CLEAR SAILING

LIBRA HOROSCOPE (from astrology.com): You need to remember to have fun today — not that you should have much trouble doing so! Your mind is absorbing new information at quite a clip, and you should be able to find new ways to enjoy life.

Laura’s Log:
Turns out I can let go of all that info in my head about Ferris wheels and goat petting farms. By 9:15 yesterday morning, there wasn’t a partner to be found on the floor. They were all convening in the conference room, throwing havoc in the planned meeting agenda for the day. First, Janice was summoned to make an appearance. Then, Derrick. Janice’s session lasted five minutes; Derrick’s, ten times that. When he left, he was flanked by Bryson Byers and Steven Aguilar as he headed straight for the elevator. Bryson boarded with Derrick and the Big, Bad Wolf did not return.

The meeting in the conference room continued another forty-five minutes. By then, the office buzz was palpable. “What did you do to Derrick?” Carmen Liu asked me. She was all sparkly eyed and it looked like she wanted to hug me.

“Nothing,” I answered in complete honesty.

“Right,” Carmen said, not buying it. “I just want you to know, you’re my hero.” She walked away, a skip in her step.

When I grabbed a coffee refill in the lunchroom, several employees were taking a prolonged coffee break, taking advantage of the partners’ emergency session and gossiping over Derrick Matthews. Todd, an obnoxious intern who was usually preoccupied with Tweeting, loudly clapped when he saw me. “We should call you Dorothy,” he said cryptically.

All eyes were on me. “Huh?”

“It’s like your office desk got sucked up in a dust devil and flattened Derrick when it came back down. Ding dong, the dick is dead!”

I quickly returned to my desk. A plain IKEA-variety desk with no wings, no sails. The last thing I wanted was a reputation that I’d taken down Derrick Matthews. I’d seen enough news stories about employees getting the boot and then coming back to settle the score.

At 11:30, my presence was request in the conference room. By then, only Bryson, Barry and Monica Tremont, the firm’s only female partner, were still present. She’s the one who spoke. “We have seen the work memo Derrick Matthews gave you, outlining an assignment with a deadline set for this afternoon. I can say on behalf of the entire firm that the task was…inappropriate. Obviously, it is unfortunate that you had to experience such a…an unusual task at any point with us, but particularly in light of the fact that you are a relatively new hire.”

Barry butted in: “That assignment is dead. You will not report to Derrick in any capacity from now on. Should that change, it would only happen after a careful review, including a discussion with you.”

Monica took over once again. It seemed she desperately wanted to make the next announcement. “Derrick has been undergoing a great deal of stress recently. For that reason, he is taking an indefinite leave of absence.” As formal as she wanted to come across, I saw the corners of her mouth curve upward. Size and status notwithstanding, there were happy Munchkins everywhere.

KEN’S JOURNAL:
AS WE KAYAKED IN FALSE CREEK, I SAW THE KID RETURN TO TRAVIS’ FACE. THE GOOD KID. GOD, I WISH SARA HAD BEEN THERE. HE LAUGHED CRUELLY (YET APPROPRIATELY) AS I ALMOST ROLLED MY BOAT WHEN I TRIED TO SCARE OFF A DOMESTICATED SEA GULL THAT KEPT WANTING TO MATE W/ME OR FIND A WAY TO GET THE TUNA SANDWICHES OUT FROM THE BACKBACK I’D STOWED. TRAVIS OFFERED TO RACE W/ME TO A BUOY NEAR SCIENCE WORLD. UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES, HE’D BE BEGGING ME TO GO IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. HE EVEN TALKED ABOUT US MAYBE GOING TO THE BOATHOUSE CABIN ON THE SUNSHINE COAST AGAIN THIS SUMMER. THAT HAD BEEN A WEEKEND FOR JUST TRAVIS & ME 4 YRS AGO. THOUGHT HE’D FORGOTTEN…OR AT LEAST WANTED TO FORGET.

HE HAD FUN LISTENING TO ME RANT ABOUT THE NO-SHOW CANUCKS WHO MAY AS WELL HAVE DEFAULTED LAST NITE’S GAME TO THE SHARKS. AFTER, HE ASKED TO USE MY ROOM TO CALL HIS MOM. THE CONVERSATION ONLY LASTED 5 MIN, BUT I’M GUESSING IT WAS 295 SECONDS LONGER THAN ANYTHING HE’D SAID TO HER IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS. WHEN HE HANDED OFF THE PHONE TO ME, SHE SAID, “GOOD GOD, WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE W/MY SON? WHERE’S THE SNARKY, INSUFFERABLE TEENAGER THAT I KNOW?”

“DO YOU REALLY WANT AN ANSWER?” AND SHE LAUGHED. SARA LAUGHED! SURE, HOCKEY WAS ON MY MIND, BUT I WAS BATTING 1.000!

THIS MORNING WE STOPPED BY THE VANCOUVER ROWING CLUB & SIGNED UP FOR THE TUES/THURS EVENING SWEEP PROGRAM FOR JUNE. TRAVIS SEEMS PSYCHED. HELL, I AM TOO!