You Learn (a story)

in The LIFESTYLE LOUNGE4 years ago (edited)

Hi again.

Everyone is looking, but they can't tell.

You Learn

All of them noticed it, but none of them would say a word. I guess they liked to pretend they didn’t see me, so I should feel insignificant, you know. But who cared. I didn’t even need the job. I was there lest my father should withdraw my “allowance” if I didn’t get my papers signed every month. It hadn’t been easy, but I could fit into my old jeans again, finally. After I’d lost those forty pounds, I could do anything; Gosh, it felt good, splendid. I couldn’t care less about the world.
Every day I’d walk in, unnoticed, go past their dull countenances, and get to mind my own business. Every day it was the same.

But one Friday morning, the head of HR called me to her office; I could've never told she was about to change everything. What did I think of her? Well, she was a skinny lady in her fifties with a short temper, and definitely not my choice to share a morning cup of coffee.

I sat down, crossed my legs, crossed my arms, looked at her without blinking. She had to know she wouldn’t scare me, and I had to be nasty enough that I’d be dismissed as quickly as possible. She offered me a cup of tea, apologized for not having coffee or sugar, and gently sat down. Suddenly, she’d become the politest and most congenial human being. Then I realized I was rather tense when I felt my jaw unclenched and my breathing and muscles began to relax. She began her speech in a soothing tone of voice, which she kept till the end of our meeting.

She was worried about me, and she was not he only one. They thought I’d been emaciated by illness or hunger, or both. They considered me too proud to admit that I was; and, what else could it be? All of them had been starving for the last couple of years; it’d be my turn sooner or later, right? They knew I’d been kicked out. They knew I ate my lunch from a tiny container. They speculated as they pleased; they had their theories but would not approach me because I had such a terrible attitude. I was positively bedazzled.

I wanted to tell her I was fine, and that I just happened to be a self-centered, ill-advised idiot, but a voice in the back of my mind told me to remain silent until I could figure it out, so I did the only thing I could do. I cried.

After half an hour, we left the office, the lights were off. As soon as she locked the door, the lights went on and every one was there. They had my birthday cake. Gosh, it was my birthday. I had forgotten it again, I and all the others but them.


Sad Girl by mhx (2015)- Wikimedia Commons

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This is a poignant story, @marlyncabrera. I would love to know the background, and why she was losing weight. After I finished the story I went back to the beginning and read it again to better piece together all that is happening. I always enjoy your writing. It has such depth.

@Jayna, hi!

Your comment means a lot to me. Thanks!

When I started thinking about the story and how it would come to the end, my character was Alex; she was 29-30 and dealing with selfsteem issues, had been trying not to fall apart after a succession of misfortunes (perhaps the death of her mother, too many breakups, her father's finally finding a new wife, probably a golddigger, etc...), which caused her to suffer from anxiety, which she had been unable to cope with... had put on weight, now was probably about to become anorexic. Something like that.
Another thing was I remembered one day I visited my son's school and found all the nice people who worked there had changed drastically: they looked a lot skinnier, had a sad look and gaunt faces, did not answer or turned to see you when you talked to them... Besides, that afternoon there was no electricity. It was a very depressing sight. And I couldn't help thinking that the educated, smiling, and friendly people I had met were still there, numbed after years of hardship.


What a nice surprise to see you here. I'm delighted with what you're doing; I'd struggled to find your posts, but I finally figured it out.

See you around :)

GREAT POST!!!

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Thanks for the support, @steemitbloggers. Much appreciated; I'll check this cross posting right away! :)