I turned up on Thursday morning, wearing a smart dress, and found the other admin staff looking hostile. They were a lot younger than I was and dressed more casually. One wore shorts and flip-flops and I don’t think I saw her do any work in all the time I was there. They eyed me with suspicion from the moment I arrived. I tried to be friendly. I’d brought a big jar of coffee and a tin of biscuits with me and I was happy to talk to anyone, but the thing that ruined it for me was the fact that the manager, Mike, was impressed by me. That meant they couldn’t accept me as one of them. They still ate the biscuits, though.

I was there to work on the reception desk but they didn’t have many visitors; it was mainly deliveries that had to be redirected to the warehouse. There was a large office for administrators behind the reception area and Mike had a small office off that room. Upstairs were individual offices for other managers. As soon as I got there one of the admin staff hauled a computer into reception for me and they all piled work on my desk. On Friday, an hour before we were due to go home, I’d finished everything that had to be done and went to the bathroom. When I came back I found my in tray was suddenly full to the brim and when I looked into the admin office nobody would meet my eyes. I preferred to be busy but didn’t want to do their work as well as my own. I couldn’t say anything, though. There were six of them and not one of them had given me a friendly word. The door between reception and their office stood open and as I did their work for them I’d hear them chatting about what they were doing that night. My mind was far away as I typed up their work, daydreaming about what I’d do after my house was sold. I could buy a house here and rent it out, then live off the rental income while I traveled the world. I’d have to stick to cheaper areas, I thought, full of enthusiasm, but then had a sudden vision of myself lying on a beach with a bunch of twenty-year-olds. Just then I heard one of the women in the office say, “I’m going to Thailand in September,” and I hastily rearranged my plans.

At 4:30 there was an exodus to the ladies’ bathroom, and at 4:50 they all emerged with fresh makeup and straightened hair. The smell of hair spray and entitlement lay heavily in the air. They headed straight for the door without saying good-bye.

•   •   •

Just as I got into the car a message came through from Fiona.