Puppy Love
1.
“It was sweet of you to contact me while you were gone. Sending me jokes everyday on Whatsapp . . .” Because he smiled and did not say anything, I asked, “Did you not want me to forget you?” He shied away from his opportunity to laugh, to make our transition to serious matters easy. So, I said, “Now you’re back, you must stop sending me jokes.”
Anxiety replaced his smile. “Why?” he asked.
2.
Newly hired for the three-month project, he was a junior team member, also in age and in experience. It was irritating at first, his eagerness to please, distributing steaming coffee mugs then gathering them, please and thank you, leaking like diarrhoea from his mouth. Then it was cute. Then it was normal. He earned the name, Puppy, from my colleagues; they mouthed it and whispered it. They laughed when he wagged his tail and left the room.
3.
Nancy floats from office to office. I do not remember where she belongs. Nancy reads gossip blogs. She gets things done that nobody else can, which is why we listen to her without interrupting, each pair of eyes straddling two monitors rising from the wooden table in front of them. She said that when you work long hours and in the same space, even ugly men start to look attractive.
4.
One fourteen-hour day, as the sun dipped its chin in the horizon, I noticed Puppy was clean-shaven. I did not know I had spoken aloud until he said thank you. He read my face and parroted my thoughts, his eyes twinkling, “Clean shave looks good on you.” The next day, he challenged my ideas at the team meeting and presented his. After I acknowledged that his idea was better than mine, team members began breathing again and the central air conditioner came on, humming a tune as cold air escaped its vents. I could not decide if About Last Night, was the name of a movie, a book, or a hashtag on Twitter.
5.
When Puppy had mentioned drinks, I thought the question-suggestion was the usual Thursday one, which a member of the team brings up and to which nearly all say yes, and then carpool to the venue. Reports and emails had taken their toll and my car sat forlornly in the basement car park when I emerged from the elevator, the click of my heels ringing in my ears. My headlights sliced through the darkness to the restaurant.
“Where are the others?” I asked as he greeted me at the bar and led me to the far end of the room. Candles flickered in small green vases on wrought iron stands, bathing our table, burrowed in the wall, in soft light.
“What others?” he held out my chair.
I sat, unfolded my napkin, and placed it on my laps. Then I stood and said, “Good night,” walking past the waiter who was bringing our drinks.
6.
“Are you naïve?” I scolded him at the copy machine near the fire escape, after peering left and right, and seeing no one coming. I knew he would follow when I stood from my desk. “Sending me personal messages on the company’s server!”
“Oh,” he said.
Two members of the team protested when I signed Puppy up for the trip, “He’s too green.” I shook my head, “He’s picked up a lot since he got here.”
The Whatsapp jokes started when he landed in Kuala Lumpur.
7.
So now after another long pause—I did not answer his question—he said, “Well I just wanted to make sure we’re good. Nancy and I are together.” He tucked in the last sentence softly I almost missed it.
I wore my best game face, “That’s nice. I hope you’re both happy.”
“We are. No hard feelings, we’re still friends right?”
“What are you apologizing for?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I want to stay on after the project.”
“If you stay . . . you will always be Puppy.”
©Timi Yeseibo 2016
Watch out for the new series: Any Seven Stories From My Life.
Photo Credit: https://pixabay.com/en/dog-maltese-white-young-dog-puppy-1123026/
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Oh!
I am already enjoying this.
You style of writing is thesis to me, I am learning.
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Glad you are. I learnt from someone else; I stole like an artist! 😉
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Nice!
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Thank you!
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Looking forward to puppy love…
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I think you’ll have to make up the ending in your head… I mean did he stay on after the project or not? 🙂
Another shares their own seven stories next.
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Of course he did. Why let love get in the way of a great job? Laughing, Timi. –Curt
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😉
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Hi, I came just to acknowledge that cute dog! Lolzz
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Aw, thanks.
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wow! i’m mesmerized by this seven stories writing style. Looking forward to excellent writers take on this.
Your writing skills are awesome as your personality. #respect
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Thank you. I think you’ll find the series worth your while.
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I really like this series! Number 3 made me laugh out loud.
I agree with Nedoux. The seven seem like flash fiction. What a great idea for a series.
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What proximity can bring!
Thank you.
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Hi Timi,
This is so fresh! 😀
All seven felt like flash fiction, one was left longing for more as soon it finished, and then rushed off eagerly to the next one. I particularly liked how all seven were related.
I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.
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Thank you Nedu. Your feedback is very helpful as we’re experimenting with form and style.
I also can’t wait to read what the other writers have to offer. Thanks again. 🙂
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A fascinating concept well executed, Timi
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Thank you Derrick. 🙂
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Ahh the suspense… more
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I know right? Did Puppy stay on after the project ended? What do you think?
So, next week another fantastic writer gives us another related or unrelated 7 stories.
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Looking forward to your new series, Timi. Oh my, that dog is the cutest thing!
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It is! Thanks Jill.
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Looking forward to the series.
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Thanks Tony. 🙂
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Looks like this will be interesting… Keeping my eyes peeled!
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It will be. Together with several other writers, I’m experimenting with this form and style- seven stories with a theme or seven random stories, from our lives. Thanks for reading. 🙂
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Hey there!
Thankful that I can begin this new series with you… You’ve got so much mines therein for exploration.
I sincerely hope this is not a series about seven random stories.. . I look forward to filling in the blanks and jumps in this story in the coming installments.
Well done.
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Hi Charles, I’m really glad you’re here. This where I stop writing… please fill in the blanks 😉
The rest of the series will be written by other fantastic writers. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
Thanks!
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Any seven stories will have to do. Looking forward to the next seven stories outta you…. 🙂
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Hi Benn, the next seven and the next thereafter, will come from some excellent writers. It can only get better from here. Thanks for reading! 🙂
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