this really happened
on her second week of the new job.
she was keeping all the numbers straight
inside her head --
parking lot A11 off route 434
the combination to the back door keypad,
scores of names she needed to memorize.
she would say a friendly hello
to each new colleague
extending her right hand
for the power handshake --
for the power handshake --
impressing them with her smile and charm,
stomping out any sense of doubt
as she took her place and spoke the language.
she thought of these things
as she quickly readied for the day
and in a single instant
she dropped the hot curling iron
into her left eye and heard an actual sizzle --
her instantaneous cry muffled by
the overwhelming imperative of her existence.
© nan, 2014
[Note: Written for The Sunday Whirl. The Wordle words were: muffled, sizzle, single,
existence, right, power, stomping, hello, place, back, language, and numbers.]
10 comments:
oops! I omitted a word. nan, ouch! You do describe the powerful business woman made vunerable here. Nice work with such difficult words.
Pamela ox
The secret is of course that she should front up anyway with an eye patch (if necessary). It may be a game for them but she doesn't have to play, just do her job well as everyone has accidents.
Great way of incorporating the words in the prompt...I could feel her nervousness, yet strength...
I understand this all too well. It is draining to try to be so perfect. I've given that up. Great writing!
Oww - the best laid plans and all..great scene and poem..could really empathise with her..
Oww - the best laid plans and all..great scene and poem..could really empathise with her..
Oww - the best laid plans and all..great scene and poem..could really empathise with her..
Ouch! Dang curling iron. You capture new job nerves well. All of that anxiety distracts into a burn that sizzles. Never hit my eye before, but my neck...yes. Well penned, Nan.
You forgot to write that cooked eyeballs resemble cooked egg whites
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