Scrambles to his feet, hurry, messy, beats dust off his bum, his elbows, his knees, stands up straight. Yes Sir. Drop-dead silence in the lines behind.

Right Away, Sir.

He runs, leaning to the right on a limp, into the Acco. Kicks off his boots, stands in the shower for a minute. Drops the torn vest, sweat, blood blotches, grit on the floor. Pulls another vest on.

Hesitates a moment. Picks up the mangled remains and stuffs them, awkwardly, in the back of his cupboard. Trophy of his trying.

He is cowering in his shower. Global warming made his shirt sticky and the shower curtain nearly fell on his head and a large and ugly rat that was scared by it scurried across the path of his exit and is cowering behind the pot.
He sinks down into the tub and leaves a trail of wet, half-sweat half-bathwater on the white tiles. He will not leave a trace, or an impression. His brain is quite blank and it has been for a week and the presentation he has to make today is shoddy. He is avoiding getting out of the tub and putting on his tie and going to work because he does not want to present it. He wishes he had the courage to go to work dressed in only a tie because it is a lousy place to work and he doesn't have the guts or the initiative to quit.
The tap at the sink is leaking, but undramatically- wheezing and spitting like an old man, and he is guilty that he has put off fixing it for so long because he is wasting water, and because his old man sounds like he might go any day now. He feels guilty because he’s been putting off seeing him, his Own Father, but he doesn’t go because his father is unreasonable and crotchety and disappointed as old men are and have the right to be, only that he himself doesn’t want to have to be around while they’re doing it. He’s going to be one soon enough.
But since he's not, yet, he remembers that he also has to file his income tax- he earns quite decently, really, as he should for doing such godawful work, even though not too well and with no enthusiasm. He also needs to get his blood pressure checked, feels a little weak about the knees, is a little weak about the chin, and is trying desperately to grow a beard, or at least a goatee, to cover up, but he’s never been a testosterone type and the stubble refuses to grow up. Perhaps he really isn’t well- needs to go for a checkup- maybe he should just take the day off and deal with it tomorrow.

But- but- I try so hard! I try and- and- I do what I'm told, and- Nothing happens!

She is weeping bitterly, the little girl, and I do not know how to tell her.
I know what I must not say. That it is about fair and unfair. Or about what just -shrug of the shoulders- happens. Or about just Doing Your Best. And that It'll All Come Right In The End.

But how should I say that it's about waiting long enough. And then, if things really don't happen, about honestly finding out why. And then keeping on working to make it better.
I cannot say it because it sounds didactic and unsympathetic and because I do not have the words or the bond to explain.

So I hug her tightly and read her a fairytale. Hansel and Gretel, or maybe Cinderella.