I fell  off my bed as I was thinking about getting ready to go to work, the thought of another day juts like the one before seem as appealing as putting myself in the middle of the jungle with nothing but lions around me. That exactly how work felt this days, like I was a dear in a lions den. I stretched as much as possible taking my time with each arm; after all I didn’t want to pull anything. While I was trying to put on my suit I sighted realizing I could no longer put it off, I must walk to the bathroom and start my grooming routine, my grooming routing, what was I, a cat, was I suppose to lick myself clean, thought maybe that wasn’t so bad after all, if I was a cat I wouldn’t  have to get ready to go to work, I wouldn’t  have to do anything, I could just sit there until my owner gave me love and fed me and then do it all over again the next day. I really was losing it, I rather be a cat than go to work.

My boss was being a pain in the ass which wouldn’t  be a problem if she hadn’t been  my friend first, I didn’t envy her position I didn’t think I deserve the job or anything like that, quite the contrary I thought she was a good worker but when a friend takes a higher positions in the corporate food chain it can only go two ways, she make your job much easier since she know your likes and dislikes when it comes to work and she can use those to her advantage or she can ignore everything she had learned as a co-worker, put on the boss uniform and make it known that is her way or the highway, needless to say she had taken the second philosophy.

As I brushed my teeth up and down just like my dentist told me on my last visit, as I looked in the mirror I notice that that’s what I had been doing at work for the last month or so since Leslie got the promotion, I go to work , get into my cubicle leave my bag on the desk with my jacket on top, go to the lunchroom, prepare myself a coffee, well,  the closes thing to it that I could find at the store, one of those paste that look like chocolate syrup that you just put in milk and I was set for the day. I walk slowly back to my desk stopping at everyone in my way to say hi and then as soon as I sat the down Leslie would call me into her office, I knew exactly what she’s going to say. “How was your night?” and as I was answering she would look at her schedule, ignoring every word I had said, I would keep talking until she would turn to me again, that was my queue to stop talking  “that’s nice” she would say every time as she handed me the list of thing I need to do that day, no eye contact whatsoever, as I looked down to the paper, reach my hand to get it, a loud noise wakes me up from my daydream, its Elliot, my best friend, he was sitting outside in his muddy white ford focus, I had never really seen that car clean but I couldn’t complaint since he had been my ride forever without allowing be to pay for gas. I took a look at the clock as I walk out of the bathroom realizing I had to be at the office in twenty minutes and I wasn’t even dress, Elliot who up to that day had been very patient when it came to my tardiness was for sure going to kill me this time, we had been late for work for the last two weeks and it has been my fault every day.

I took a quick look at my closet and picked up the first thing I saw, usually I would  take the time every night to pick an outfit so that I wouldn’t  have any  problems in the morning but of course I had forgotten to do so the night before and so I didn’t have anything set up, “never mind” I said to myself as I ran out in a green blouse, black pants and my high heels in my hand, it felt  a little chilly but I didn’t  have time to go back and get a jacket.

“Hi Elliot, sorry I’m late” I said as I got in the car, “no problem” he said in his California surfer type voice, “I promise it’s the last time ill be late” I said in remorseful voice, he just smiled as we drove off. Elliot and I met in Junior High he sat next to me and gave me his pencil the day of the Spanish test since I had left mine at home and I didn’t have any extras, he got up and asked everyone in class if they had one, claiming he was the one who had forgotten it, “how can you go to school without a pencil” said Mrs. Cellic, the meanest teacher I had ever known, “ its like not taking a weapon to war”,  “Sorry Mrs. Cellic I didn’t know Spanish was a life or death situation”. She got so mad for not being taken seriously that she sat him upfront for the rest of the year and called on him for everything, poor Elliot, he never again said a word to Mrs. Cellic. Elliot had been my savior ever since, if I was in trouble he would be the one to get me out of it.

I was doing my make up in his car while he was trying to avoid every bump on the road, my hair was still wet so he reached out and grabbed a clean towel he always had in his car just in case he wanted to go to the beach after work, “ guest today you´re going straight home after work” I said as he handed  me the towel, “I guess so, maybe we can get together and watch a movie at your place” he said as I rub the towel in my head, “ its Monday, maybe tomorrow”  I rapped my hair in a semi wet pony tail. I had a thing about Mondays, I didn’t know why but for me Mondays were the day you work and prepare yourself for the rest of the week, “ weekend´s over Elliot, its time to get serious”  , “ok¨ he said in a doubtful tone, for Elliot everyday was Saturday.

We were at my office building and as I had expected I was ten minutes late, which meant no time to get my coffee, I have to go straight to Leslies office, “Bye Elliot have a great day” I closed the door, the window was rolling down, “See ya later Fanny, try no to get too stressed out” he drove away as I stared at him leaving me. He couldn’t get me out of this one, after all we didn’t work at the same place so it’s not like he could take the blame like he did when we were in school and besides I wouldn’t let him this time.

I walked towards the elevators at the entrance of the building, I pushed the elevator button and was waiting for it to come down and take me to my office,” I’m a grown woman, strong, smart and perfectly able to take care of my own business I don’t need Elliot for everything anymore”, “excuse me?¨ said a guy from the tec. department, he must think I´m a crazy person, “sorry, I was talking to myself¨ he gave me a funny look, I bet he wants to laugh at me but his trying to be polite nevertheless he  took I few steps back so I couldn’t see his face anymore.

I finally got to my office and Christine came running to the elevator when she saw me,  “ Leslie has come out two times asking for you, you better get in there quick” she said worried, Christine always has a calm demeanor so if she sounds worried then I definitely should be scared, “thanks Christine”, I started to walk toward the office at the end of the room , halfway trough I turned around, “ hey Christine, do me a favor, could you make me my morning coffee I think I might needed when I come out” I said defeated, “of curse” she said, I love Christine I think she is the best co-worker I have ever had.

I knocked on Leslies office as I went in, ‘good morning Leslie, I’m sorry I’m late, but my ride” I said even thought I knew perfectly well that it wasn’t my rides fault, it was mine, but it’s not like she can go ask him, so it was a perfectly good excuse. “well your ride has just caused you your job” she said as she stared at the view of the city she had not looked at me since I got in and she didn’t even turn to see m y reaction, she wouldn’t  have missed much anyway,  I had no reaction at all, I just stood there saying nothing, “ you have been late the last two weeks and we can no longer let it go on, so just to make sure you and everyone else at this office knows that is not the type of conduct we allow  you will have to go”, I was in shock of her attitude and the lack of respect, she still didn’t even looked at me,  “so you have two options I can fire you, not give you a letter of recommendation or you can quit and I’ll make sure that you get the proper recommendation from us, that way you can find a job as soon as possible since the job market situation is pretty critical right now “she said all that in a mouthful, I finally snapped out of it to find myself full of anger, yes I was late often it was my fault yes, but before this I had had a perfect record at this company , how can she just dispose of without a talk, a motivational plan or something, even the threat of getting me fired would have help me , but no, I’m fired just like that, I took a deep breath and said the only logical thing that came to my head,” I just have one question Leslie. if you fired me I get more money right” she finally turned at me looking just as stunned as I was a couple of seconds ago, “well yes” she answered, “but I don’t think you want to do that if you want to get a recommendation letter” she told me, to which I could only answer, ”I got this job without your recommendation as a matter a fact you got your job because of my recommendation didn’t you?, and your promotion because of the job we all help you do, so no I don’t think I want your recommendation, goodbye Leslie, thanks for the office party memories” I walked away from her, two more minutes and I would be screaming so I walked to my cubicle were I had my purse and a box of office papers. Christine came running toward me with my coffee, thank goodness she put it in a thermos type cup, “what’s wrong?” she asked, “ just got fired” I said calmly as I emptied the box and started putting my personal belonging in there, “hey look at the bright side Christine, now we can actually hang out all the time and not just work together” I said trying to comfort her, she looked more shocked and sad than I did, I guess it juts hadn’t really sink in by that time,  “thanks for the coffee, I owe you one, a real one so I will call you ok, take care Christine” I said getting my stuff quickly , if I see Leslie coming out of the office I would for sure loose it.

I stood at the elevator when it hit me, I don’t have to go to a job that I hate ever again, and I felt relived, after all no one wants to get up because you have to, you want to get up because well you want to , your exited to go somewhere, like Elliot, “God I have to call Elliot to pick me up”, “I’m sorry?” said a man realizing I wasn’t alone in the elevator, I turned my head and the same man from this morning was next to me, now he really must think I’m crazy and his going to think that’s why I got fired since I’m carrying my things out of the office, great, “I was talking to myself… again” I said answering his previous questions.” you do than often, talk to yourself ?” I looked at him and said, “Whenever I can” finally the elevator stopped and I ran out of it trying to get as fast as I could to the sidewalk, now I can call Elliot.