Sun, Sand & the Boss from Hell

Sun, Sand and the Boss from Hell



I close my eyes and bask in the warmth of the sun's glow. Waves crashing onto the rocks nearby dot my skin with the cool ocean water and salty air fills my lungs. Tropical birds sing in the swaying palm trees above my head. I wiggle my toes in the creamy, powder-like sand and sigh.

Suddenly, a shadow approached, casting its cool cloak over me, blocking the warm phosphorescent light I was basking in. My eyelids fluttered open in disapproval and the abrupt exposure to the intensity of the sun caused my eyes to water.

"Would you care for another pina colada, miss?" Tony, the cabana boy asked.

I rose onto my elbows and slid my sunglasses over my eyes and smiled. "Why yes, Tony, I would love another one. Thank you."

Tony smiled and retrieved my empty glass from it's sandy glove. I reached into my beach bag, drew a bottle of sun tan lotion from the inner pocket, flipped the top back and was welcomed by the scent of coconut. I squeezed some lotion into my hand, massaged it thoroughly into my bronzed skin and tossed the bottle back into the bag.

My gaze was drawn to a couple of children building a sand castle along the water's edge. Colorful buckets and plastic shovels were scattered around them. They both giggled when a wave wrapped around the castle, filling the moat they had created.

I few yards away, a young couple strolled lazily along the beach hand in hand. They must be newlyweds, I thought to myself. Behind them, an older couple walked briskly side by side as if it were their daily routine. They looked equally happy and perfectly content with their surroundings.

I rested my back against the sand and closed my eyes again. The sun's blaze warmed my skin and I watched as the red blotches melded behind my eyelids.



"Heeeellooooo. Earth to Sara. Wake up." A familiar woman's voice called.

My eyes flew open and I sat up in my chair, confused. "Huh? Uh...what were you saying, Emily?" I asked in a groggy voice.

Emily cleared her throat and tapped her perfectly manicured nails on the desk beside me, "You fell asleep...again. That's like the fourth time this week. Maybe you should take a vacation."

I nodded and mumbled, "I know." I couldn't disagree. It had been almost two years since my last vacation.

I straightened my back, took a deep breath and stood up. "I guess there's no time like the present," I said, smiling brightly. I turned the corner of our dull gray cubicle and glanced back at Emily.

She waved a hand over her shoulder and said, "Good luck, Sare. Mr. Collingsworth has been on a rampage all day."

I stopped dead in my tracks and cursed inwardly. There's always tomorrow. Asking for time off didn't seem impossible, but asking Mr. Collingsworth for time off was going to require a miracle. I spun on my heels and retreated back to the lifeless cubicle, slumped down in my chair and stared at my computer's tropical, sandy beach wallpaper.