During that period my responsibilities were delegated, and if necessary some things just had to wait.
My point is that in a properly organised business no-one should be indispensable, and it is a sad reflection on this day and age that everything is so frenetic that even an hour or two of delay seems like the end of the world.
Yes, I am still working (but as a freelance), so I still know what it’s like out there, but I “just say no” to my customers and they respect and understand that at certain times I am just unavailable. This explains why I get irritated on the train at people who spend the whole trip talking to the office while sat near me, in the worst case in the next seat. I’ve had my heart attack, and learned my lesson!
Gripe over!
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