14
R. Linda:
I haven't written because I've been involved in office intrigue -- me own.
Seems Valentine's Day in this country be a big deal, and not to be participating, a bigger one. The girl that pays me the most attention at work, is in the process of breaking up with her lad, and I don't want to be a part of that, so basically, I've kept to meself. Well, this isn't good, because as I watch from the sidelines, I was not aware, I meself was being watched by another young lady in another department. Now, if I had not been brain dead to this other, I would have noticed that every time I work late, she happens to be in. Mind you, she is a 9 to 5 employee and coming in at night to "tidy up" her workstation, isn't plausible. But who knew? Certainly not me.
Tuesday was when the intrigue intensified. The breaking up person, who is the lovely blond-haired Chloe I mentioned in a previous email, was in a bad mood over some exchange she had with the soon to be ex-boyfriend. On me way in I said hello and got a barked hello back. I did not linger thinking it wasn't a good time for small talk. What was I supposed to do? I learned later I should have inquired if anything were wrong, and become the shoulder to cry on. I be not used to the designs of women upon break up, and what me part should have been I had not a clue. Needless to say, opportunity lost.
That opened the door for the OTHER young woman, one Angie who I be not at all attracted to, to find an excuse to come over and talk to me. I should mention the daily come ons from Penny were also playing havoc with me nerves at the same time as this other. Angie came over with the excuse she needed to borrow a pen. How lame is that? There are pens and pencils all over the place, but she came over to ME from way over in the back, to ask for one, which, I obliged and handed over. That was the opening salvo to small talk on her part to yours truly, who isn't interested in bungi-jumping, free falling sky dives and parachuting. All this her ex-boyfriend did and more. I guess I was getting the macho match-up, but I missed that part too. She then informed me she was available and had been for a while. She stated she was now ready for a new beau. I missed that too, because I didn't think she meant me as a candidate.
The more she talked the more terrorised I became. Now, I don't consider meself a wimp, but I do draw the line at jumping off bridges and flinging meself out of airplanes. Anyway that was Tuesday and I was still clueless.
Wednesday, I had off and slept the entire day. :)~
Thursday, the Valentine talk started to heat up. I was wondering how Chloe was going to handle that with her soon to be ex. I didn't have time to think too much because Penny was letting it be known she had a private dinner planned for me. This information had, as I stated in me previous email, got to Chloe and I was not happy about the thought of Valentine's Day one way or the other.
Angie from Copy was at me cubicle every chance she got and that too, had me going, because I knew she was up to something and beating around the bush as they say. So Thursday, she comes in and says, "Gabriel, I am in dire need of your help. Please tell me you'll help me?"
I was taken by surprise and what was I to say, no? Instead, if I could be of assistance I would certainly try. What was it she needed? I even opened me drawer and got out all me pens and pencils for her selection, fool that I was.
"Gabriel, you simply must be my date tomorrow. My rival is coming in from Detroit with her model boyfriend, and I must have someone to go with to her party that is decent looking, so she doesn't think I'm such a loser."
Me mouth was hanging open, me brain was boggled and me body was too stunned to move. Before I could say, "What?!" she went on and on about this competition and how much of a cat this woman from Detroit was, and the story of woe was sad and forlorn and begorrah me, I was in trouble.
Finally, when she took a breath, I told her that I was expected over at Penny's and while I'd like to be her stand-in date, it just wasn't possible.
Well, that didn't stop her. She informed me I had plenty of time for Penny's. Her rival and date would be in early and I could still make Penny's dinner.
I have to tell you, I was hard pressed to find a way out of it. The rest of the day I was in a stupour, until I snapped out of it when Chloe came up to me cubicle and said, "Gee Gabe, I thought you sort of liked me. I didn't know you were dating Angie in Copy. I heard you were going to the First Amendment tomorrow for the Valentine office party. I guess you'll be bringing Angie. Oh wait, that's right you're also dating Penny. I forgot. I was wondering how you will handle that, two girls, separate dates, same night." And away she went. I was like -- what just happened?
Talk about when it rains it pours! Here I had been in the U.S. dateless and practically friendless for four months and wham, suddenly I have girls, girls, girls, all the girls! What to do.
As the day progressed, so did my angst. I didn't want to go to Penny's and I didn't want to be someone's stand-in. I wanted to let Chloe know somehow I wasn't interested in either woman, that I was interested in her, but how to do that? I racked me brains till they were mush. Resigned I was not getting out of the mess I found meself in. I sat back trying to think how to time me two dates and still get to see Chloe before the night was over.
I needn't have gone to the trouble. Me editor found me just in the nick (and in front of Penny) he told me I was needed to work the night shift Friday. I went for it like a thirsty man for a jug of water. Penny had come over to remind me for the zillionth time about dinner, and well, damn what could I say? LOL. I had to work or get fired and she knew it. She was mightily disappointed and the whole office knew within two minutes what had happened. Angie came running over and asked if it were true. I tried me best to put on a sad, disappointed face, and nodded.
SAVED by me editor -- YESSS!
Friday the big red heart day came and yours truly was home sleeping through it. It was wonderful I tell you, I went traipsing into me office at six that evening, waited for news to break, it didn't, and basically I sat around making paper airplanes and setting them to sailing around the place. But it doesn't end there, for suddenly me boredom changed to decided interest. In came the beautiful Chloe, long red coat sailing in her wake, with a box of Dunkin' Donuts and a tray with two coffees.
I watched her enter the row of desks and begorrah me, she was headed straight towards me! I tried to wipe the grin off me silly face hoping it WAS me she was headed for. It would be embarrassing if she was going past me to me editor's office. But no, she came up to me desk, set the tray and donut box down and said, "Damn it Gabriel, why does it always have to be me that does the flirting?"
I looked up at her dumbstruck and she pulled up a chair and flipped open the donut box to reveal gushy pink donuts obviously decorated for Valentine's Day. She took one and started to stuff her face and pushed the box at me making sounds, indicating I should join her. As I was looking to select one she said, "You know, men suck. Sorry not you. Just men in general. I broke up with Bob and you know where he is? He's at the First Amendment dancing with that stupid Angie. Yeah, YOUR Angie."
I had me mouth filled and tried to shake me head that she wasn't me Angie.
"Anyway," she continued, taking bites of the confection and talking with her mouthful of cake and cream filling, "I freaking left him there. I had a few drinks by myself, and then decided to go home and on the way, the smell of the coffee got me and I needed to sober up, so I thought what the hell, you know? While I was there I thought I'll buy a whole box of those freaking pink donuts and eat my anger away, and THEN I thought, no, I'll take it here and eat them with you." She pushed a coffee cup at me, "Here this one's for you." Then she smiled, her teeth full of pink flecks of donut filling and cake.
She looked so sweet, I couldn't believe me Irish luck. I then noticed her eyes were all glassy and as she had said, she was a wee bit tipsy. I told her how grateful I was for the coffee and goodies, and beside that, I was happy she came to see me.
"How happy is happy?" She asked still chewing and dabbing at the pink sugar on the edged of her mouth, with extended pinkie.
"Extremely," says I.
"Well, I should leave you to your work," she said getting up, and gentleman that I was, I got up as well. "You can have the rest of these, they're fattening as hell and I don't need them," she said brushing the crumbs off her coat.
It was lovely I tell you, me holding onto her forearm as she staggered forward and we ended up in me chair, her on me lap. She started giggling and we disentangled ourselves and as I did, I turned slightly round to see me editor eyeballing me as if to say, "What the feck are you doing, Gabriel?"
I flashed a quick apologetic smile his way and Chloe crumpled backward into me chair with me holding onto her so she didn't fall to the floor. Me editor was shaking his head at us. He came over and I be thinking, oh no, I be fired for sure. He came as far as his door and he closed the blinds, but before he closed his door he said to me, "Not pretty Gabriel. I will pretend I didn't see any of this. I'd suggest you sober her up and then get her home. I'll see you in the morning." With that the door closed.
I was filled with thank yous, and that's exactly what I did. I got Chloe more coffee and after an hour she was steady on her feet. I saw her home and guess what? She told me to ring her. YES!!!
Gabe
Copyright © 2003 All rights reserved
R. Linda:
I haven't written because I've been involved in office intrigue -- me own.
Seems Valentine's Day in this country be a big deal, and not to be participating, a bigger one. The girl that pays me the most attention at work, is in the process of breaking up with her lad, and I don't want to be a part of that, so basically, I've kept to meself. Well, this isn't good, because as I watch from the sidelines, I was not aware, I meself was being watched by another young lady in another department. Now, if I had not been brain dead to this other, I would have noticed that every time I work late, she happens to be in. Mind you, she is a 9 to 5 employee and coming in at night to "tidy up" her workstation, isn't plausible. But who knew? Certainly not me.
Tuesday was when the intrigue intensified. The breaking up person, who is the lovely blond-haired Chloe I mentioned in a previous email, was in a bad mood over some exchange she had with the soon to be ex-boyfriend. On me way in I said hello and got a barked hello back. I did not linger thinking it wasn't a good time for small talk. What was I supposed to do? I learned later I should have inquired if anything were wrong, and become the shoulder to cry on. I be not used to the designs of women upon break up, and what me part should have been I had not a clue. Needless to say, opportunity lost.
That opened the door for the OTHER young woman, one Angie who I be not at all attracted to, to find an excuse to come over and talk to me. I should mention the daily come ons from Penny were also playing havoc with me nerves at the same time as this other. Angie came over with the excuse she needed to borrow a pen. How lame is that? There are pens and pencils all over the place, but she came over to ME from way over in the back, to ask for one, which, I obliged and handed over. That was the opening salvo to small talk on her part to yours truly, who isn't interested in bungi-jumping, free falling sky dives and parachuting. All this her ex-boyfriend did and more. I guess I was getting the macho match-up, but I missed that part too. She then informed me she was available and had been for a while. She stated she was now ready for a new beau. I missed that too, because I didn't think she meant me as a candidate.
The more she talked the more terrorised I became. Now, I don't consider meself a wimp, but I do draw the line at jumping off bridges and flinging meself out of airplanes. Anyway that was Tuesday and I was still clueless.
Wednesday, I had off and slept the entire day. :)~
Thursday, the Valentine talk started to heat up. I was wondering how Chloe was going to handle that with her soon to be ex. I didn't have time to think too much because Penny was letting it be known she had a private dinner planned for me. This information had, as I stated in me previous email, got to Chloe and I was not happy about the thought of Valentine's Day one way or the other.
Angie from Copy was at me cubicle every chance she got and that too, had me going, because I knew she was up to something and beating around the bush as they say. So Thursday, she comes in and says, "Gabriel, I am in dire need of your help. Please tell me you'll help me?"
I was taken by surprise and what was I to say, no? Instead, if I could be of assistance I would certainly try. What was it she needed? I even opened me drawer and got out all me pens and pencils for her selection, fool that I was.
"Gabriel, you simply must be my date tomorrow. My rival is coming in from Detroit with her model boyfriend, and I must have someone to go with to her party that is decent looking, so she doesn't think I'm such a loser."
Me mouth was hanging open, me brain was boggled and me body was too stunned to move. Before I could say, "What?!" she went on and on about this competition and how much of a cat this woman from Detroit was, and the story of woe was sad and forlorn and begorrah me, I was in trouble.
Finally, when she took a breath, I told her that I was expected over at Penny's and while I'd like to be her stand-in date, it just wasn't possible.
Well, that didn't stop her. She informed me I had plenty of time for Penny's. Her rival and date would be in early and I could still make Penny's dinner.
I have to tell you, I was hard pressed to find a way out of it. The rest of the day I was in a stupour, until I snapped out of it when Chloe came up to me cubicle and said, "Gee Gabe, I thought you sort of liked me. I didn't know you were dating Angie in Copy. I heard you were going to the First Amendment tomorrow for the Valentine office party. I guess you'll be bringing Angie. Oh wait, that's right you're also dating Penny. I forgot. I was wondering how you will handle that, two girls, separate dates, same night." And away she went. I was like -- what just happened?
Talk about when it rains it pours! Here I had been in the U.S. dateless and practically friendless for four months and wham, suddenly I have girls, girls, girls, all the girls! What to do.
As the day progressed, so did my angst. I didn't want to go to Penny's and I didn't want to be someone's stand-in. I wanted to let Chloe know somehow I wasn't interested in either woman, that I was interested in her, but how to do that? I racked me brains till they were mush. Resigned I was not getting out of the mess I found meself in. I sat back trying to think how to time me two dates and still get to see Chloe before the night was over.
I needn't have gone to the trouble. Me editor found me just in the nick (and in front of Penny) he told me I was needed to work the night shift Friday. I went for it like a thirsty man for a jug of water. Penny had come over to remind me for the zillionth time about dinner, and well, damn what could I say? LOL. I had to work or get fired and she knew it. She was mightily disappointed and the whole office knew within two minutes what had happened. Angie came running over and asked if it were true. I tried me best to put on a sad, disappointed face, and nodded.
SAVED by me editor -- YESSS!
Friday the big red heart day came and yours truly was home sleeping through it. It was wonderful I tell you, I went traipsing into me office at six that evening, waited for news to break, it didn't, and basically I sat around making paper airplanes and setting them to sailing around the place. But it doesn't end there, for suddenly me boredom changed to decided interest. In came the beautiful Chloe, long red coat sailing in her wake, with a box of Dunkin' Donuts and a tray with two coffees.
I watched her enter the row of desks and begorrah me, she was headed straight towards me! I tried to wipe the grin off me silly face hoping it WAS me she was headed for. It would be embarrassing if she was going past me to me editor's office. But no, she came up to me desk, set the tray and donut box down and said, "Damn it Gabriel, why does it always have to be me that does the flirting?"
I looked up at her dumbstruck and she pulled up a chair and flipped open the donut box to reveal gushy pink donuts obviously decorated for Valentine's Day. She took one and started to stuff her face and pushed the box at me making sounds, indicating I should join her. As I was looking to select one she said, "You know, men suck. Sorry not you. Just men in general. I broke up with Bob and you know where he is? He's at the First Amendment dancing with that stupid Angie. Yeah, YOUR Angie."
I had me mouth filled and tried to shake me head that she wasn't me Angie.
"Anyway," she continued, taking bites of the confection and talking with her mouthful of cake and cream filling, "I freaking left him there. I had a few drinks by myself, and then decided to go home and on the way, the smell of the coffee got me and I needed to sober up, so I thought what the hell, you know? While I was there I thought I'll buy a whole box of those freaking pink donuts and eat my anger away, and THEN I thought, no, I'll take it here and eat them with you." She pushed a coffee cup at me, "Here this one's for you." Then she smiled, her teeth full of pink flecks of donut filling and cake.
She looked so sweet, I couldn't believe me Irish luck. I then noticed her eyes were all glassy and as she had said, she was a wee bit tipsy. I told her how grateful I was for the coffee and goodies, and beside that, I was happy she came to see me.
"How happy is happy?" She asked still chewing and dabbing at the pink sugar on the edged of her mouth, with extended pinkie.
"Extremely," says I.
"Well, I should leave you to your work," she said getting up, and gentleman that I was, I got up as well. "You can have the rest of these, they're fattening as hell and I don't need them," she said brushing the crumbs off her coat.
It was lovely I tell you, me holding onto her forearm as she staggered forward and we ended up in me chair, her on me lap. She started giggling and we disentangled ourselves and as I did, I turned slightly round to see me editor eyeballing me as if to say, "What the feck are you doing, Gabriel?"
I flashed a quick apologetic smile his way and Chloe crumpled backward into me chair with me holding onto her so she didn't fall to the floor. Me editor was shaking his head at us. He came over and I be thinking, oh no, I be fired for sure. He came as far as his door and he closed the blinds, but before he closed his door he said to me, "Not pretty Gabriel. I will pretend I didn't see any of this. I'd suggest you sober her up and then get her home. I'll see you in the morning." With that the door closed.
I was filled with thank yous, and that's exactly what I did. I got Chloe more coffee and after an hour she was steady on her feet. I saw her home and guess what? She told me to ring her. YES!!!
Gabe
Copyright © 2003 All rights reserved
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