A day to remember

I bought the paper in the morning and once in the elevator I started reading the headlines. None made sense, none. It was dated March the 18^th, 2009… March? It is August people… so I went back to the shop and I got a new one. Now things were making sense again, or so I thought.

My morning meeting is in a nearby city, which used to be a village, if that makes any sense. The mayor is meeting with me again to discuss some business, but when I get there she is all excited about something else. First thing she says is I have a present for you and while I think Oh yeah, I love presents I actually say Mayor a present for me? No, you shouldn’t have… and I stop there because I realize her present is a magazine. She carefully opens it and hands it to me with pride. It is her. I mean, in the magazine. There is an article about her under the section Power and style, and next to it a full-page picture of her wearing a pinkish gown, and plenty of make up.

 Come on say something, whatever, but say something is what I think while I look at it, and before I get a chance to do so I hear her voice asking would you like me to sign it for you?. She grabs the magazine back and writes a couple of lines before signing it and all I can do is smile.

Back in my city I meet this really nice fellow who happens to speak perfect Spanish as he spent 6 years in Madrid, my home city. At some point he mentions he has some friends here who are also from Madrid, and offers to organize a dinner so that we can all meet. I think it is a fantastic idea until he actually says it will be great, we are all the same age, 37-38. But hey, I am under 30, mate. I say nothing; I just smile, because once again I don’t know what to say.

Then I make a quick stop by my office in between meetings. When I am ready to leave I do as usual, walk to the parking, open the door of the seat behind the driver, drop my bags and laptop, close the door, walk to the other side of the car and when I am about to open the back door, Lawrence drives away. At first I assume he thought I couldn’t comfortably open the door and he is going to move the car a few feet, but no, he keeps driving and goes through the gate. At this point I still think he is just going to stop by the gate but he keeps driving while everybody around –all drivers and security guys- start yelling Hey! Hey! But he cant hear them and I cant but laugh out loud. The security guys run behind the car while the other drivers look at me surprised by my laugh.

Meanwhile in the car Lawrence is talking to me and when I don’t answer one of his questions he turns around and realizes I am not in the car. I can imagine his heart speeding up, and some sweat breaking out of his forehead. He stops in the middle of the street, gets out of the car and walks back towards me while cars are stuck behind, honking and annoyed. Lawrence looks embarrassed while I have tears of laugh in my eyes. He knows the rest of the staff will make fun at him for the next few weeks. We both smile and say nothing.


To finish the day I meet with this very high up guy and his team. He introduces me as one of the leading economic analysts and consultants in town…. Really? Well.. after such a day I guess I can take this one with another big smile, and say nothing.

There are days all you can do is smile, and say nothing.