Untitled Short Story Part 2

Colleague 1 comes by simmering about a new process initiated by me that he doesn't like.

I think he is on the verge of tears and I know he's going to cause drama later.

Prepare for an afternoon tussle.

First question of the day. So trivial. I will likely spend 10 minutes dealing with it.

Ten minutes of my life. And the lives of at least three other people. 

But it's all a very big deal. Have to get these things right.

Things no one will ever see or know about are how I spend my days before they're tossed off the calendar.

The phone takes a breath as it prepares to ring. I pick it up before it can go off because that's the sound I hate the most. 

It's my own personal race against the receiver.

I win.

Complain complain complain.

I manage to end the conversation untouched by the "seriousness" of the issue.

Send me a list, I say.

That takes care of it. For now.

All is for now. 

I look at a report for guidance and have nothing to add.

Yes, but we want your opinion.

My opinion is none of this means anything. It's all made up and we're pretending it means something.

Can't say that out loud. Have to play the game.

Morning is almost over.

Onto a meeting.

Meetings are all about following other people's thought process, which no one does.

No one hears anyone else because we're all busy listening to the conversation in our own head instead.

Far more engrossing.

That's why there are mini-meetings after the meetings. To get things straight.

Could save so much time cutting out the middle meeting and going straight to the real meetings.

An excellent suggestion one could never actually make, because if one were to, one would have to pay.

Everything we do costs us something. 

I sit down at the big table with everyone else in the conference room and think work is a replay of the kindergarten sandbox. All the same characters, just bigger.

Before the meeting begins I check my palm and see a little pink spot underneath the buzzing. When I get back to my desk I'll have to push some more ointment into it.

Stay tuned for more