Lost in Transition
I lost a coworker today. Well, she's not lost because for two more weeks she'll be in the same cubicle and after that she'll be on some other floor in the building. So, lost may be a bit strong, but lost she is. It's too bad to. After 9 months in neighboring cubicles we've developed a pretty good understanding of one another. She pretends to listen when I begin my 2 o'clock rants about whatever might be on my mind at that moment- the department use of exclamation points, my favorite quote, the cell phone ringing on the other side of the cube wall; she has mastered the art of listening just enough to justify my words without actually having to respond. Probably quite like the way you feel right now.

And me, I've developed an understanding of her facial expressions. That's angry. Oh and that one is pissed off. That one is ticked. That's upset, wait, no, homicidal. So it's good for her that she's getting a new job. It's sad for the department though. And it's sad for me. Despite our apparent lack of anything other than being twenty-somethings in our first office job in common, we have shared lunch together for the better part of those 9 months. You might remember her from the good night punch. Once I knew where I stood, things got much better and much less emotional. We bonded as our cubicles were invaded by the "CRISIS" that always exists. And somewhere along the line I think maybe we became friends. I'm not sure what will happen when she's not on the other side of my bay window. And that's ok.

There's a quote that I've been searching my brain for that applies here. It's something about walking along with people. I'm pretty sure the quote was on the column outside the girls' restroom in FARC. (It was co-ed and the restrooms were by the lounge, so please don't get any additional funny ideas about where I spent my time in college.) The gist of the quote was that some people are around for most of your journey and others for only a small portion, but we gain a little something with each encounter. And of that, I have no doubt. Cheers to her.