Incessant Interruptions

"There's no place like home," he quipped and I meant to smile but grimaced instead.

"I like them," I told him, summoning my patience while looking down at my sparkly red shoes. I'd worn a dress in a navy print - mostly because I enjoy the way it swirls around my knees - and as I currently lack blue shoes, I'd paired it with darling red flats and nodded when called Dorothy most of the day.

"Remember when I sent you that thing?" he asked without further comment on my shoes.

"About football?" I guessed, squinting as I tried to remember and blinking when he beamed at me. "I recall the email," I confessed, "but not anything about the actual topic." I sighed, wishing I'd lied when he took a seat across from my desk and trapped me in my office while talking (and talking) about his pet project.

He'd just left, allowing me to return my attention to email, when Adam entered to occupy the same chair. He placed a sheet of paper on my desk, stole a pen from my mug and began to scribble. I considered ignoring him while I finished the 8 messages I'd drafted but manners (and affection for my job and desire to keep it) won out and I moved my chair closer to view his notes. I started to revise that project per his urgent request and was happily moving text and searching for figures when another visitor appeared at my door.

A friend walked by not long after and I frowned when I realized she was crying. So I pushed my work aside and grabbed my keys to take her to lunch.

I'd barely finished Adam's project when my phone began to ring. And the list of carefully organized priorities I'd written this weekend went untended as I dealt with "extremely urgent" issues.

"I'm going home," I finally announced after a meeting had dragged on for an extra hour due to the continued addition of latecomers. And while I didn't click my heels together three times, my shoes did make me smile as they sparkled in the sunshine before I climbed in my car and began my quick commute.

I flopped on the loveseat and greeted my ever-happy canine, pulling my laptop from my bag even as I giggled and fended off kisses. There, in the quiet of my living room and with only a napping dog for distraction, I finally finished my email and read through various documents. I made changes to presentations and accepted meeting invitations. Then I curled up in pajamas to watch CBS because I believe The Big Bang Theory to be very funny.

Yet just as I started to relax and prepared to write my blog post, the phone calls started at home.