Just my Luck

All I could remember was my boss screaming at the morning meeting to submit my report on time under any circumstances. I smiled and promised nicely to ensure my assignment will not be late this week. I had planned early anyway since I already had my number figured out to put into the record and just muddled through the morning meeting. It was another day at the office with the typical politics, but I always tried to take my time to get things done. After the extra-long meeting of uselessness, I headed to my suffocating office space with my lack thereof decorations. I started on the report of the sales numbers for the month. I opened the system to double-check my figures before adding them to my paper. I quickly came to the detail of the sales improvement this month, and the new marketing campaign was increasing the sales. It was a more straightforward explanation than why the numbers were dropping.

I had lost track of time when my annoying coworker Tim popped his head into my workspace. "So, now you are going to skip break time, Kim" I looked up, sighed at his facial expression, and shook my head. It was time for a break and to get my morning coffee. It was only fifteen, so it went back to my report. I filled out the graph portion of actual positive numbers with the good news that I would not get an unhappy look from low results. My boss has been about production and faster reports but needs more time needed to gather the information. Today was going to be different, and I was going to stay on top of my work. It was already a long day trying to write this statement of facts. Each figure and chart would just put me to sleep. I have always struggled with focus and not procrastination. I suddenly heard a lot of laughing from the neighboring cubical. I looked over to see them watching some videos on his screen. All I could think was that my boss would say something if I did that. I had to stay working, and others could get away with everything. It was better to return to my nagging report and be responsible this time. The different charts were going to need to be more organized. The month's report was with every breakdown of each week, not just the annoying weekly report also required. Management only read these or shoved them in a file once they need to fire you. We still require to do the work, and with a self-absorbed manager. I will never get ahead. I almost missed my second break of the day, but not wanting to be bothered by pimple Tim again, I headed out on time. The noise does not stop either in the breakroom or the cubicles. My mind was spinning today, and all I needed was to end the report and save it. I could even send it early to keep my boss off my case. This job is not worth the stress of silly numbers that go to a boss who never should have been promoted.

A break was ending, so I returned to work on the last few weeks of sales production. Each analysis took time to configure with written detail, and the noise around me did not help keep my focus in check. The end-of-the-month report was the most stressful, and I only wish I could skip it. I could hear others in private conversations on their phones. They are not supposed to be using their phones for that. I finally struggled through the last week of analysis. It was complicated, but I had to turn positive without sounding negative. With each stroke, I was gaining closer to being done before the deadline without rushing to the last minute. After an hour, I reread to look for mistakes in my grammar and finally looked at the final product. It was long and detailed, and I was much more relaxed. It was finally done with all the analysis and charts. I was ready to save it and send it to my boss's email that it was finished. I felt proud that I had finished early even.

I pulled my cursor to the save button but felt proud that it was finished early. I just was about to click it when my screen went off. A message came up, signing off, and everything returned to the lighted screen. To my dismay, another message popped up stating, reset your password. All I could do was put my head down on my desk as my boss walked by and commented, "No sleeping on the job." I picked my head back up, ready to cry, for my work could be gone. I then spent the next half hour on a new password. It did not match any doubling of letters, repeat any in the last many passwords, or any other error message. I was hoping, but in previous disgust, all my work was deleted when the system kicked me out. Now my report had to be re-figured entirely and late. Well, so much for finishing ahead of schedule as I cried in my arms. Then again, I always have the worse of luck.