The Potlicker

Our team lead said when we started this trip that we would eventually get on one another's nerves. He also said we would end up with road nicknames. Well he was right on both counts.

Since all they have for coffee here is instant (at least, so far as we have seen) I brought back a French press coffee maker and five bags of ground coffee from the UK. Making real coffee immediately became a part of our morning and afternoon routine. The Aussies in the office here have no interest in the stuff, so it's our own private party. Two people on the team have asked me how much I spent and paid me back their share. One person has not. This is the same person who always brings up that "we" should make coffee. When "we" make coffee he always comes and stands in the room expectantly for a cup to be made for him, but he is far too lazy to prepare it himself or to rinse the pot out after. I have dubbed him the Potlicker. My other teammates asked the origin of the expression, which I'll leave for you to Google. But as I came to know the term, in fishing, it's the person who is too lazy to find his own fish so he finds someone who has already found the fish and crowds in on their spot.

I know some of you will ask why I am tolerating this and not demanding he pay me back or start charging him by the cup. I may do that. But I first wanted to wait to give him a chance to contribute. Let's call it a character test. So far the rest of the team does not have nicknames. Yet.