A Random Act of Kindness

About a month or so ago my boss decided to make me switch desks. With the switch, I would finally have a decent cubicle. But with the move also came “Chatty Cathy.” I am not even exaggerating. This girl talks from the minute she walks in until the moment she leaves.  I actually wouldn’t be surprised if she talks to herself on the elevator before she gets here (and in her car, while walking…).

Can one girl be a zoo on her own?

In the little time I’ve been sitting close to her, I’ve learned that:

• she’s a student
• failing Calculus
• and moving to Irvine, CA in September
• who loves cats
• and hates dogs
• who doesn’t like hairy men
• and thinks women are crazy (hopefully she is included in this)
• who wants twins
• Shane and Jenna
• and wants to be cremated when she dies.

TMI, anybody? I’ve never talked to her since I’ve worked here, yet I know more about her than the managers I talk to on a daily basis.

My only upside to this (if you would even call it that) is that she usually comes after 1pm Monday through Thursday and earlier on Friday. So even when Friday she’s an all-day thing, it’s nice to know that she’s not here during the other four mornings. Until today.

She came in a little after I did and once I heard her voice, I almost fainted. It’s Monday- why the heck are you here at 8.10am?!? I quickly went through my bag to get my IPod which I only use on Mondays after 1pm (wonder why?), but when I found the thing, it was dead- and so were my hopes of a quiet morning.

"I feel bad for guys with chest hair because they have to shampoo twice; first their heads and then their chests" -actual quote from my coworker

So I sat on my chair staring intently at my IPod while it was charging, mourning and secretly begging for this girl to shut up- even when I know she never does. I’m dead serious! Someone asked her to be quiet once and she stopped… for about 5 minutes only!

I was already getting used to the idea that this would be a sucky Monday when one of my managers approached my cubicle and said “brownies in the kitchen!” Even though it was barely 8.30am and I know there’s a rule in some country that “Thou shalt not eat any brownies before lunch time,” I still decided to drown my pain with the little square of chocolate. Totally worth it.

The random act of kindness from my boss may not have been enough to make my coworker stop talking, but it sure made me think that maybe this Monday isn’t so sucky after all. And perhaps I won’t jump off the 10th floor anymore. At least not today.