Dan was determined to be productive when he returned to his desk after the meeting.
It was a challenge. Uncertainty now hung over several months’ worth of prep work.
Thankfully, there were admin tasks he could attend to and a short training video to watch. He packed up early (but not too early) and headed home. Noticing Charis in her office, he popped his head around the corner to speak, thinking he’d offer the sort of encouragement she’d often send his way.
‘Just wanted to thank you for your warmth and encouragement Charis,’ he began, ‘I don’t know how you do it, but you seem to know when I need a lift or a refocus. That’s all’, he smiled, ‘catch you tomorrow.’
‘Thanks Dan – you heading off?’, she asked as she looked at the time. ‘That’s all the reason I need’, as she spontaneously closed her laptop and grabbed her things.
They walked to the front door in silence.
Once outside, she started. ‘I’m so sorry Dan. Your group had given us something to cheer about. All that work tossed out – you must be frustrated.’
Dan stayed silent, partly because he still wasn’t sure where to begin. Charis continued.
‘I had my debrief at three. The boss sounds rattled. It didn’t take long to work through the impact of his plan on my work, but it won’t affect me as much as it will you. I think he's blind to the value of the momentum you’ve generated. He’s just too offended by the lawsuit.
Sorry for waffling…how are you feeling?’
Dan began, ‘Was flummoxed, then annoyed, then numb. And now I’m feeling much better because I’m talking with you!’ And he smiled.
Charis chuckled, ‘I don’t think anybody gets flummoxed any more Dan’.
‘No, that’s right’, nodded Dan, ‘They dropped it after iOS7.’
Suddenly, the carpark’s tranquillity was broken by a group of school students. Dan and Charis couldn’t help but look over at the boisterous youths joyfully skylarking, and oblivious to the other humans on the planet.
Dan took it as a cue to finish the conversation. ‘Catch you tomorrow,’ he repeated.
‘Sure you’re okay?’ Charis pressed.
‘It will be alright,’ assured Dan with a smile.
And they headed their separate ways.
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When Dan arrived the next morning, there were no boisterous teens, nor vultures circling. Dan was anticipating a showdown of sorts and was, instead, met by Calvin.
‘Got time for a coffee?’, Calvin asked.
Dan thought for a moment, then gave a not-entirely-certain, ‘Sure’. Turned out that Calvin had just finished his debrief/planning discussion with the boss, George. Calvin was heading to a coffee shop to let off steam.
And now Dan would be his captive audience.
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