Memories We Share

Inkling

11 years ago...

March 2008 it was. Professor Inkling or just Inkling at this time was preparing to meet his boss, Mr. Red-Wood, a wealthy, powerful, red deer for a serious meeting. Before forming the Octonauts Inkling worked at an environmental organization, Helping You Helps Us.  The organization held monthly protests against pollution in the ocean as well as weekly meetings that help endangered and invasive species. 

Inkling had worked there for many years, always doing his part, and he was now ready to move on to do something even bigger.

The nervous dumbo octopus was pacing around the lobby constantly fixing his appearance. He wanted to look his best for his meeting and constantly fixing his tie was not helping his case. 

The lobby was nicely decorated with the logo of the organization on the wall and pictures of workers and events they had. There were magazines of National Seaographic, neatly spread across a coffee table, accompanied by chairs. 

"Alright, Inkling you can do this," he said to himself, "just tell him what you're planning to do and that to make this work you might need to quit. Hopefully, he won't mind, right?"

"Mr. Inkling? Are you all right? Do you need anything to drink?"

Inkling realized he had been talking to himself. If that wasn't enough, he was beginning to sweat as well. Inkling looked up, ending his rant to face the secretary. Her kind young fox eyes looking into his.

"No thank you, Ms. Leena. I'm quite alright," replied Inkling in his posh accent, waving a dismissive tentacle, "just a bit nervous about my meeting with Mr. Red-Wood," he explained sitting down in a chair, relaxing himself a bit more.

"I'm sure you're meeting with Mr. Red-Wood will go well. You have no reason to be nervous," assured Ms. Leena in her soft, quiet tone, "besides, you have seen him plenty of times, not to mention speaking to him about other projects. Why should this time be any different?"

"This time is quite different. But,  thank you, Ms. Leena, you are right. I've been worrying over something I've done just about five dozen times. I needed to hear that, thank you."

"You're welcome, sir," Ms. Leena replied.

They sat there in silence for a minute or so. Conversations weren't rare with staff per se, they just didn't happen all that often. When they did happen they usually seemed forced. Everyone had to be nice to each other of course but sometimes they weren't genuine. Ms. Leena exhaled and turned the chair along with her body towards Inkling.

"Did I give good advice?" She asked swiftly, an embarrassed smile forming on her face.

"Pardon me?" Inkling almost startled by the sudden question. He looked at her inquisitively before realizing what she had just asked. He replied in nonchalantly, "you most certainly did."

Ms. Leena beamed, "Thank you Mr. Inkling." She looked back at the computer I'm currently studying to becoming a psychologist."

"Well, I think you would make a fine psychologist one day Ms. Leena. You're a bright young girl with lots of potentials."

Her smile widened. She turned her head, facing her monitor once more. Inkling could hear the sound of her paws typing on the keyboard.

Inkling sat there pondering about what they usually did in meetings. Meetings weren't out of the ordinary in the workplace either since they were used to continue plans or to propose new ideas but Inkling wasn't one to usually scheduled meetings, especially for just him and Mr. Red-Wood. The only time he offered ideas was when they all had group meetings that were already scheduled on the calendar, not just asking for one out of the blue. This was something new to him so it was understandable that hew would be nervous.