Photo © 2009 Janine CC 2.0 BY ND
All those days sitting through Mrs. Owens’s seventh-grade algebra class, then years staring through Reverend Hardy’s sermons, and now centuries yawning through business meetings, she would have thought she’d have gotten used to the experience.
She shifted in her seat, as the company CEO flipped to another PowerPoint slide, animatedly spewing the latest rendition of corporate spin to the assembled audience. Sales figures and production are up! (Except in the divisions that the company did not purchase this year.) We’re launching several exciting new projects! (Because we weren’t able to finish the last ones.) We now control more gigabytes of shitty software than all of Microsoft and IBM combined! (And that’s something to brag about? Even if it were true?)
She glanced around. Hundreds more faces, just like hers. She was suddenly overtaken with isolation, that she could feel so alone amongst so many others just like herself.
Next to her sat a man from marketing, or HR, or sales, one of those. Reasonably good looking, enough to catch her eye for a moment, he wore a conservative, white, button-down shirt and dark slacks, unlike the engineers she worked with. Even the rare woman engineer preferred to dress down, coming into the office in jeans and a tee shirt, the standard engineering uniform. She was the exception to the rule, today having donned a green a-line skirt and a white blouse, with an accompanying business jacket. Most visitors to her department assumed she was a manager.
How could she work for the same employer as all these people, day in and day out, and yet only know a handful of them, and those only in acquaintance?
She sighed, and without a thought, she leaned into the man sitting next to her. He allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder, as he reached around and ran his fingers lightly through her hair. She breathed in a manly scent, closed her eyes for a second, enjoyed a brief respite from the droning rhythm of the CEO’s voice.
Oh my God! Realization hit her, and she started. Sitting up straight, “I’m sorry,” embarrassed.
But he had also said likewise, and his cheeks flushed red. “I’m so sorry,” he repeated, lowering his voice. “I wasn’t thinking.”
Some from the crowd were beginning to take notice. Most, however, had apparently been put under by the CEO’s speech. She returned her attention to the stage, tried to divert her thoughts from what had transpired.
The CEO completed his final cadence; the audience politely applauded; the crowd began to disperse.
“I’m sorry again,” the man said.
“Don’t worry about it,” she said.
“Are you from corporate?” he asked.
“Engineering.”
His eyebrows raised a half-inch, for a half-second. “Can I buy you a cup of coffee? Engineers drink coffee, right?”
Situs togel online terpercaya: Situs togel online terpercaya – Abutogel login
Swerte99 bonus Swerte99 online gaming Pilipinas Swerte99 bonus
jollibet login: Jollibet online sabong – Online casino Jollibet Philippines
Slot gacor Beta138: Link alternatif Beta138 – Promo slot gacor hari ini
jollibet app: Online casino Jollibet Philippines – jollibet casino
Judi online deposit pulsa Situs judi online terpercaya Indonesia Link alternatif Mandiribet
Jiliko: maglaro ng Jiliko online sa Pilipinas – Jiliko slots
Situs togel online terpercaya: Link alternatif Abutogel – Abutogel
https://abutowin.icu/# Bandar togel resmi Indonesia
Casino online GK88: Dang ky GK88 – Khuy?n mai GK88
Mandiribet login: Mandiribet – Mandiribet
Bonus new member 100% Beta138: Situs judi resmi berlisensi – Promo slot gacor hari ini
Swerte99 online gaming Pilipinas Swerte99 app Swerte99 app
Swerte99 online gaming Pilipinas: Swerte99 bonus – Swerte99 login
best prices on finasteride in mexico: Mexican Pharmacy Hub – best mexican pharmacy online
tylenol 3 online pharmacy: clozapine hospital pharmacy – MediDirect USA
https://indianmedsone.com/# Indian Meds One
Indian Meds One Indian Meds One Indian Meds One
indian pharmacy: Indian Meds One – Indian Meds One
MediDirect USA: xenical singapore pharmacy – MediDirect USA
Etodolac: MediDirect USA – unc student store pharmacy
Indian Meds One: Indian Meds One – Indian Meds One
best online pharmacy india: indian pharmacy – Indian Meds One
mexico pharmacy cialis cialis pharmacy uk MediDirect USA
https://indianmedsone.shop/# reputable indian pharmacies
buy viagra from mexican pharmacy: online mexico pharmacy USA – Mexican Pharmacy Hub
Mexican Pharmacy Hub: mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs – mexican drugstore online
MediDirect USA: north harbour pharmacy propecia – MediDirect USA
the drug store pharmacy columbus ohio MediDirect USA MediDirect USA
Indian Meds One: Indian Meds One – Indian Meds One
Indian Meds One: buy prescription drugs from india – india pharmacy
india pharmacy mail order: Indian Meds One – mail order pharmacy india
https://mexicanpharmacyhub.shop/# mexican drugstore online
MediDirect USA: MediDirect USA – rx unlimited pharmacy
best india pharmacy: indian pharmacies safe – top online pharmacy india
MediDirect USA: MediDirect USA – MediDirect USA
MediDirect USA meijer pharmacy free lipitor best online accutane pharmacy
top aesthetic clinics Marbella cosmetology-in-marbella.com .
оказание косметологических услуг оказание косметологических услуг .
MediDirect USA: unicare pharmacy vardenafil – MediDirect USA
irmat pharmacy: Maxolon – MediDirect USA
Indian Meds One: Indian Meds One – Indian Meds One
MediDirect USA MediDirect USA MediDirect USA
https://medidirectusa.shop/# MediDirect USA
top 10 online pharmacy in india: online pharmacy india – world pharmacy india
indianpharmacy com: Indian Meds One – Online medicine order
best online pharmacies in mexico: mexico pharmacies prescription drugs – Mexican Pharmacy Hub
indianpharmacy com reputable indian online pharmacy indian pharmacies safe
best rx pharmacy port charlotte fl: rx express pharmacy panama city fl – methotrexate prices pharmacy
Indian Meds One: Indian Meds One – Indian Meds One