Back to School (5/7)
The next morning at work, Donna was away from her desk most of the
morning, helping Carol coordinate some briefings for CJ. When she
returned to her desk, there was a piece of paper sticking out of
Josh's calendar. When she pulled it out, it was a set of problems
with a note from Josh.
Donnatella-
I drew the short straw and had to go with the President to California
to see the damage done by the recent earthquake. I'll probably
be gone until Friday.
I really wanted to be able to help you study one more night for your
midterm. Instead, these problems are for you. I left the answers on
my desk, but you're not to look at them until you finish the
problems! And no cheating! Don't write the formulas on your
calculator or ask someone else for help. You know how to do these.
Just take a deep breath and focus on the end result.
Good luck. I know you'll do great. I'll be thinking about
you.
Josh
Donna read the note with tears in her eyes. She wished Josh
hadn't had to go with the President. She didn't feel as confident about
the test without him around, but she was determined to show him and
herself that she could do this.
She took the problems with her and did them at lunch, returning to
Josh's office to find the answers. Josh's desk was a mess and
it took a few minutes for Donna to find the folder marked with her
name. Inside were the answers, as well as detailed explanations for
the problems. Donna sat in Josh's chair, checking her work, happy
to see that she had gotten all the problems right.
She turned over the last answer sheet and found another note from
Josh.
Donnatella-
Since you got this far, I'm assuming you didn't get
frustrated or lost. I knew you could do it. You are one of the smartest women I
know, and a piece of paper from a university will never change that.
Open my bottom drawer for my good luck gift to you. I already miss
you.
Josh
Donna opened Josh's bottom drawer to find a red rose with a
rabbit's foot wrapped around the stem. Smiling through her tears, Donna left
her work and Josh's gift in his drawer until the end of the day,
so that she wouldn't have to answer questions about the rose.