Eleven Years of Eating Lunch by a Window in Columbus, Ohio, Ended With a Box I Never Expected

Have a seat.” Derek pulled out a chair the way a man opens a car door for a woman he doesn’t know.

“You’ve had quite a week.

We wanted to do something nice about it.”

He poured my tea without asking me.

“I’ve had worse weeks than this,” I said.

“Senior analyst is a fine title.” He tapped his signet ring twice on the laminate.

“But it’s just paint.

I’m talking about a real move.