Setting up new habits will help you be more reliable and productive. A little discipline today will go a long way. Consider rewarding yourself for any achievements you earn today. Watch what happens when you do this.
~Daily Zodiac App Monday, July 20, 2020
A sudden notification blocked the financial news I was reading.
(breadboy53) Morning cutie, on your way to the new job?
(salon_guy) Yeah, on the MRT now. So nervous!
(breadboy53) You can do it! Everyone’s gonna love you.
(breadboy53) Wanna meet up tonight to celebrate?
He wanted to meet me already? We just started talking last night, granted we texted back and forth for at least an hour. I wasn’t sure if I really liked him or not, but he was the only guy that didn’t use “top or bottom?” as an introduction message. It was sweet of him to wish me luck. Dinner would be a good reward for my efforts today.
(salon_guy) I can’t tonight. I already have plans to celebrate with my friend.
(breadboy53) Oh, I see… that’s okay.
(salon_guy) How about tomorrow night?
(breadboy53) !
(breadboy53) Awesome! Can’t wait.
(breadboy53) Have a great day!
Thump. Thump. Someone excited to see me. I don’t really know him, and he doesn’t really know me, but what if it works out? I did get my lucky talisman on the first try yesterday. Normally it takes a few times before the red moon blocks fall the way they need to. It had to be a sign that my love life was safe from my bad luck.
The announcement for my station pulled my attention back to the crowded train. I pocketed my phone and stepped into the sea of people. I followed the flow up the escalator, passed a doughnut shop—which I would need to remember when I had more time. I needed to be early to my first day.
Hundreds of morning commuters zipped around the street level. A wall of banks towered over the swarm of people. Every major bank in Taipei owned a dozen floors on this street. I tugged at something new with each step; tie nudged a few millimeters to the left and a little tighter; collar searched for any creases; buttons checked and adjusted; hairstyle fixed with each tiny gust of wind. I resisted the urge to find the nearest mirror.
As I approached my new nine-to-five home, the security guard was still turning the key on the employee door. No one else had arrived. The guard took my temperature, and I rubbed the alcohol solution over my hands. Disease prevention complete, the guard directed me to my supervisor’s office on the fourth floor.
I pulled my phone back out to wait.
(salon_guy) First one here. I can finally breathe a little.
(breadboy53) Wow, so dedicated.
(breadboy53) You weren’t kidding last night when you said you were going to wake up early.
(salon_guy) First day is the best day to start new habits.
(salon_guy) Especially for important things.
(breadboy53) So I guess I should show up super early for our celebration tomorrow, since that’s super important.
A smile snuck onto my face. I couldn’t believe such blatant, cheesy flirting was actually working.
“Nice to see you again Tommy.”
“Nice to see you as well Manager Chiu.” My phone vanished into my pocket.
“Please, call me Avery. We just use English names in this department.” Opening up her office door, she motioned for me to not move. “You’re a little early. Give me a moment to get your paperwork together before I show you around.”
I didn’t even have time to get my phone back out before she came out of her office with a whole packet. New habit number two, print things for morning meetings the night before. New habit number three, have pen and notepad out and ready to avoid sudden, awkward digging through backpacks during elevator rides to take notes about new habits.
We went down to the second floor to the international transactions counter. Two people were already at their desk, settling in for the work day.
“Great you’re both here. Julia. Ryan. This is Tommy, your new junior teller. Please start showing him the transactions process and have him observe when you deal with any members.” Turning to me, “Fill out the paperwork when you have time between things. Put it on my desk before you go home.”
“We’ll take good care of him Avery,” the woman said. Her features were so chiseled, I imagined a hawkish beak hiding under her mask. Every line of her face and charcoal suit were edges waiting to shred me.
“Hello, my name is Wei Shiao-shu. That’s Wei from the Three Kingdoms Era, Shiao-shu as in ‘little’ and ‘summer,’ but people mistake it for ‘little mouse.’ My English name is Tommy. I look forward to working with you both. I’ll do my best to learn everything and keep up.”
Avery dashed off to some meeting. Every angle of Julia’s posture shifted, morphing from killing machine to something… human.
“Why do you do that?” Ryan asked.
“You know why,” she whined. “That woman likes pure, professional robots.”
The nearest bathroom mirror called out to me. I dreaded whatever small thing was out of place, there had to be something I missed while walking.
“I slouch in my chair all the time, and she never says a word. You’re imagining things.”
“You’ve been here less than a year. You don’t have promotions to worry about yet.” Her crossed arms were the only thing that prevented her face from planting into the desk.
“Don’t mind her,” Ryan said. A few wrinkles in his navy suit, some strays messing up his side-sweep hairstyle, argyle necktie slightly loose, nothing sloppy or unprofessional, but nothing perfect either. Maybe I really was stressing too much over nothing. “She’s overly paranoid around Avery.”
I took a deep breath. “I can relate.”
“No, he’s right.” Julia sat up in her chair. “Avery is a great supervisor, which is why she is probably moving up in a few months. Unless you want her spot, you don’t really need to worry.”
“You don’t need to either,” said Ryan. “You’re destined for the fourth floor. Especially after you train up this newbie. He already seems to be a harder worker than the last slacker.”
“And what happened to this slacker?” I asked. Was he fired? I never did learn why there was an opening. Is that what will happen if I don’t learn things fast enough? I knew it was too early to celebrate. My love life might be looking up, but what about my career?
“Relax. He was talking about himself.” Julia looked at me with a bit of concern. My inner panic must not have been so inner. “He started right before the border went into full lockdown. We joke that he was a big slacker because his first few months here were super quiet.”
“We’ll have more time to chat later.” Ryan’s eyes brightened, showing the warm smile hidden under the mask. “The bank opens in five minutes. Let’s get you up to speed so you don’t have to worry.”
Comments (0)
See all