PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson
It was their anniversary, and once again he was late.
The office manager held him up for nonsense that could’ve easily waited for tomorrow. Mr. Billings often did so when Gary was in a rush. It was a cruel little game he played, knowing that with previous ‘insubordination’ records in his file, Gary could not afford even the slightest reprimand. No job, no health insurance.
His phone buzzed as he rushed to the restaurant. A text.
“Lost?”
Mary. Gary’s heart sank. He ran faster. His phone vibrated again.
“I’m under a blue umbrella. You know, in case of rain.”
For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers
Na'ama Yehuda 
I’m not a fan of Mr Billings!
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Glad to hear! 😉
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Great build up throughout.
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Thank you, Lisa! 🙂
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How one copes with an obnoxious boss? Atleast he knows how to find her.
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Indeed! And … unfortunately, having obnoxious bosses is something all too many have to cope with, for the sake of putting bread on the table and keeping a roof overhead and, in some cases, keeping a health insurance (it seems that is a main concern for Gary, which may make one wonder if Mary, or himself, or some other close family member is currently in dire need of medical care they would otherwise be unable to afford). And … yeah, it seems Mary isn’t happy, but also isn’t leaving him hanging. I think she knows what might’ve happened at work. Or will know soon … Thank you for the comment, Abhijit Ray!
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For the lack of a text, Gary could have been lost. Good thing she planed ahead.
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Ha! And … good thing he is running … and good thing that Mary is waiting for him and … I hope they’ll be okay, ucky boss and all. Thank you for the comment!
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Is Mary waiting at the restaurant of the photoprompt, I wonder, and teasing Gary by pretending she’s waiting outside?
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Or, maybe he knows the restaurant and she is letting him know: a. where to find her. b. that she might be feeling blue, c. that there may be tears … (or that she is already in tears), or d. that she realizes he was kept behind at work and is sympathizing with HIS feeling blue … Who knows, right? 😉 What I love so much about story telling, is that it often leaves just as much for us to tell ourselves. Thanks, Penny!
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🙂
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Na’ama Y’karah,
It sounds like Mary might understand Mr. Billings’ cruel game? At least that’s what I’m hoping for. My last boss made me glad to retire. 😉
Should you want to reread it, mine is here: https://rochellewisoff.com/2018/09/19/21-september-2018/
Shalom,
Rochelle
PS hope it was an easy fast.
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Thank you, Rochelle. I sure hope she would understand the realities of double-binds and at the very least forgive Gary for being late. I have a feeling they will be okay … 🙂
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Mr. Billings is a right bastard, tell you what. Mary knows this and is understanding… I hope.
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Me hope, too. I didn’t get the ‘vibe’ that she’s the vindictive type, just the “I’ll let you know how I feel” type. 🙂
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Yes. I understand but I don’t like it 😉
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There are bosses like that all over the world, who love to manipulate and control just because they can. Really good portrayal of frustration in this story.
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Yep, sadly there are.
There are also really good bosses, but that’s not the story here …
Thank you for the comment and feedback! 🙂 Na’ama
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A timeless piece when it comes to those bosses that like to make life differcult for their employees
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Unfortunately true … Thank you for the comment, and may all difficult bosses learn that their employees are human beings who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
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What a horrid, petty little man. Maybe he can find a new position. Nicely done.
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I sure hope he will be able to, or … one can fantasize, the boss will move to another job …
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No job , no health insurance. Sounds familiar.
What a fine example of Murphys law–whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Sounds like the relationship will survive, but the job might not.
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Oh … he might find support at home and plod along as he can. Perhaps the manager will be mean to the wrong person … and be fired himself and Gary promoted … Anything’s possible and one can dream … But, yes, the realities of helplessness and abuse-of-power and the ripple effects these have, are all too real! Thank you for the comment! 🙂
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