The Scientist and The Billionaire

Jessica And The Bad Day

Feeling as if someone had removed the last shred of optimism she attempted to hold onto for the day, Jessica Brooke turned towards the aging tow truck driver and asked.

“Is there anything else that can go wrong for me today? “

I’m a scientist. Chaos doesn’t mesh well in my universe.-line for Jessie?.

His weathered face focused on the road, the tow truck driver hid any sympathy he had for the young scientist as she continued to whine about her lifetime tolls.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to understand where she was coming from but, at 8:45 in the morning, sleep had not yet removed itself from his sky blue eyes that were concealed rather nicely by a pair of Ray Bans.

She scanned through the morning’s events in her head. She was seemingly in a state of disbelief at the series of events that had all occurred within a span of ninety minutes.

“First, I wake up late thanks in part to my dear, sweet, boyfriend who decided that he wanted to stay overnight. Usually when he does that, I tend to forget to set the alarm clock.  Then, after jolting out of bed after 8, I jump into the shower only to find out that my pipes are frozen solid.”

The tow truck driver stared vacantly at her for several seconds before turning his concentration back onto the road. For his own sanity, he realized that saying nothing would be better than saying something.  One wrong word from this one would only make her rant and simmering wrath worse than he wanted to get into at such an early hour.

Praying for any kind of acknowledgement from the driver, Jessica continued to spew her venom.

“So with no water at all, I decided to go to work early and work on some of my notes before this  big presentation I have  this afternoon. I go, grab my banana, laptop and keys. Check the time, it was then 8:30 which to be honest, wasn’t that bad all things considered. Then, I go, put my keys in the ignition and that is when the car wouldn’t start. Not even an engine turnover. I knew I was in trouble the minute that red ass battery light came on!  And then that brings me here with you.”

He was relieved when he saw the automatic gates opened slowly at the Edison Energy plant.    The seven minute ride was as aggravating as nails on a chalk board.  The quicker he dropped her off, the quicker the morning silence would return.

He pulled into the visitor parking lot smiling from ear to ear.  Jessica looked at him and smiled weakly.

“We’re here. I’ll pick you up at the end of the day so that you can pick up the car.” He told her.

“Thanks. See you soon." she said as she gathered her totebag. 

Opening her passenger door with the electrical side panel on his driver’s side, he opened the door for her, nearly driving off before she could plant her second foot on the icy pavement.

As quick as he pulled into the parking lot, he sped even quicker out of the parking lot.

With minutes to spare and tote in hand, Jessica rushed through the parking lot, praying that she could go over her notes with a fine tooth comb  this morning before presenting her proposal to management.

Since the parking lot was a bit icy, the young doctor's eyes did not see that nick in the ice before her toe did,  propelling her forward face down in the middle of the parking lot.

The fall was nothing less than spectacular. Papers flew up in the air and scattered around her like New Year's Eve confetti. Her white laptop that was nestled nicely in her tote, slid quietly from its home and across the parking lot, winding up rather gracefully in  a muddied snowbank. 

Seeing what happened, the other employees that were in a similar situation slid to her rescue Her friend and neighbor Kelly was first to be at her side. "Jessie! Jessie! Are you allright?" she screamed.

Jessica was still face down, unresponsive.   Concerned, Kelly began shaking her. 

The guard that oversees the parking lot sped over to the growing crowd around Jessica. "She's still not moving? My god that was some fall!"

Shaking her again, Kelly began to beg for her friend to wake up. "Jessie! Jessie!"

Kelly’s high-pitched voice rattled Jessica to the core. It was grating, ringing thru her ears in protest.  She didn’t know how long she had been out, but knew that if that voice could wake her up, it could probably wake the dead.  

She felt something warm and sticky underneath her face.   Bringing her head up slowly, the remnants of what would have been her breakfast flattened like a pancake against her olive skin.

A look of relief went through the crowd while Jessica gathered herself.

Peeling the banana away from her face, she let out a very audible groan.

Kelly kneeled next her, putting her hand on her shoulder to help balance Jessica’s shakiness.

“Jessie, are you all right?” Kelly asked.

 Gradually, she gathered her wits about her.  Of all the days for this to have happened to her, it would have been today.

All of her preparation along with her self-confidence was scattered around the parking lot like the handwritten notes she had worked on tirelessly for months.