Eric Likes To Visit

Eric has straw-colored hair, pin straight. His handsome face is pale as porcelain. His deep blue eyes are hard as marbles and they take everything in. The first time I saw him was during a Zoom meeting. All meetings fall into two categories; those that could have been replaced by a well-crafted email and those that no wait there are only one kind of meeting. Today’s waste of time star was Daisy from IT blathering on about the new software that will magically solve all the problems created by the last software update.

When will this be over, I thought. I got to get out of here. My eyes drifted over my gallery of similarly trapped coworkers. I’m always fascinated by people who don’t use virtual backgrounds. Are they bold risk takers? Luddites? Or don’t give a fuckers? I surveyed Terry’s menagerie of obese cats lazing around her untidy kitchen. One kitty was cleaning his booty on an old pizza box in the sink behind her. I wriggled my nose. My eyes flitted over to Neal. Neal is cute and nerdy reminding me of less stoned Shaggy from Scooby Doo. This morning he looked hella hungover sitting glassy-eyed on his sofa with a freaking doll. My boy must have got twisted last night, I thought with a chuckle.

I chatted Neal: Whose your friend LOL

ERIC

I waited for more. I was hoping for a joke maybe the spark of some sexy yet work appropriate bantering. I waited. Nothing. God, is Daisy still droning on? Josef, Mike and even Terry were asleep.

I chatted Neal: We’re dropping like flies.

A small hard hand rested on my thigh. I watched Eric’s lifelike curved fingers, my lids heavy.

Daniel chatted Lily: Still with us sleepyhead. :) Whose your little friend?