Page 2 of Full Send

“About time,” I mutter, an audible sigh escaping me as I tune out the flight attendants announcement that’s still droning on in the background of the first class cabin. Lizzy silently nods in agreement. It’s Thursday afternoon, New Year’s Eve is in six days, and we’re finally in our seats and off on our way for a much needed getaway.

“Well, we’re in our seats and the door is closed. You know what that means. Vacation has officially started, Lizzy.” I can feel myself finally exhale and relax.

I mean at this point everything is literally out of my control, I’m not the pilot after all. With all of our work travel, we have become spoiled with free drinks on our flights, even short ones like this connecting flight from Salt Lake City, Utah to Jackson, Wyoming, where we got upgraded to first class thanks to our frequent flyer status.

I know the door is closed and it’s phones off time, but I still need to get this one last message out to Jeff, so he hopefully has enough for our presentation the week after next. Seriously does this guy ever take a break?! It’s the day after Christmas dude!

Monday he told me I was being turned down for a promotion I’ve been gunning at for years, again. Now he’s bugging me about Earth SnaX when I’ve had this trip planned all year? For fucks sake man.

Message sent. Ok, take a deep breath Veronica. Hopefully that’s enough to buy a few days of peace and quiet.

Lizzy eyes me as I put my phone into airplane mode at last.

“So what’d he want for Earth SnaX anyways? Aren’t they the snack bar company out in Oregon?” she asks. Although Lizzy and I both work at Fischer, she works in finance and only vaguely knows what I do on a day to day basis.

“Yeah… they’re the healthy snack bar maker that we just picked up as a client. So that’s his new pet topic that he can’t stop bugging me about right now,” I say, sighing as I slump into the comfortable first class seat. “We’re pitching them some cool ideas for sustainable packaging. It’s actually a fun project. I’m even starting to feel a bit invested in it.”

“So when’s the presentation again? Week after next?” Lizzy asks, sensing the slight change in my voice, knowing that I get excited about this project and working with them.

“Yep, while we’re still in Wyoming. I’m a little anxious about the meeting happening while we’re gone honestly,” I say, my eyes dropping to my hands as I nervously fiddle with my headphones, trying to plug them in to the seat back in front of me.

A quick laugh escapes Lizzy’s mouth. “Anxious? I love you, but you’re always high strung. So what is it now? You put together a killer set of marketing collateral for their new wrappers and bulk boxes. So what’s to worry about?”

I frown. “I don’t know. I just have a feeling that Jeff’s going to screw up the presentation and blame me or something. I wish it could have waited until I was back so I could just do it myself.”

Lizzy seems to sense my apprehension as we continue to talk about work, trying to shift the conversation a bit.

“Well, I guess if we have to make all those work trips, frequent flyer status is a decent perk after all, V. I could get used to more first class upgrades,” Lizzy says with her trademark eye roll.

I shrug, my heart not really in it.

“I guess you’re right.. but that isenoughtalk about work. Come on, let’s talk more about Jackson Hole. I’m dying to get back there finally.” The words coming out more forcefully this time.

Lizzy drops her eyes, face a little pink, and a brief hint of guilt flashes across her face. I think she got the message.

Less work. More fun. Come on, let’s go girl.

I have always been addicted to work, like my parents. My mom is a nurse, who worked mostly night shifts, while my dad is a regional sales manager for an industrial maintenance services provider. He is constantly traveling across the Midwest and Rust Belt visiting customers. While they were content to languish away in suburban Ohio, I wanted desperately to get away from home.

Unfortunately, life hasn’t exactly played out the way I thought it would. Eighteen year old Veronica would ask present day, burnt out Veronica,What the actual fuck are you doing?And she’s right, I ask myself this more and more these days and struggle to come up with a good answer most of the time. I’m thirty four, and what do I have to show for it besides living in my hometown, working at a job that doesn’t appreciate me, a job that I might actually be starting to hate?

While the work and the company wasn’t exciting during my intern days, I got great experience and there was room to advance, or so I thought at the time. I also lived at home, close to campus, and saved money. It was the smart, sensible thing to do. By the book, according to the plan.

Practical Veronica always winning out over Fun Veronica.

After graduating, I stayed on as a full time Marketing Specialist, and things were going well the first few years. I got some small promotions early on, I was making good money, there really wasn’t much to complain about. I kept busting my ass and putting in long hours. Just before my thirtieth birthday, I finally got to manage my own marketing team specializing in health and snack foods. It was all going according to plan at that point.

Fast forward five years, I’ve been passed over several times for a promotion to Marketing Director of North America, despite my outstanding performance reviews.

My path is seemingly blocked by out of touch old men, who probably should have retired years ago. What does a girl have to do to get past the good old boys club?

My boss, Jeff Flaherty, certainly isn’t doing me any favors. He’s a squirrel brained micromanager, who needles me about random, different topics out of the blue throughout the day on chat and by text.

Hello.

Hey.

Veronica.

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