Strange as IT Seems

Chapter 64: An Unexpected Path

"What's happening?" Damian asks, coming into the kitchenette where Nancy Wheeler is currently making coffee for all the usual suspects of the Hawkin's Post. She is working hard to do it quickly so she won't be continuously nagged by those around her.

Nancy glances at him in confusion for a brief moment before returning to pouring another cup and adding the correct amount of cream. It is only a partial mystery why he insists on hanging out with her and Johnat; it is most likely that he is closer in age to them than the rest of the office and can relate to them.

She can't lie, Damian has made life in the newspaper office much more amusing. Instead of dreading it, she actually wanted to show up to work. It didn't change how she was treated, but at least she got a show out of it and smiled a lot more.

Damian Michaels does his best to stick it to the bosses in every way possible and is blatantly trying to get himself fired at every turn. It starts by showing up in band t-shirts and ripped blue jeans, but still with a tie around his neck to appear "business casual" and "professional." He also enjoys doing doughnuts in the parking lot of the office on his motorcycle just before he's due to be in the building. Pushes it exactly to the minute before he needs to begin working. He knows it stresses all the people out, hearing him revving his engine continuously, and no work can be done. He brings files to people who request them, but with sticky notes on them with stupid phrases and the occasional colourful language. Whenever there's a meeting happening, he ensures that he's outside with the radio cranked up to the highest volume. When making copies, he always doodles on the pages, some more appropriate than others. When he is forced to do food deliveries, usually when Nancy is in school, he goes to the cheapest places he can find to fulfill the orders, and she swears she's seen him drop the bags on the ground and even kick them. He doesn't do this to the secretaries in the office; he's actually nice to them, but all the big "men" of the office seemed to be on his hit list. In some way, he sees the newspaper office the way that she does, one filled with sexist morons.

It's like watching a giant man-child wreak havoc in the office, and secretly Nancy enjoys it. Johnathan is also often seen smiling when Damian is causing chaos. For some reason, Tom hasn't become fed up with the behaviour, or maybe Mr. Michaels is begging Tom to let his son settle down and know what real work is.

"Can't talk," she responds, grabbing the heavy cream from the fridge. For some reason, some people like that in their drink. "I have coffee orders to fill."

"You know you can always spit in the coffee or put in salt instead of sugar," he smirks.

"What are you, 12?" she looks at him in confusion. She races off to deliver the next coffee order, but Damian follows her and waits for her to finish the delivery before continuing their apparent conversation. It's so weird that he thinks that they're friends when they clearly aren't.

"Hey, it's the best way to stick it to the bureaucrats," he continues, following her back to the kitchenette.

"I'm not trying to stick it to the bureaucrats. If I pulled something like that, I'd get fired before you can say anything."

"So? Who cares?" Damian continues.

"I care! Because, unlike you, I can't afford to get myself fired. This kind of experience looks good on a college resume."

"And yet they treat you like the gopher..."

"Gopher?" she looks at him in confusion.

"Yeah, you Go-For coffee or whatever else these bozos make you get. You could also try errand girl, bike messenger, delivery girl, courier, emissary, mediator or hell, even waitress,

"I get it!" she snaps in frustration, bringing Tom his coffee. Again, Damian waits for her to get out of the office.

Despite his apparent stupidity to the outside world, Nancy could tell he was very smart and witty; he just chose to act immaturely.