Somewhere Down the Road

Somewhere Down the Road 1

I’m walking along the corridors of my new work and I’m so nervous. I think it’s natural because today is my first day at work. As I get closer to the room that I’m supposed to go, my heart beats like crazy. What’s wrong with me?

Stopping at the door with a sign that say “Ms. Adams” I took a deep breath then I knocked at the door softly. I was about to knock again when I heard someone said “Come in”. I opened the door and entered.

“Good morning! Ms. Adams” She is reading a newspaper, so I can’t see her face. My heart is still hammering through my chest, my hands is sweating.

She puts down the newspaper and said “Good mo… Tommie? I mean Thomas” I could really tell she’s surprise because she literally jumped out of her seat. Well, I too was surprised. I didn’t expect to see her here. Now I get it, that’s why I’m so nervous. To think she even called me Tommie, that’s the nickname she and my mom calls me.

“Lian?”  

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Uhmm... Today is my first day at work, and I'm guessing you’re my boss and that you’re going to show me around and all that stuff?” I said.

“Oh! Yeah! Right! You’re the new guy.  Okay, have a seat.” She motioned me to the chair. “Alright, First of all I’m Jillian Adams, head of the Engineering Department here in Xin Ming Corporation. You’re one of the Managers on the Architect Department. You and I will mostly be working together. As much as I would like to avoid you, it certainly won’t be happening. I’m usually the one who gives tour around the company and the one who tells you all the things you need to know. You must be wondering why I do that instead of the head of the Architect Department; well he is under my wing too. Okay! Now let start the tour.”

I was quiet the whole time she spoke, I listened to her every word. I stood up as soon as she does. As the gentleman that I am, I opened the door for her. She took the left and she stopped at the 3rd office cubicle. I’m 3 cubicles away from her office door.

“Here is your cubicle.” Then she handed me a push pin.

I gave her a questioning look. Not knowing what it was for.

“I know this sounds silly, but it’s our tradition to pin up a picture that lets us know a little something about you on your first day. Didn’t they tell you?”

“Oh! I forgot. I’m sorry.” Then I remembered the picture I keep in my wallet, it sure does tell something about me. “Oh wait! I got something.” I said to her. So I took it out of my wallet then I took the push pin from her and stick the picture in the cork board.

I saw her looking at it. It’s a picture of me and her looking at each other and laughing. It was taken by our friend when we were still in junior high. Her face is unreadable. Then she took it out handed it to me.

“You can stick a different picture tomorrow. It seems like you’re not prepared.” She said

I may not be prepared but prepared or not I’ll still choose this picture. I was about to argue when she talked.

“Ok let’s move on. This is Ella my secretary. Her cubicle is next to you. If you need or want anything ask her.”

“Hi, I’m Tom. Nice meeting you.” We shake hands.

After that we walked around the whole building. When she said “a tour” she definitely means “tour”. I was expecting to be shown just the basics. She showed me the whole building and introduced me to some of the other workers there. When we finished it was almost lunch time.

“It’s 11:30, we usually have lunch break at 1, but since it’s your first day you can go ahead. Just make sure you’re back at 1:30. Any questions?”

“uhmm… I was thinking maybe we could have lunch together?”

“No. I can’t. I got work to do.”

“Okay! Maybe next time?” I asked hopefully

She turned around and leave without answering my question.

“Darn it!” I thought.

I went outside of the office looking for some place to eat. I ate some Subs then I looked at the time and it’s only 12. So, I went to the Starbucks Café in the first floor of the office.  I got myself a small mocha frappe. I sat there thinking about nothing in particular when I saw Lian walking out the office wearing a leather jacket over her work suit and a helmet in her hands. I watch her as she approach the sweet bike I’ve been admiring a while ago. Then she hopped on it and before I knew it she was zooming out onto the street. Man! Her bike is so cool! What amazed me most was how she managed to ride that thing while wearing a skirt. I didn’t even expect her to be able to ride that bike.

I went back to my cubicle 15 min. before 1:30. When I got there, Ella is there waiting for me.

“Here are the papers you need to work on. Ms. Jillian left it for you.”

“Okay. I saw Lian leaving a while ago. Where is she going?”

“Who’s Lian?”

“I mean Jillian. Where is she?”

“Wow! You just met her and you already have a nickname for her. Well, she went home early because something happened.”

“We weren’t that much of a stranger. Wait! What happen?

“I don’t know. She’s very secretive when it comes to her personal life. She just told me that she needs to go home immediately.”

“I see… can I ask you a question?”

“Sure”

“How is she as a boss?”

“She’s very strict but when we see each other outside the office she’s very nice to me. She’s a different person outside the office.

We talked more about Lian and office stuffs for a while. Then I started doing the work Lian left for me.