Around 5:00 in the afternoon Missy stopped in my office and asked me to come out and check out her latest design for our client's new web site. Missy was a very creative and energetic designer. She had a way of managing her work and our clients very effectively. Good quality service while not taking any of their crap or attitude.
She offered me a diet coke from the vending machine and after being gone for a few minutes came back with a smile and drinks for both of us. As I was looking over her design she asked me to have a seat because she wanted to show me some additional items she was working on. We spent the better part of an hour reviewing all of the new material and found that we were the only two left on our floor in the building.
As the team leader with all of the macho man stuff, I figured we should get going so we did not create the wrong impression about being alone in the office or working late nights. I told Missy I needed to pack up my office before leaving. She agreed and told me she needed to use the bathroom and would like me to wait for her so we could leave together.
As I was packing up my office I started feeling a little dizzy, so I sat down in my chair. My office was in the back of the building on the second floor with no windows to the outside. I figured I just got a little light headed but as I sat it felt like I was sitting on melting mush and started to drift in and out of consciousness a bit.
I only have some faint memories of what happened next. I saw Missy asking me if I was alright. Then I remember getting into a car, then into a parking lot, then entering a hotel room. While I was out I kept hearing reassuring sounds. I could make out some of the words but not all of them. I heard Missy's voice. I heard how I would be alright. I heard her say this was necessary to help me understand.