have lost some perspective, but it’s not impossible to pull off. I mean, I do it. I’ve been able to balance a husband and a work life for the past few years.”
Sarah pushed her salad to one side. “I don’t know how, honestly.”
“Well, good organization and keeping your priorities balanced, basically,” Judith said. “I’d love to help you out. I can give you the name of my meditation coach…”
“I’m unemployed right now, Judith,” Sarah said. “I don’t think I can afford him.”
Judith looked away. It would help if Sarah wasn’t so negative about the whole thing. There was always a solution. “You know what…I’m going to loan you a book that might help you.”
“Really?” Sarah said unenthusiastically.
“ Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. It’s been a godsend in my life,” Judith said.
“Judith, can I ask you a question?”
Thinking it was about the book, Judith smiled. “Certainly.”
“Are you really happy?”
Judith blinked. “What a question!” She paused. “Of course I’m happy.”
Sarah looked at her suspiciously, then shrugged.
Judith waited for clarification—when Sarah didn’t respond, she finally asked. “What brings that up?”
Sarah shrugged again. “I don’t know. It’s just that—well, you always seem to be in a hurry to do something, you know? You’ve got everything neatly compartmentalized. I’ll bet you’ve got me written down in your notebook as a to-do item. You know, something like ‘get explanation from Sarah’ or ‘get Sarah to take job back.’”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Judith said sharply. It was listed in her “friends/family” section as “provide emotional support.” Sarah would understand when she read the book—no point in mentioning it to her now.
“Anyway, I guess you’re right, to a point,” Sarah said. “I let my life spin a little out of control. I was totally focused on Benjamin, what he was thinking, what he would think—and then I was totally focused on work, because I thought it would help me prove something to Benjamin. Well, not this time around. I’m going to have some fun. ”
Judith didn’t like the sound of that. “And get a new job,” Judith said.
“I figured I’d temp,” Sarah said casually.
Temping? Judith hid a wince. She’d had temps work in her department. They all seemed like submorons. Sarah certainly deserved better, after all her education. “Well, I’ll look around, too,” she promised, wishing she could write it down in her organizer. She would when she went to the ladies’ room, she decided.
“I’ll find something, Judith. Don’t worry.”
Well, obviously one of us needs to. “Read the book?”
Sarah sighed, then smiled. “Sure, Judith. After all, it’s worked like a charm for you. Who am I to argue with success, right?”
Judith smiled. “Right.” Worked like a charm. Of course it did.
Of course she was happy.
“Waiter?” She stopped the man walking past them with alittle hand gesture. “You know, I think I’ll have a little glass of wine after all.”
“Sarah, are you ready yet?” Martika called.
Sarah adjusted her outfit…a bra-strap styled tank dress in pink. She thought it looked good with the new haircut, and she hadn’t worn it out yet. Frankly, she wasn’t sure about the straps, but she was in L.A. Hell, she was frosted in L.A. A little bra-strap tank dress was probably just the thing.
She stepped out. “Ta-daah-ah-AH!” The fanfare announcement turned into a disconcerted wail.
Martika was wearing a vinyl dress that ended somewhere just below her pubic hair, from the looks of it. It looked like she poured herself into it. She was wearing leather knee-high boots that were supported by absolutely mountainous black platform heels. Her hair flew out in a bloodred nimbus that made Fire-starter look like Alfalfa. She had everything but the whip and zippered mask.
Sarah quickly looked around. Nope, no accoutrements that she could
Sarah pushed her salad to one side. “I don’t know how, honestly.”
“Well, good organization and keeping your priorities balanced, basically,” Judith said. “I’d love to help you out. I can give you the name of my meditation coach…”
“I’m unemployed right now, Judith,” Sarah said. “I don’t think I can afford him.”
Judith looked away. It would help if Sarah wasn’t so negative about the whole thing. There was always a solution. “You know what…I’m going to loan you a book that might help you.”
“Really?” Sarah said unenthusiastically.
“ Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. It’s been a godsend in my life,” Judith said.
“Judith, can I ask you a question?”
Thinking it was about the book, Judith smiled. “Certainly.”
“Are you really happy?”
Judith blinked. “What a question!” She paused. “Of course I’m happy.”
Sarah looked at her suspiciously, then shrugged.
Judith waited for clarification—when Sarah didn’t respond, she finally asked. “What brings that up?”
Sarah shrugged again. “I don’t know. It’s just that—well, you always seem to be in a hurry to do something, you know? You’ve got everything neatly compartmentalized. I’ll bet you’ve got me written down in your notebook as a to-do item. You know, something like ‘get explanation from Sarah’ or ‘get Sarah to take job back.’”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Judith said sharply. It was listed in her “friends/family” section as “provide emotional support.” Sarah would understand when she read the book—no point in mentioning it to her now.
“Anyway, I guess you’re right, to a point,” Sarah said. “I let my life spin a little out of control. I was totally focused on Benjamin, what he was thinking, what he would think—and then I was totally focused on work, because I thought it would help me prove something to Benjamin. Well, not this time around. I’m going to have some fun. ”
Judith didn’t like the sound of that. “And get a new job,” Judith said.
“I figured I’d temp,” Sarah said casually.
Temping? Judith hid a wince. She’d had temps work in her department. They all seemed like submorons. Sarah certainly deserved better, after all her education. “Well, I’ll look around, too,” she promised, wishing she could write it down in her organizer. She would when she went to the ladies’ room, she decided.
“I’ll find something, Judith. Don’t worry.”
Well, obviously one of us needs to. “Read the book?”
Sarah sighed, then smiled. “Sure, Judith. After all, it’s worked like a charm for you. Who am I to argue with success, right?”
Judith smiled. “Right.” Worked like a charm. Of course it did.
Of course she was happy.
“Waiter?” She stopped the man walking past them with alittle hand gesture. “You know, I think I’ll have a little glass of wine after all.”
“Sarah, are you ready yet?” Martika called.
Sarah adjusted her outfit…a bra-strap styled tank dress in pink. She thought it looked good with the new haircut, and she hadn’t worn it out yet. Frankly, she wasn’t sure about the straps, but she was in L.A. Hell, she was frosted in L.A. A little bra-strap tank dress was probably just the thing.
She stepped out. “Ta-daah-ah-AH!” The fanfare announcement turned into a disconcerted wail.
Martika was wearing a vinyl dress that ended somewhere just below her pubic hair, from the looks of it. It looked like she poured herself into it. She was wearing leather knee-high boots that were supported by absolutely mountainous black platform heels. Her hair flew out in a bloodred nimbus that made Fire-starter look like Alfalfa. She had everything but the whip and zippered mask.
Sarah quickly looked around. Nope, no accoutrements that she could
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