What a Monday Morning- an unfinished story

When Dirk arrived at work Monday morning, he saw that Mandy wasn’t there to greet him with a smile and let him in.  Rather, the depressed accountant turned the bolt lock and welcomed Dirk in through the front door.

“No Mandy today?” Dirk asked, half expecting to hear Bob mutter something about a birthday or some special occasion that prompted Mandy to run to the bakery to surprise all the store employees with pastries.  Something like that- those are the sweet spontaneous joys of working with Mandy.  She made everyone smile and feel special.

Bob did not mutter any such thing.  He looked Dirk in the eyes, a rarity in itself, and slowly asked Dirk in a low sad voice, “You didn’t talk to Mandy this weekend?”

Dirk felt uneasy at once hearing this question.  “No, why?  Why would Mandy call me this weekend?”

“You are still living in her house, right?  You and your wife rent the place from her?” Bob’s voice accelerated as he spoke.

Dirk shrugged, “Yeah.  My two dogs, Liza, and me.  What’s going on?”

“She and Anita broke up,” Bob blurted.  He hated breaking bad news, having enough of it in his own marriage.  Other people shouldn’t have to suffer so much from bad news.

Dirk stepped back and held his breath.  This took time to soak in.  He rubbed his shaved head, then he twisted the ring in his left ear.  He scratched his eyebrows and then looked into Bob’s face.  Bob nodded.

“She’s sleeping on the floor of a friend’s house.  She has the new puppy with her.  I guess Anita wants nothing to do with Mandy or the dog anymore.”  Bob shrugged his heavy sloping shoulders and finally turned around to head towards the elevator.  When the elevator door opened, Bob called to Dirk, “I am so sorry I had to tell you that.”

What a way to start a Monday morning.  First of all, hearing anyone reject Mandy sounds wrong.  Everyone loves Mandy, no one should ever want to kick her out of the house.  Secondly, Dirk realized that he and his small family will have to move out, eventually.  The art studio Mandy made especially for him in the attic will have to be cleared out.  His friends in Mazomanie may have to take his wood shop tools again for a while.  The dogs, will they ever get a nice yard again?  Liza, well Liza can write anywhere, but she likes a decent kitchen. Thirdly, Mandy must be miserable!  She thought that she and Anita were together for life.  What the heck in going on?

Looking at the phone, Dirk wondered if he should worry his wife and call her now, or wait until dinner after work to bring it up.  Should he call Mandy?  No, he should not.

As Dirk entered the warehouse to start his job, he saw the cardboard boxes in a different light.