A New Story: I Will

Toward the end of the day, Marsha stopped at Julie’s cubical and knocked.  Julie turned around and saw Marsha standing there with a knowing look on her face.  Instantly feeling embarrassed, Julie said, “Oh, hey Marsha.” 

Marsha ushered herself into the cubicle and close to Julie.  She pause a moment then asked with a hushed voice, “Are you ok?”

Julie noted a condescending tone and didn’t want to deal with it.  She decided to make the whole episode insignificant.  “It wasn’t a big deal.  Just something went down the wrong pipe, that’s all.”

“You must have been mortified.”

“Why would I be mortified?”

“Darlin’, I’ve seen the way you look at him and I’ve heard he likes you and…”

“Oh Marsha, please!”

“Don’t you ‘Oh Marsha, please’ me.  I know what I see and trust my eyes.  You like this boy.”

Julie’s mind raced.  In a split second, she thought “How dare she!  He is cute and his lips are so kissable.  She caught me.  How did she catch me?  What do I say?”  Then she answered, “Well, yes, I do think he is handsome, don’t you?”  That should get her to shut up.

“I think he is a good looking young man but, land sakes, I’m old enough to be his mother.  A few more years and I could be his grandmother.”

“How old are you?”

“A lady never discusses her age.”

Hoping to get the subject completely changed, Julie remarked, “Well, I don’t know how old you are but if Marcus could be your son, you look great for your age.”

Marsha said with a sweet smile, “What a nice thing to say!”  Then with a no-nonsense look added, “But let’s not change the subject.  We are talking about you and Marcus.”

Julie cursed under her breath.  Marsha spoke for five minutes straight about Marcus and how Julie could catch him.  Julie studied this women with hair pulled tightly into a bun and was trying to understand her motivation.  Marsha truly didn’t look old and was relatively fit.  She had what her grandmother called “saddle bags” on her hips and was in the beginning stages of a double chin but Julie would never consider her fat.  Was she being genuine?  Was she a matchmaker or a busy body?  Or both?  Like many from the older generation in the office, she would congregate with ladies of the “29 Club” and talk and sip coffee and gossip at regular times each day.  They were called the “29 Club” because they never admitted their age; only that they were, “29 and holding.” 

When Marsha finished, she said, “If you need anything, you just come see ol’ Marsha, ya hear?” 

Having already decided to never ask for her help, Julie sweetly replied, “Thank you, Marsha.  I will.”