Accommodation – Bit Part 2 – Jenny 65

 

[For a quick guide go here: Quick guide.]

[Old back story is here: Story so far at 30 Nov 2020 and read more recent Jenny episodes especially this one.]

[Other back story through in-links.]

[If you're enjoying this you can now buy me coffee here!]

Coffee was what Linus needed most, he decided. Coffee to speed the day forward.

He wasn’t a coffee geek and nor did he rely on the drink to get him up and running each day, but he did like it, partly to give him a break from the desk, partly because it was something to do with his hands. He still missed the water-cooler moments of old and going to the coffee machine and back was a nice little outing in between the paperwork, figures, facts and compliance he was otherwise occupied with.

There weren’t very many people around the office nowadays. Perhaps it would pick up again in a couple of weeks. Maybe it wasn’t so much to do with the necessity of being there to do something, but more just to have sense that there were other people in the company. Other people doing things for the good of the business, and indeed for the good of the country.

The thing was it would make his job a hell of a lot easier if there were other people around. He didn’t mind them working from home or whatever, but he did mind it when it appeared as if they weren’t actually working form anywhere. He never knew for sure, but he had his suspicions. Too many people had called in sick, too many had said his message to them hadn’t got through, too many had asked for a few extra days to complete that report - all of which of course he accommodated, but that was it. He had to accommodate it, no one else.

Izzy, for example. Always taking the mickey. Charming nature and a witty or wise word for any occasion but when it came down to it was she actually any good at her job? Had she actually helped the firm or ultimately had she gone out of her way in order to make him go out of his way. He just accommodated whatever she needed, whenever she needed it. And if that was Izzy, what about Jenny? In and out of the company like some bizarre party dance. Working from home, working from the office and all the time there was Linus. Being accommodating.

The coffee machine was brand new and sparkly. It offered all manner of coffee delights, but Linus just want a pain old white coffee. He could (just about) remember when coffee machines deposited your drink in a brown cup and still had little bits of instant coffee granules floating around on top. Those days were gone, and even though he could still get his plain white coffee it all felt a bit over the top for a construction firm office. The machine had arrived about six months into the pandemic. Maybe it was an initiative to promote wellbeing – some kind of compensation. Or at least something with which to coax people back to the office.

After much fanfare, promising text messages and in your face graphics across its screen the coffee machine present Linus his drink in its pseudo cardboard paper cup. Linus took it, straightened and turned for his desk.

“Hi!” said Anna, standing right next to him.

Linus was so taken by surprise he dropped the cup of coffee and the contents splashed impressively across the badly carpeted floor.

“Great,” said Linus. “Now look what you made me do.”

“I didn’t mean to,” said Anna underneath her mask. “I was after a Coke.”

“You shouldn’t be standing that close to me,” snapped Linus, “please, I’ll get the paper towels…”

But Anna did seem genuinely apologetic for the incident and was already going to the hygiene station for cleaning resources. 

Together, but apart, they both mopped and dabbed at the spillage and eventually the floor sort of looked normal again. 

“Did you want a white coffee?” Said Anna.

“No, honestly, it doesn’t matter,” said Linus. “The moment has passed. Help yourself to whatever.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Asked Anna.

Linus paused. It was, he thought, an interesting question. On the surface in his accommodating way, he was just fine. Everything was going swimmingly. Orders were being met, projects were coming together and – given everything else – he really couldn’t complain. But was he actually sure he was alright? 

“I’m doing alright,” he said to Anna. “Thankyou for asking. It’s been a strange old time, hasn’t it? How’s the stock room at the moment I heard there was a large delivery this morning but without the cement we ordered.”

Anna smiled and told him it wasn’t that bad. She’d get to the bottom of what was happening and report back. She also said that if he ever needed anyone, just to talk to even. He knew where she was.

Linus watched her go and thought he might have another go with the coffee machine after all. 

And maybe all he needed was a chat to a mate. Maybe all he really needed was a chat with Gordon.