The Sum of the Tasks
One of the many tasks that fall under the umbrella of my work responsibilities used to include sending files to K. K was a diminutive woman with cat photos and drawings in her cube. The files that went to K were labeled with her name over and over and over - her name becoming synonymous with her part of the process - the hole to kick the work to. I got to know K a little bit - brought her some Kombucha and chatted. She liked lavender. I remember K staring at me blankly when I openly wept at the work cafeteria's televisions blaring Hilary Clinton's concession speech. We didn't agree, but we still worked together well. K lost her job to an outsource but stayed on longer than the rest - she had institutional knowledge that wasn't respected, but respected enough to buy her time. She shared about what she'd do afterwards. It was a superficial conversation about gardening and resting. I knew that I'd likely never see her again.Two weeks ago, I found out that K d