Ha Ha, Ho, Ho, Is That Weird?

I walked Sam to the Exhibition Gardens where I said bye bye to him. “Good bye honey, I’ll email you.” We still do that look-back-and-wave thing, repeatedly, as his handsome face disappears out of view down the path heading away from me. Shrug. I don’t care what anyone thinks. Smile.

I told him that I couldn’t meet him tonight after work. I’m still not sure what my workload is, I’m still in high anxiety mode. Here is your office, the paperwork should roll in, doesn’t exactly instil a sense of schedule in me.

I got to work at 8.30am. I was lost in my thromping feet and sweating back, as I walked towards the office, and I didn’t notice the time. I seemed to get there in double time.

It was a lovely morning. I was sweating when I got there. This joint has an air hand dryer, though, which is always good for my damp body on a warm morning after walking from home.

I was in the hating mode of this job, it should only last for the first week. I think that is how it goes normally. So, I guess I am on track.


Of course, it is just fear. And some misguided idea that I am anything but a temp, let’s face it. I don’t have to shine, although, of course, that is the aim, I just have to get the job done. Essentially, that is all they expect anyway. I am the stop-gap between the permanent one, they all love, going off and the sight of relief they expel upon her return. I am nothing and I am getting above myself. In a short time, they won’t even remember my name in six months.

Bevan, the boss, is kind of cute, I think. He seemed to be in meetings for most of the day… which proved to be inconvenient when I wanted to suggest leaving at 4.30. They’ve got to be around for you to try it on.

I finally got my (name of software) sign on. It was a good thing, now I could get on with it all. I figured I should go through everything he’s given me again. It’s a good place to start. I set stuff up, I just started doin stuff. I was given no process to follow, so, I guessed, I should just get on with it. Do it sooner than later. I did all I could do.

The Succulent on top of the bookcase looked like it was in its final days. It was sitting on a wad of paper towel because it doesn’t have a saucer under it. Why can’t people buy saucers for their indoor plants? They struggle to look after them without a saucer instead of simply fixing the problem. I’m a sucker for a sad plant.

I decided I was taking it home, sometime during the afternoon. I just kept looking up at it. I’ll nurse it back to health so it is lovely when the sick permanent chick comes back. She’ll be better and so will her plant.

I had a short lunch. Noodles. My own cutlery, Sam made sure it was packed in my carry bag with my lunchbox. I sat at my desk. So I’m not taking any time for lunch. I can see this job is going to be lunch at my desk affair for the duration. Maybe I’ll go for a walk if the weather gets less, um, sweaty. In ten weeks? Probably not.

So therefore, I could leave at 4.30, if I dare to ask. I got in at 8.30, after all. Do I dare to ask. Since I spend the last hour writing my journal, I decided I was leaving at 4.30. There was nothing else for it.

I put the plant in a plastic bag and walked out the door early, which isn’t early at all, as I only get paid 7.5 hours per day, so I walked out right on time.

As soon as I left the office, I realised I’m not really a part of that office, I am a stranger there, after all, and taking the plant could be seen as stealing, quite easily. Stupid me, what was I thinking? Even if it is one half-dead plant that probably nobody would miss, except for Little Miss Extended Leave when she got back. Except I would have returned it by then, looking a million dollars. And if it didn’t recover quite as I was seeing it doing so, I could buy another one and put it in the same pot, so it would look like I’d performed miracles. 


Ha ha, ho, ho, is that weird?