Stupid Seattle.  Stupid everything.  Woke up early for work, freezing outside, walking to the light rail in the rain again.  It’s always raining.  Always freezing, too.  God, I miss the Valley.  Sunny, happy SoCal.  I keep telling myself that the move wasn’t optional.  Couldn’t pass up that pay raise… Oh hell, I gotta stop beating myself up over this.

 

I’m sitting on the light rail, now.  My work clothes are soaked but my co-workers won’t give me a hard time.  They’re excited to have me on staff, a guy who shows up on time and stays out of the way.  Except when I need to be in the way, of course.  I’m great at what I do, what can I say?  When I walk into the suite, my boss Sandy shows me a smile that helps thaw me out a little.  Sandy looks like an older version of The Sopranos’ Ralph Cifaretto but fortunately for me, Sandy’s not a sociopath.

 

“Skies should clear up by 10 or so.  Today’s going to be the busiest day you’ve seen since you started working here.  Twenty people are on their way,” Sandy said.

 

My eyebrows raised and I responded, “Twenty, no shit?”  Sandy nodded.

 

“Time to show what you’re made of, kid.”

 

For a minute I forgot how damp and cold I was.  I can’t believe how busy I’ll be.  Our offices in the Valley were so small I never had to work with more than three or four people in a day.  That’s why I’m getting the pay raise, I guess.

 

I plopped down at my desk and took out a few tools of the trade I keep in my pockets.  Twenty different people… I’m going to be so mentally fatigued!  I can do this, though.  Once I thaw out, I mean.

 

People filed into work in the next thirty minutes and the set-up was quick.  It’s exciting to be in a more professional environment.  My old workplace was full of burn-outs and dead-enders.  The kind of people who are looking for a paycheck, you know?  Sometimes I felt like I was the only person who took pride in their work!

 

The set-up was complete, and it wasn’t long before my services were needed.  “Hey, kid!” Sandy yelled across the suite.  “We need help over here.”

 

I sprang up and jogged over to the group of men huddled around a couch.  Gosh, they were sweaty.  “Lemme get in there,” I said.  I reached down and started to work my magic, but the actor immediately kicked me in the chest, and hard.  I fell back, trying to catch my breath.

 

He jumped off the couch and glared at me, yelling, “What the hell?!  Didn’t you come from the Valley?  Don’t you know to warm up your fucking fingers??”

 

I stayed on the ground, sat on my icicle fingers, and stared out the window.  Even with the sky all cleared up, I just knew it was still freezing cold outside.  Oh, stupid weather.