Shifting the Strength From Within

I got off the train slightly dazed and blurred out. Was my vision getting worse? It had to be - I couldn’t seem to read the signs as well as I once did. I really had to squint and try to focus. This caused my jaw to slack and my brow to furrow - made me look like a real jackass. The thought bothered me as I climbed the steps and lumbered up to the street corner. I waited for the light to change, catching sight of a woman with aqua-green colored hair and leopard skin pants standing on the opposite corner. She was awkwardly smoking a cigarette. Not really savoring the deep drags like a champion seasoned smoker would do. She was more of a ‘peckishy’ smoker, holding the cigarette far from her body and dodging the smoke that blew off the end – reminded me of an epileptic limbo contestant. I was momentarily distracted by a bus filled with European hippies that cruised past, their faces pressed to the glass starring at the awe-inspiring city scene. I thought about giving them the middle finger, but decided against it. Instead I bought a churro from an immigrant woman and sauntered into work an hour and a half late. When I got in, it was Carlson who first commented on the cinnamon and sugar that surrounded my lips and was dusted upon my lapels. I thought to myself, ‘The gall on this one!’ but I didn’t say anything. I simply marched over to the coffee machine and punched in the order for a latte with 2 sugars and fake crème juice. Carlson was standing with his arms crossed when I approached my desk. He wanted to know what I was planning to make for this years ‘Bake Your Face Off Luncheon’. The luncheon has been a tradition at Lewis & Louis for the past 15 years. Employees bring in their best confections and a panel of hand selected tasting judges decide which one is numero uno. All of this takes place in the board room which is filled with televisions playing the hit Travolta and Cage film Face Off on constant loop. The highly ambivalent judges take ages to decide a champion. Last year they deliberated for 15 hours before naming a winner, the whole process was so long and brutal that it nearly cost me my sanity.