Take The Globe

It Begins

Stepping into her office at the Global Organisation For Energy Preservation (GOFEP), felt like being pushed back into a swimming pool after you'd been out of the water for a while. Just cold enough to make you regret re-entry. The hollow din of metal soled regulation shoes hitting the steel runners of the underfoot entryway was jarring. This sound, just a year ago was the familiar and comforting backing to Niyi's day as she travelled about in her role as a lead engineer at GOFEP central. Now it was foreign, alien, and disturbing. A dissonant tone that would be sure to leave her with a headache by the end of the day.

This did not bode well. Granted a lot of things had not boded well for Niyi already that morning. Junior had clung to her legs and screamed until it seemed he might throw up, all in a bid to get her to take him with her, whether he knew where she was going or not. Quite frustratingly for Niyi it had set her schedule back by a good twenty minutes. Then the transit into the city had a power surge that shorted its mainframe and caused the carriages to stop right on the tracks. At this point a low grade throbbing had already started at the base of Niyi's head, as she physically felt herself falling out of step with her schedule. When she decided to come forward to see if she could fix things and perhaps get somewhere towards being back on track with her day's timetable, she was met with numerous scathing remarks about GOFEP employees.

"I'm surprised you're using transit like the rest of us, everyone know GOFEPees cycle anywhere they need to go," a man in a worn brown suit remarked disdainfully.

"Where's your wheeled chariot GOFEPee?" An old woman with wizened skin sniped.

Niyi didn't mention that she had medical clearance to ride transit, instead she made her way to the front carriage, pleased that she had thought to bring her tinkering tools along with her, and set about getting the transit moving steadily towards the city once again.

When she stood for a moment in front of the imposing jagged metal spire pointing into the sky that was GOFEP Central, she tugged at one end of her scarf, pulling the navy blue fabric taut before tucking it once again under her chin while chastising herself. Don't look for omens Niyi.

Oh My Lord, I seek refuge in you from all forms of anxiety.

She had gotten into the habit of getting anxious about things. She had always leaned slightly towards worry. Thinking things through and putting plans in place had always been so soothing to her.  After giving birth to Junior, that anxiety had become more of a daily challenge, so this supplication was never far from her lips.

Now she looked at her office with changed eyes. The wooden floor, that had once been as familiar as the teeth in her mouth, seemed dim and unpolished. The framed motivational print on the wall was  lacklustre now. Everything seemed to be one size too small. She felt out of place, and unsure. Her thoughts turned to junior. Just ten months of 'mothering leave' was not enough, to really establish a schedule. She'd tried, but it hadn't been enough. More than that though, Niyi missed the comfort of her old routine. Of things falling into place, and smoothly working together like the gears in an olden time analogue clock.

"I don't think I can do this" she sighed, and collapsed into her old leather chair. A cloud of dust leapt up from the chair. She coughed furiously for a few moments.

Ya Rabbi, Give me strength.

She pressed her teeth into her lower lip, and took a deep breath. Just six hours of this to go. Six hours. Think of that, you don't have to work the standard 9 hours, due to the new regulations for the mothering compliance agenda. You can do it!

Niyi you can do it.

She heard the formerly familiar sound of tinkling keys, and scooted closer to her desk. It alerted her to someone's presence outside her office. She pressed a button on the entry panel and a little black screen swished out from a barely noticeable crevice and displayed the person awaiting entry. The well defined curls of a familiar proud afro took up most of the screen, and she pressed open. The wooden screen and metal shutter that doored her office ran back into the wall and in walked Sphinx, the head of GOFEP Central.