The Temp

The thing they don’t tell you about these corporate buildings is just how big they are. I mean, you’d expect them to be big, but when you’re standing at the bottom of one, they can make you feel small, insignificant even. How do buildings possess so much power? I suppose people give it to them. They see the rows upon rows of windows, the endless grey walls that fade into the concrete ground, and the steady stream of ‘professional’ looking workers that cycle throughout the building at all times of the day. Yeah, that would do it. But as I gaze up at the building, I’m not intimidated, no. 

I’m angry. 

When I got this temp job it was only supposed to be for a few months, just until I got a little money saved up so that I could start writing my book. But here I am six months later, no book, no freedom, and still looking up at this big, grey building. Talk about a slap in the face.

I walk up the stairs and head to the entrance. The stairs are wide. They’re the ones where you never know if you should be taking two small steps or just one long one. Everyone looks ridiculous either way.

It’s fantastic.

Once inside, I nod a hello to the security guard at the door. He’s an older man, maybe in his late fifties. He’s as big as an ox, and quite possibly the only man I can stand in the building. He’s also the most interesting. 

Never in my time working here, have I heard him say a single word. He just stands there. Tall, like a statue. But watching - he’s always watching. 

Man oh man, the things he must see. 

There is some kind of meeting today, so I head straight for the conference room.

 The room has South-facing windows and sunlight is spread across the table. I reach to pull the blinds up higher in an attempt to bring in more sunlight. Then I hear several people walk through the door behind me.

“Be a doll and close those for me”

I shudder, not in fear, but in disgust as I hear his voice, I still oblige though. I pull the blinds down and sit in the chair closest to the now-closed window. 

 Doesn’t this man know the phrase “Be a doll” is incredibly sexist and oppressive? Probably. That’s why he says it. There’s a hole in the blinds and a small ray of sunshine peeks through it onto my leg. I smile at it slightly, but not enough to give it away. 

The conference room is now full and I look at the dynamics of it.

 At the large center table, there are six men. Each of them has on a suit that looks too tight, and their hair is all greased back in the same way.

 Just by looking at them, you know their egos are bigger than this building.

Sitting up against the wall beside me, there are three other women. They sit in their chairs quietly, not uttering a word as the overly loud men voice their opinions. I look back down to the small patch of sunlight on my leg, moving my hand under it so it reflects slightly off my stacked rings. The woman next to me interrupts my tiny light show by nudging my shoulder slightly. 

“Pardon,” I say as I look up, surprised at the sudden attention. 

The men start laughing. 

“Leave it to us to get another airhead.” said the man closest to me while shaking his head, as if my mere presence was a bother. The man next to him smiled in response, looking at me.

“Don’t worry sweetheart, we’re just playing around.” 

Then, running his hand through his greased back hair, he turned the attention back to the front of the room. 

My face burned in response. Not from embarrassment, but anger. I looked down again at the sunlight on my knee, but it was gone. Maybe it started raining outside.  

“You know what,” I said, as I abruptly stood up from my chair, cutting off the conversation in the room, “I don’t need this from you privileged assholes. I’m not a doll or your sweetheart, I’m an actual person.” I said as I grabbed my jacket, heading towards the door. I looked at the men’s stunned faces and couldn’t help but continue, “Yes, believe it or not, women are actual people. Intelligent people at that.” The man who I initially cut off attempted to say something, but the woman who had been sitting beside me beat him to it.   

“What? You can’t just leave!”

I looked at her. She was tired, I could see that she had tried to hide the bags under her eyes with makeup. If only she tried to get away from this place too. 

“Yes, I certainly can.”

Without saying anything more, I opened the door and left, not bothering to close it behind me. I was shaking slightly as I got into the elevator, but not because I was scared. I felt full of energy. The kind of energy that you get at three in the morning when you decide to get your life together. 

I got off the elevator and headed towards the door. I nodded at the security guard as I passed him. 

“Good luck.” He said as he smiled, holding the door open for me.  

“Thank you,” I replied in shock, having never heard him speak. I returned his kind smile as I walked out the door. 

I’m not sure how he knew, and I didn’t want to. I want to believe he’s magic.

When I step outside the sun is still shining, and there are tiny drops of rain creating sparkles in the sky. I walk down the too-wide-steps for the last time, and grin as the rain tickles my face. As I reach the last step, I can’t help but spread my arms out to the side and do a little twirl. Soon this one twirl turns into two, and then into five, and soon I find myself dancing.