When I got to work today, there were two surprises awaiting me. So, which do you want first, the good surprise or the bad surprise?

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Fine, if you’re not going to answer, I’ll pick.

Bad news first.

This was the email that was in my inbox -

“Riley, you really need to be here @ 8:00 every day and if you can’t be here then you may need to ask your agency to find you a job where the hours are more to your liking, also you shouldn’t be leaving before 4:40 as you have in the past. I know on Wednesday you didn’t come in until at least 8:15 but you did not email me that you were late.
 
Thanks”

It wasn’t actually centered in my email. I added that for dramatic effect.

Ah, passive-aggressive management at its finest. I also enjoy the sarcastic tone. Never mind the fact that there are several false “truths” in this brief paragraph. I am often late, that’s already been admitted, so I guess it doesn’t really matter how late I am. As for leaving early, I guess we just have a difference of opinion regarding what constitutes early. Mine is that of the peasant who spent a long, hard day working the fields and just wants a lager and a nice straw mat to drink and sleep away the fact that the fields are actually soul-sucking vortexes of despair and spending this much life in them wasn’t the way I thought things would be. His is of the tyrant who stares at the clock, and, whenever someone tries to leave, screams, “But the big hand isn’t on the twelve!”

Anyway, I expect reprimands when I am this unconcerned about playing by their rules, but I had to pretend that I actually gave two shits and that was really freaking painful. I feigned remorse. It was a low moment.

But enough about that, and onto the good surprise!

My cubicle neighbor died… er, no, sorry… Freudian. My cubicle neighbor wasn’t there today. Hooray. There is nothing like walking into a situation that causes you great misery and finding out that the source of your misery is absent. It’s like walking into a church where there’s no guilt. All that’s left are music and homilies. Amen!

Due to this pleasant surprise, I was able to get a story chapter done. I’m so productive when I don’t have a nosy, bratty frau over my shoulder!

It is not, however, Inamorata. I know what I’m doing with it. I’m close. I’m just having some trouble finishing. I have this problem sometimes toward the end of things that have brought me deep joy to write. It’s hard to let go. But I will finish soon. Promise. I just wanted to apologize for the temporary delay, and I do hope that a chapter of Extreme Sensitivity will suffice for now.

Godspeed.