I Hate you?

I’m not sure what exact words I gave him to calm himself from his up and coming disappointment with himself, but what ever it was seemed to have worked flawlessly. I used ‘seemed’ because it had seemed to have worked flawlessly. That is, until he invited me to eat with him. My eyes lazily trailed to my raising wrist. ‘6: 38’ it read. Without much else to be occupied with on this particular day, I accepted. It was then, at that mint smelling Chinese place, in those old wooden chairs, staring at the abstract and absently attractive painting, that I found out how I knew him. We had met once, but it being his first day at the job and my being the kindest person to him there at the start of it all, he recalled my name so as to be a later conversant. Due to Paul- our floor leader- and his recent divorce to Muriel -his high school sweetheart- I was the most impressionable.

So It was my Month Coordinated Post-it note coloring, that gave him that awful idea to have a mountain of 37th edition Navy Blue ones on his desk. I cursed myself inwardly, but was still pleased with my effect on another. Perhaps if the world were filled with more people inspired by me, I’d have  quieter work-area. I am making reference to Kyle, only person in my row to listen to heavy metal and indigestible synth and technological themed music so loud it could be heard -from his headphones mind you- by the water fountain on the opposite side of the office. Yes, he sits directly to my left. Yes, he is a horrible pain. Yes, I digress.

Similarly my mind wandered while I heard this boy talk about himself, too occupied otherwise to record anything other than those truly interesting bits he’d add. In all this I had yet to hear his name, and If I did, I hadn’t remembered it long enough to tell it to you now. The ear catching bit he added, in case you wondered, was that he had broken the same arm four times. I was sure that after two they would have taken further precautions to avoid it happening again. I relayed this opinion to him and he too shared the ideal.

” I wasn’t exactly the most careful either” he added giving enough proof of this accusation to leave his doctors acquitted.

I laughed at that, shortly, quickly, I hadn’t even minded it myself. However, Steve found it the new topic of interest and gave a laugh of his own in turn. His laugh matched his face. His laugh was very him. I very much remember his face.