Anna was startled when the alarm went off. She hated waking up with a jolt and a racing heart. Sometimes, she managed to program herself to wake up before the loud, blaring melody of her phone. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. If it didn’t, it usually ruined her entire day. She knew that a bad start would throw off her vibrations. On such days, she would vibrate and have a terrible effect on everyone around her. Over the years, she had learned to avoid interactions with others as much as possible on those days, though, as a CEO, this wasn’t always feasible.
As she entered the office building and smelled the freshly ground coffee, she decided to treat herself to a pastry, a cappuccino, and a freshly squeezed orange juice. She knew it wasn’t the best idea, because on days like this, anything could happen, and it usually did.
“Could you please bring me another orange juice in a clean glass?” she asked the young man in an indifferent tone.
“Don’t worry, ma’am, it’s not dirt, just spots from the dishwasher,” the waiter said.
“I’m not worried, sir, thank you. It’s not my concern how well your dishwasher works. What is my concern is that I’d like to drink my orange juice from a clean glass, for which I’ve paid quite a bit.”
“I can’t promise anything. It’s not certain I’ll find one without spots,” the waiter tried to ease the tension.
“That’s okay, young man, then you can wash one properly and dry it with a clean cloth until it shines. You see, you hold it up to the light to check if you’ve done a good job.”
The waiter didn’t dare say another word. He took the glass away. Anna wondered if he would dip his finger in the drink or spit into it. She already regretted not asking for a refund, as she wouldn’t drink it anyway. She pulled out her thermos from her bag and poured the cappuccino into it. Grabbing the pastry with a napkin, she walked out of the café.
She closed the door to her office behind her. Before lowering the blinds in her glass cubicle, she waited a moment to make sure everyone was aware she had arrived but didn’t want to talk to anyone. Neither about work nor personal problems. She was satisfied to see the group of forty- and fifty-year-old women, whom she referred to as the “mom club,” whispering among themselves. They would let any new arrivals know that the boss had come in wearing her “hedgehog coat” again. She had overheard them call it that in the bathroom once. After all, it wasn’t the worst term they could use, considering how prickly she could be on days when something didn’t suit her. In fact, it was rather nice: she came in wearing a “hedgehog coat.”
She read through a few emails, including one from a nearby kindergarten that had invited her to an event as a regular donor to the institution. Since she was on good terms with the kindergarten director, and because the courtyard was the event’s location, she decided to go. At least her afternoon would be spent productively, and there was less chance of a conflict at a kindergarten.
The beautifully decorated courtyard, with its lawn dotted with flower beds, lifted Anna’s spirits. A small stage had been set up on the concrete for the children to sing and recite poems. Among the guests, a few parents bustled about, offering pastries and drinks to the newcomers. Anna picked up a promisingly white treat but was disappointed to find it tasted terrible. She stared at the remaining piece in her hand, unsure what to do.
“Don’t like it? Give it to me,” said a cheerful voice next to her. A young man with sparkling blue eyes and a wide smile was already eating the pastry before she could respond. Anna stared in shock at the handsome stranger.
“I brought it,” the young man continued with his mouth full. “I thought it was coconut because of the color, but it’s awful.”
“And now you’re just eating from everyone’s hand?” Anna raised an eyebrow, but her mouth curved into a smile.
“Come on,” he said, grabbing her hand and gently pulling her along. “The best ones are behind the stage.”
Anna didn’t have much choice but to follow. Besides, her hand fit so naturally into the stranger’s that she didn’t really want to resist. And who doesn’t love good pastries?