notes from the trenches

It's been a difficult week at my office - and it's only Thursday.
Things are shifting and people have left and people have been promoted and emotions are running high.
ANYWAY.
The company I work for has also had a great success this week. A project we are involved with has done remarkably well....
Yesterday morning, I was doing my usual things with my boss: I had a sheet listing the day's appointments in my hand, I had some questions for him about his upcoming business trip and information for him regarding a meeting.
I looked down on his desk and noticed something different.
His pen.
He had a different pen.
The day before we had had a party to celebrate the project.
Amidst terrible news and change and uncertainty, we put aside our fear and we savored a victory.
And at that party, someone needed a pen - the person who had been most instrumental in the victory.
My boss offered his pen - and it was accepted and appreciated.

Where's your special pen? I asked, yesterday morning.
I gave it away, he said.
But that was your special pen, I said, amazed.
My lucky pen, he said.
Did you tell him? I asked.
No, I just gave it to him, he explained.

And I started to cry...
fortunately, things got busy and I didn't have time to think about it.
It was the smallest gesture, really, and so few people would understand the significance of it.
But I do.