Got to work early this morning. No one was at my desk. Shame, I’d rehearsed some new lines in case she was back. Mostly cactus related puns. She would’ve been prickled pink.
When I logged in, I saw a motivational GIF had been pasted into the middle of my quarterly target spreadsheet. The boss clocked me cursing at it from across the room, then started walking over. I pretended not to notice. He asked me how things were going.
I said, “Steady,” which is an acceptable office replacement for “hungover”. He didn’t react. I think he’d already stopped listening. There was a laugh behind. Not sure if it was directed my way.
“Can you print out that report when you have a minute?”
They’ve moved the printer upstairs now. To the gaudy nineteenth floor. Exactly where I said they shouldn’t put it. Whatever. I’ll leave some hiking shoes at my desk. Prick. Pricks.
“Sure.”
Decided it could wait till after lunch. Went to Boots for a meal deal. Thought I saw the stranger up ahead. Dark hair. Same sort of walk. She disappeared into Pret before I got close enough to be sure. Who wants to spend six quid on half a sandwich with a biography on the label? It probably wasn’t her. She doesn’t seem the type.
Boots still had no prawn sandwiches out. Grabbed a veggie BLT, salt & vinegar Hula Hoops, lemon water. Splashed out on a Peperami for pudding. Picked what looked like the fastest queue. Wrong. Each idiot took longer than the last. Everyone was smiling and joking with the cashier.
The people in the other line sped through. Should’ve moved, but I stood my ground. When my turn came, the girl scanned, beeped, and blinked at me. No words. Just a hand gesture to tap my card. She definitely hates me now. Or maybe disapproved of my meal deal combo.
Will try Pret tomorrow.