The Branch Manager has arrived late, and he looks like a puffer fish as he stands outside the lunch room to confront me. Unfortunately, for him, I have too much on my plate to be polite about anything, and also I have a tenured job. He can do whatever he wants, and I am not backing down. Not today.
"Miss Hazel, do you care to explain yourself?" he asks with venom, as I close the door behind me and try to get back to my counter, avoiding him.
"Mm?" I pretend to have just noticed him standing there, "Oh, Sir. Didn't see you all morning, how are you?" I hitch up a fake grin and he is taken aback.
"My well-being doesn't concern you," he replies curtly.
"Neither does your ill-being, sir," I continue to smile sweetly.
"What is that supposed to mean?" he looks daggers at me.
"Oh, nothing, sir. Just stating the obvious," I love watching him squirm.
