twelve

Marianne is about five feet three inches tall with curly dark hair and blue eyes. She always wears a skirt and heels and people think she is trying to look taller. She isn’t, she just likes the shape of her legs better when she sees them in heels. The people that think she is trying to look taller badly misjudge their dealings with her. She’s a strong lady and people would do better if they spent time getting to know her rather than rush to judgment based on their own preconceptions.

We each decided on a salad for lunch - hers tuna, mine chicken - and made small talk as we queued up to pay. We found a round table near a window and I sat facing the world outside with Marianne taking the chair on my right, not opposite. She is left handed and I’m right handed, and we know which way around to sit to avoid clashing forks and elbows.

“So, I hear that our illustrious leader is getting you to rethink the IT strategy.” On a personal level, there was...