It was a Saturday, we were at home, and we began to talk about work and its anxieties. And all that fell in between. For Susan, work always revolved around her manager and the memos he writes. For me, it's more about how and why I need to escape at 6:30. So naturally, she thinks me to be a work shirker and I think her to be a work demon. But we don't let this come in the way. All we do is talk without asking the other to listen. That Saturday, however, I realized that I had begun to listen to what she had to say.
"So he comes and tell me this and that and finally says he plans to send me to Sandwich."
"Sandwich?," I repeated.
"Yes Sandwich is this place-"
"I know where Sandwich is. I just want to know why is he sending you there."
"Well, as you see, he wants work done there."
"I see. After all, only you work in that organization."
"Unfortunately, yes."
I put down the magazine, called up my thoughts and told them to think.
One thought began to think how I would manage once she left for Sandwich.
The other thought about how well I could cook.
Yet another laughed at me when I caught hold of the idea of learning to cook.
And the fourth and the last reminded me that I had yet to take a look at the controls on the washing machine.
"Oh," I said as I realized I should not have asked for some thinking,"so when will you be flying?"
That crumpled her face enough to make it look as if it wanted to smile.
"Flying?," I heard her say,"well, that will take some time."
"And why?"
"I need my passport dear."
"Oh yes," I said as I taunted my thoughts,"you do need a passport."
And I listened no more.
"So he comes and tell me this and that and finally says he plans to send me to Sandwich."
"Sandwich?," I repeated.
"Yes Sandwich is this place-"
"I know where Sandwich is. I just want to know why is he sending you there."
"Well, as you see, he wants work done there."
"I see. After all, only you work in that organization."
"Unfortunately, yes."
I put down the magazine, called up my thoughts and told them to think.
One thought began to think how I would manage once she left for Sandwich.
The other thought about how well I could cook.
Yet another laughed at me when I caught hold of the idea of learning to cook.
And the fourth and the last reminded me that I had yet to take a look at the controls on the washing machine.
"Oh," I said as I realized I should not have asked for some thinking,"so when will you be flying?"
That crumpled her face enough to make it look as if it wanted to smile.
"Flying?," I heard her say,"well, that will take some time."
"And why?"
"I need my passport dear."
"Oh yes," I said as I taunted my thoughts,"you do need a passport."
And I listened no more.
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