The
tone of her voice matched the sharp and highly polished nails tapping on
Melanie’s desk. There were just two days before the firm’s biggest case and
everyone was tense. For Melanie and the other researchers, this meant more
abuse. Melanie pulled the relevant files from the cabinet next to her, never
leaving her chair or looking at her aggressor. She knew what face would bear
down at her and thought the day could only improve with the absence of the
sight of that face.
Her
day had not been all bad. She had missed lunch as too many deadlines had
already passed, but she and fellow researcher Elise, had managed to get through
until 5pm relatively unscathed. If they could just last 30 minutes more until
knockoff, they would be free for another night. Elise at least, had the excuse
of night school to get her out of the office. And since the company was paying
for her tuition, it was in their best interest for her to go. Melanie wasn’t
jealous of her friend, even though she hadn’t been offered the lucrative training
program. The fact was, Melanie just wasn’t committed enough to the company to
want a program that would tie her down. She longed to get back into a job that
was related to her degree in history.
At
5.25 Patrick, her direct superior, handed a file to Elise and asked her to make
the changes he had scrawled on the pages. It was a 100-page document she would
have no hope of completing before knock off. Melanie tried to sink low in her
chair and look incredibly busy, but she could hear Elise’s voice, ‘I have night
school. I need to go soon.’
Melanie
saw Patrick weigh up his editing needs against the company’s investment in
Elise. His eyes began searching the room for a solution before resting on
Melanie.
‘I
need this completed tonight,’ he said, before the file slapped onto Melanie’s
desk. Melanie looked up in desperation but Patrick’s face was the same as
always; dedicated, motivated and nearing complete fatigue.
‘I’m
so sorry. Can I help you get started?’ Elise asked, as Patrick walked away.
‘No,
you need to go,’ Melanie replied while looking at the document.
‘I’m
sorry,’ Elise repeated, before grabbing her bag and heading for the elevator.
Melanie
watched her friend go and her eyes wandered to the vending machine. It was a
bad idea. It always was. Melanie knew it was the vending machine cravings that made
her a little curvy. But she needed something to get her through the night.
At 7.45, Melanie stretched back in her chair. Her belly rumbled from lack of lunch
and now dinner, and it was not happy with the quick substitute she had offered.
The empty chip packet lay on the desk and Melanie looked at it, wishing there was
still something inside.
Patrick
looked as though he was about to leave for a meeting. Melanie could see him
through the open blinds of his office, hovering over the piles of paper on his
desk. At the rate he was now picking up pages and putting them back down,
Melanie judged he was already late and would bolt out of his office at any
minute. She only had to wait until he left to be able to drop off the newly
edited and printed pages on the way to making her fast getaway out the door.
Melanie
took the opportunity to let her hair drop back onto her chair, allowing her
curls to fall loose over the back as she tried to relax. The rest did little to
ease her tired shoulders, and highlighted all the places she was sore. Her head
rolled to the side as she looked out the large glass windows to the building
across the road. Even the view was suppressed. Little direct sunlight ever
penetrated the office and Melanie had the distinct feeling it was part of what
made her so tired at work. It was the first day back from the weekend and
Melanie already felt as though she would collapse before hump day. Fortunately,
that was when the proceedings would start and while there would be work to do,
there would be fewer partners and miscellaneous other lawyers demanding she do
their work as a first priority.
by Jenni Curry