100 Challenge - 15. Silence

Not happy about this, this theme stirred a thousand thoughts, but none wanted to shine as much as this. Ho Hum!


15. Silence
Glancing at the clock again I sigh a heavy hearted sigh, forty five minutes left until my lunch break. I'm almost dreaming of that little plastic Tupperware box when a RING of a phone and a WHUMPH of heavy papers being dropped onto my desk brings me back. I scramble about for my head set and take a deep breath before "Good morning this is Helen from Phones for Life how may I help you?"

    I can hear a SCREAM of a child in the background and a YELL of a woman to "SHUT THE HELL UP!" I then hear a disgruntled sigh and she comes on the line, a scratchy sounding voice with husky undertones. "Listen right, I've been on 'old for ten minutes yeah? 'Ow long does it tek to answer the phone?" I take another deep, calming, breath.

    "I'm very sorry miss, what is it I can help you with today?" I try to sound as calming and polite as I can knowing full well she's just listened to the "Your call is important to us, we endeavour to take your call within five minutes" reel that plays with the hold music. There is a BANG of a door and a good few BARKS of a dog. She YELLS at it and then gets back to me. Her credit hasn't gone through, she's got calls to make yeah, what am I gonna do 'bout it? 

   I quickly sort her out, promising the earth just to get rid of her, breathing a lovely sigh of relief as the click ends the call. I then have another loud woman, but she's just old and SCREECHES down the phone to everyone I guess. Then an man with the LOUDEST laugh I've ever heard, it broke my ear drum I swear. 

    As I finish with him I glance back up at the clock, five minutes to go. The Tupperware box is calling me from under my desk tucked away in my tote bag. I'm sorting out the mass of papers, the RUSTLE of them grating through me with each leaf. Across the way two colleagues of mine CACKLE away about their gossip and a staple gun is BANG BANG BANGED every second against more paper. I can hear CLACK of keyboard keys and CLICK of high heels against the hard floor. 

    I'm up and out of my seat as soon as the hand clicks by, grabbing my bag and leaving my head set to rest. I let my floor manager know and she ticks me off a register, she then tries to talk to me about something trivial but I apologise and make a run for it, like I'm escaping. Down six flights of stairs, through the main foyer and out into the open where my lungs take a deep needed fresh breath. 

    Our office building does have a staff room with vending machines, sofas and furniture but it's often loud and even with head phones in my co workers always feel the need to talk to me. I'm not mean spirited, I'll have a good goss' about anyone with anyone but my lunch hour is to get away from that hustle and bustle. 

    I sadly eat my lunch in the car park, on a grassy spot on a bench. I've always questioned why this bench is here, the smokers go round the back of the building to their designated shelter and visitors are very sparse to have want of a bench. But I'm grateful for it every day, I plonk myself down in the middle, to ward off any one wanting to sit next to me, open my Tupperware box, take out a sandwich and lean my head back a little, soaking up the few rays of sunshine. 

    I can't hear a thing, not an angry customer, not an office moan or a stationary sound; just pure, blissful silence.