Marlene works hard. She sacrifices her life to support her family by working long hours in the factory. She takes every opportunity to work overtime as she would get more allowance – the much-needed money to pay the bills. She does not mind, just as long as her 2 children, Dan and Clemitha can live comfortably with a roof over their heads, she would be all the more happy to do what it takes for the job that pays the rent
What more to life is there for her? She thinks about how she became a single mother, a young single mother and it made her frown: that heartless fellow! She brushed off that thought immediately the first moment she’d noticed at the corner of her eye, the inspecting supervisor approaching close by. She did not want him to think that she was day dreaming and lazy.
She was meticulously assembling the electrical components just like every one of her colleagues, a sweat falling from her brow out of nervousness. She had developed a disliking towards that nosy demanding supervisor throughout the weeks since she had started on the job. The boss is coming closer
Just then, Suzy nudge her and broke in a whisper. “Hey… you’re looking like a loud speaker statue, whatever. Stop it darling”
“Oh God, Sues… it is that obvious?”
“Yeah relax… I know you can… Oh the boss’s eying you now.”
“You’ve got to help me… butterflies in my tummy.”
“I figured, he thinks you’ve done something wrong.”
“Not again?!”
Marlene closed her eyes and tried to suppress the unending nauseating feeling
“Marly deary, don’t you have to worry. If ever the boss’s eye pops out, for you I’ll pluck it out and bury it under his wig!”
“What… you mean he’s bald?”
“Oh yes, and baldy even has so many moles on his head that you can make out his second face… only the eyeballs are missing.”
“How do you kno… uh”
The wig fell as soon as Suzy had finished explaining. The supervisor scrambled to place his dignity back on his head. The smiley face made of moles was glaringly present, just as Suzy had foretold.
Marlene let out a giggle which she soon regretted. She suppressed it immediately, but by then every one in the hall had noticed it.
“Good mor--ning ladies” grinned the supervisor cynically, “I’m glad you have had a cheerful day so far but hmm…really, I’m unsure about the rest.” He paused; made sure he flashed a piercing stare and each of them. “I’m sure that you’ll love to skip a few hours of goodnight rest to do some unpaid overtime. It’s good to see two motivated associates covering for the missed working excitement of today.” Burning red with embarrassment, he turned his head and walked away.
“Did you see that?” whispered Suzy, “It’s like hitting the jackpot.”
“Are you some kind of a psychic? Oh yeah, jackpot it is, we are always ending up in some kind of trouble somehow. Nice shiny head though”
“At least you have me, your best friend by your side all day long. We can be all cheery and girly till our last hour.”
“You got that right,” grinned Marlene, “I’m stuck with you forever”
“You look so cute! I love you, you know that?”
“Uh huh," she continued with her work but soon after she noticed Suzy staring anticipatingly at her. She stared back jokingly but gave in anyway, "Oh what the heck, I love u too”
