Books, They Do A Body Good: Short Story

Orla smiled at the librarian as she handed her the books she was ready to check out. Among the novels by Maeve Binchy and Philippa Gregory were the books Killer Resumes and Cover Letters That Work. It was time. Time to go for a job she really wanted.

She’d been working entry level marketing jobs for a few years. Had organized exhibits and coordinated advertising and assisted with sales reps but had not yet managed anything or anyone. It was time to pursue her dream.

Thank goodness for the library and the books that could help her make a killer resume and write a cover letter that worked to get an interview. Help her move into the big leagues. She’d paid her dues and done the entry level tasks. It was time to move up the ladder.

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Orla smiled at the cashier. She was celebrating her new job as a marketing manager – a manager! – by buying books at her favorite used bookstore. A happy treat. She’d found a Kate Atkinson novel but she also wanted a book or two to help her with the new job. She’d already checked out the library. And found one or two useful looking books but nothing on being a new manager.

Today the used shop had a surprisingly large collection of business books. Here was one that looked perfect, Your First 90 Days. Oh, and she had to get this one, Secrets Career Women Must Know. She‘d given her notice at her current workplace and had two weeks before her start date. Plenty of time to prepare. She would be managing the marketing for a small not-for-profit. A good first-impression was important. And acting with confidence without alienating her team members. She could do this.

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Orla smiled at the server behind the counter as she paid for her sandwich. The server seemed happy enough. At least she didn’t have to deal with Ms. Difficult. Or maybe the server had her own Ms. Difficult here at the sandwich shop. Orla was eager to read some more in How to Stop Backing Down and Start Talking Back over her lunch hour. She couldn’t decide between that one and 100+ Tactics for Office Politics, so she’d brought both slim books with her. Ever since “the latest incident,” she’d felt uncomfortable in the office.

Orla had overheard Ms. Difficult complaining about Orla to Orla’s boss in the kitchenette. The two women were equals reporting to the department director. It was bad enough to realize they were discussing her marketing idea. Ms. Difficult was complaining that Orla wasn’t focusing on the upcoming annual conference but instead on what she called “an unimportant self-congratulatory campaign.” She must be referring to Orla’s proposal that the organization take a different approach in their press releases. But it was even worse to realize they were having the conversation in public where the whole office could hear! How humiliating! She’d been unable to stop shaking for the rest of that day. And had driven straight to the bookstore after work to find some books that would help.

This was it. She was tired of having her projects undermined by Ms. Difficult. It didn’t help that everyone else also found her difficult. That others in the department chafed at her refusal to try new ideas and her quick action to squelch any brainstorming that she didn’t initiate. Orla would stand up for herself and her ideas. She would stop skulking around trying to avoid Ms. Difficult and improve her assertiveness skills. At least, that’s what the books promised her. She would “create an action plan for success” as the office politics book said it would help her do. And also learn to “stand her ground and communicate her needs and feelings assertively” as the other book promised. Nothing like a meal and some books to make you feel better.

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Orla smiled at the woman in the bookstore aisle. She was a little embarrassed to be looking at the Self-Help Love and Romance section of the bookstore. It was a section she usually breezed right past. But this was different. The new guy in Accounting made her heart flutter. She couldn’t tell if he was flirting with her or not. She wasn’t sure she should be flirting back. He didn’t have a ring. But still, it would be a workplace romance. Something felt taboo about it.

Was she just old-fashioned? She knew people met spouses at work, she wasn’t that naïve. But she just wasn’t sure about it. What were the rules? The pitfalls, the pros and cons? She might need more than one book to solve this problem.

Here were a few: Workplace Romance: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Love and Work: Is It Real?, and Romantic Relationships in the Office: An Executive Survey. She didn’t want to put her career in jeopardy. She wasn’t looking for anything serious. Well, not until she met Mr. Accounting. Still, was it worth starting a relationship now? Maybe she needed a book on juggling career and marriage. Sheesh, they hadn’t even dated yet and she was thinking marriage. Get a grip, Orla!

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Orla smiled at the bookseller. A crooked miserable smile. Her heart was breaking. She probably looked the classic jilted woman in her baggy sweatshirt and most comfortable pants. Her hair needed a good wash and she had circles under her un-made-up eyes.

They’d been dating nearly a year. Just dating, thank goodness. No ring or living together. The office didn’t care, her coworkers and boss were fine with her dating a colleague. Even Ms. Difficult was giving off neutral vibes about it. And thank goodness he was in Accounting and she wouldn’t need to see him every day. Or really very often at all if she planned it right and took the stairs. He hated stairs. He’d been charming and funny and full of compliments. He’d given her inappropriately extravagant gifts. They’d taken weekend day trips and done outdoorsy things.

He’d let her borrow his car when she had car trouble. He’d insisted she use it on weekends, and they’d seen each other quite a lot over the months until she could afford to get her car repaired. It was so nice to have someone take so much interest in her, give her advice and take care of her.

But then Friday happened. It was horrible. She’d been haunting the bookstore all weekend. Since Friday night’s fiasco when she’d seen him kissing another woman. Not just a peck on the cheek but making out in his car. His car – she knew which car was his! She’d turned off her phone and stayed off email. And away from the house.

But really, she needed to know how to break it off. She’d practically read all the books here on the topic but had settled on How to Break Up and Really Mean It, The Breakup Recovery Guide, and How to Fix a Broken Heart to take home. Oh look, a book was mis-shelved. Why It Pays to Get an MBA. Maybe this one was also worth reading. What’s one more book?

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Orla smiled at her computer. It had been ages since she’d bought a book, since she’d read a book for pleasure. She’d been so busy the past few years. So many books she wanted to read had been published in that time. How would she choose?

Thank goodness that breakup with Mr. Accounting had happened when it did. Thank goodness it had propelled her to investing in herself, to get her MBA. She’d read tons of books and materials for that. She’d read articles and journals in business development and strategic initiatives. She’d made her parents proud. She’d made herself proud. She’d met her husband. It had been a wonderful few years of dreams coming true and goals achieved. She’d used tuition assistance at her organization to get her MBA.

And now she’d been promoted. She was over her own department – take that Ms. Difficult. Take that Mr. Accounting. But they were long gone and really no longer mattered. She was working her way up. On the screen in front of her was a list of novels by some of her favorite authors. Her parents had given her a congratulatory gift card to her favorite bookstore and she was looking forward to a long evening browsing the shelves, sipping a latte, and splurging on books.

Library aisle by RHMemoria from Pixabay / filtered from original
Used books by ClarissaBell from Pixabay / filtered from original
Deli sandwich by nobu sato from Pixabay / filtered from original
Books on shelves by Greg Reese from Pixabay / filtered from original
Books on shelf by Liza W. from Pixabay / filtered from original
Desktop by Free-Photos from Pixabay / filtered from original