And This Is Ed-13
617 Words
All that remained of my bout with the flu was a mild cough by the time I returned to work. My staff greeted me like a long-lost, beloved pet, and grumbled playfully that Liz was a slave driver and they were so happy I was back at the helm.
Liz winked before giving me a brief rundown of things. Same ol’ stuff, it seemed. I spent most of that Monday catching up, fielding “welcome back” visits, emails and phone calls, all of which surprised me.
When I mentioned this to Liz, she said, “People like and respect you. You just never noticed, caught up as you always are with the haters. And—” She paused, her voice taking on a mischievous tone. “—it doesn’t hurt that a certain facilities director has been singing your praises, either, talking about all the great ideas you’ve had and how they’re really making things better in the building. I even overheard him chewing out a couple of the managers when they said something snarky about you. Seems you have a huge fan.”
I didn’t know about that, and I really didn’t want to try and figure out what Titus was up to. Probably more of the same.
By Tuesday afternoon, things were pretty much back to normal. I arrived at the weekly meeting, and before I could sit in my usual spot in the back, the manager I’d kneed in the groin approached me.
I mentally prepared myself for whatever ugly thing Gus was about to spout, and then he said, “That’s a wicked right hook you got, man. Bryce looked like s**t for days. Where’d you learn to punch like that?”
For a second, I stared at him, stunned. He actually approached me? In public? To have a conversation that wasn’t condescending or soul-sucking in any way? Maybe there was something in my DayQuil…
“I, uh, learned some stuff from my dad, and I used to do kickboxing, back in the day.” Look at me sharing something personal and not having a hissy fit.
Gus nodded, and was that respect I saw in his eyes? “That’s cool, man. I thought I wouldn’t find my nuts after you got me that day. You’re okay, Ed.” Then he walked to his usual seat in the second row, and I found mine in a daze.
Five minutes later, Barb bounced up to the front of the room. “Hello, everyone! First of all, I wanted to welcome back our very own Ed Kaehler! We missed you while you were gone, Ed, and you’re not allowed to get sick again.”
She clapped her hands. Why? I didn’t know, but everyone joined in and smiled at me. I simply nodded and tried not to sink to the floor in embarrassment.
“Now,” she continued. “You all know that Labor Day is coming soon, and every year we volunteer at a non-profit or something along those lines. This year, I’m happy to announce, we’re going to be working with the Meals on Wheels event at the community center just south of here. There’s lots of places we can fill in, and I know it will be very rewarding for everyone. I should thank Titus Leung for suggesting it. In fact, he will be organizing the effort, so talk to him if you have any questions.”
I was shocked to my core. Titus had suggested Meals on Wheels? He’d barely survived a day at that place, and I knew it wasn’t his favorite thing. Why would he punish himself like that? What was he trying to prove? I searched the room for the man and found him in the third row, shoulders a little hunched as his eyes sheepishly met mine. I arched an eyebrow. If he truly wanted my forgiveness, then yes, using my favorite non-profit would go a long way to soothing my feelings of betrayal. Still…
It was time to talk to the man and clear the air.
- Writer
