Spinning Gold

Chapter Two

"Thank you for calling the Tupperware 'R' Us helpline, how may I be of service today?" Calvin repeated; he had lost track of how many times he'd said those words. While the dissatisfied customer on the other end of the line screeched in his ear, he muted the microphone to open the white paper bag Emily had given him.

Inside he found two danishes, one cream cheese and the other strawberry. Emily was always sneaking him day old pastries to snack on during work. The manager refused to sell them, but wouldn't give them away for free either. Cheapskate.

He plucked the strawberry one from the bag, the paper rustling noisily as he did so. Holding the danish in one hand, he swiveled in his chair, opening the bottom drawer to his desk when he caught movement on his left.

Peering over, he was met by a khaki-wearing, cropped blond-haired man. His glasses were neatly perched on his nose, and he wore a toothy grin.

"Hi, Evan," Calvin greeted him, straightening. "You want the other one?" He motioned towards the danish he held in his hand.

Evan shook his head, still smiling. "Just wanted to say hello. Also, I wanted to see if you were ready to go to lunch. I heard they're feeding us today." He nodded toward their managers desk.

"Yeah, to subdue us so they don't have to give us a raise," Calvin joked, yanking off his headset and pushing himself up from the chair. "My bet's on pizza."

"Deli sandwiches," Evan replied holding out his hand, which Calvin took, and they shook on it.

They made their way through the rows of dull gray cubicles towards the break room, maneuvering their way through the office labyrinth. As Calvin looked among the many occupied spaces, he could only recall one or two of his co-workers names and that was only because Evan was a social butterfly. Heck, if Evan had never pestered him during his first week on the floor, he wouldn't even know one.

"How're Lori and the kids?" Calvin asked, picking a topic he was comfortable with.

Lori was Evan's wife, they'd been married for five years. High school sweethearts. Calvin always ended up being the third wheel, though it didn't bother him. He liked to see love in action, see how easily it came to them. She was always kind and hardly ever thought about herself. She complimented Evan, as he did her. True love seemed possible when he had them as an example.

Evan pursed his lips. "They're sick. The lot of 'em. Lily started it. It's only a matter of time before it gets me, too."

They had two children, both girls. Lily, their oldest, had just turned four. Elizabeth, or Eliza as they called her, was coming up on her second birthday. Evan said she was in her terrible twos, but Calvin had yet experienced the tantrums he was warned about.

"Well then stay over there," Calvin joked, motioning towards the far side of the walkway. "I'm the sole provider in my household."

"That's because you live by yourself, weirdo," Evan countered, rolling his eyes.

The constant sound of fingers typing on a keyboard and monotonous murmuring voices talking into headsets followed them as they weaved down another walkway.

"Yeah, and Calvin has expensive tastes."

"Quit talking about yourself in the third person, Cal," Evan laughed. "You help even the odds in my house. It would suck if you got locked in a looney bin."

The open doorway ahead led to a room with four plastic chairs surrounding two circular tables. A refrigerator that rattled on a loop every ten minutes and a vending machine that ate money like it was going out of style took up the two corners. Cabinets filled the wall space in between. As they entered the room, they saw a plastic tray filled with white and wheat bread sandwiches. Evan turned then, a victorious smirk on his face, and Calvin rolled his eyes in response.