Richard stood tall at the edge of the fluorescent spotlight with his right hand extended toward George. Long, hard shadows were cast over his entire person, with only his big, meaty outstretched hand completely exposed. Even at this distance George could tell it was covered with callouses. He wore a towel around his neck and peripheral light from the office refracted in a hundred directions off his damp and disheveled hair. George kept his distance.
Yeah, George Blizzard, I work with Bess, I was just switching out your surge protector; I don't know if you got the email, but they were recalled. Did you say your name was Richard Brown?
I've had that same one for probably the last ten years, hasn't done me wrong yet. Hell, even if the damned thing stopped working it’s not like I use the computer much anyway, I'd probably be better off without it.
Well apparently certain model numbers were unexpectedly catching fire. It's just a precaution. I thought you didn't work here anymore; Bess told me that you were experiencing some pretty bad migraines, and just kind of disappeared. I was actually looking for Henry.
Richard adjusted his posture. He seized both ends of the towel in his left hand, placed his right hand on his hip, and cocked his head back slightly.
I'm Henry.
You're Henry? So, you're not Richard?
Nah that was just a joke.
Ok. Kind of a weird joke. What would you like me to do with this surge protector, I could install it for you, but I feel like you've probably got a better understanding than I do of how to get to the old one.
I'll take care of it Mr. Blizzard, just set the new one on my desk right there.
There's no hurry to get them switched out, but when you do just make sure to give the old one back, we're holding on to them for now.
Sounds good Mr. Blizzard. Hey, how about I show you around my office? Got the whole place to myself down here. Some really nice dark corners, no one to interrupt.
I've got to get back to work actually, a couple more surge protectors to swap out before the day is over.
George positioned the replacement surge protector on Henry’s desk and proceeded to the stairs. He was less concerned with lying to Henry about his remaining workload than he was worried about getting an intelligible sentence out of his mouth. George crossed the passage of darkness between the edge of light where Henry still stood and the over exposed staircase as calmly as possible. George took the stairs two at time. When he reached the staircase platform Henry called out:
Mr. Blizzard, you never told me where your office was.
You can just bring it to Bess’s office; she’ll take care of it.
If it's all the same, I'd like to return it to you Mr. Blizzard. That's ok, I'll find you.
George opened the door and didn’t stop moving until he was back at his desk.