Michael
I really wasn't looking forward to the company training weekend; endless rounds of team bonding exercises and motivational speeches with hundreds of other faceless suits, all either trying to make connections and get ahead or grudgingly show up out of necessity and just get through it. Kat didn't seem to fit either category, but she made an immediate impression. As she rushed through the door at the last minute, I was struck by her conservative business suit accented by a brightly coloured oversized bag and matching scarf, a look that would make her stand out in any crowd. People who live life at the last minute frustrate me endlessly, as they always somehow seem to breeze through life, oblivious to the chaos they tend to leave in their wake.
Kat
Despite my best efforts to appear professional and arrive at the conference centre in plenty of time, all my planning and organization was derailed by forgetting to set my alarm clock, and I ended up rushing in right at the last minute. Maybe it was my subconscious desire to be anywhere but there, but whatever the reason I was late, and judging by the sidelong dirty looks I was getting from the assorted polyester clad drones I had to shuffle past to reach my assigned group, my lateness had been noted and would most likely be held against me for the duration of the weekend. Fortunately, I don't care what they think of me, primarily because I was only staying at the company long enough to get my design business up and running, so I wouldn't have to endure their disdain for long.
Michael
Stifling a sigh as the late woman made her way determinedly to our table, I dutifully shuffled round to make room for the chair she was dragging along behind her. Much to my surprise, when the session started she was actually remarkably well prepared, pulling carefully colour coded files from her bag and a well-stocked pencil case which contained enough spare pencils to supply the members of the group who weren't quite so well organized. I was further impressed when the tasks began; she was well informed and more than capable of holding her own when debating the merits of different approaches to the scenarios we had been given, offering unusual insights and creative solutions. The two of us quickly settled into a rhythm of countering one another's arguments, ensuring all angles were covered, and the rest of the group seemed happy to just sit back and listen to us, taking notes and occasionally chipping in when they thought the organisers were within earshot.
As the break was announced, everyone but Kat and I made a beeline for the weak coffee that had been sitting on warming plates since we arrived and began to fight over the custard creams. We were so busy arguing we had barely noticed everyone move away, and by the time we did notice the sub-standard refreshments were nearly all gone. Kat had a solution to that, too -- her friend had a coffee shop just around the corner, so we phoned in our orders and headed over there. As the next scheduled session was a lecture with a long, overly-complicated yet meaningless title and the coffee shop was warm and inviting, we decided to sit in with our coffees and sneak into the back of the lecture at the end so no-one would notice we were missing.
Kat
The coffee from Louise's bistro was far better than the lukewarm sludge on offer at the conference centre, and we both relished the opportunity to get a little fresh air and escape the oppressive corporate atmosphere. Over coffee and cake we both began to relax a little, and the dynamic shifted from colleagues to something a little less formal, and I decided I quite liked this easier version of Michael. He was still an uptight control freak, but his dry, dark humour began to show through and I started to see him as more than just another stuffed suit, someone I could maybe be interested in getting to know better.
Michael
