She's *almost* broken....almost; eventually she will be one of us.

As staffers, we are all veterans of the office trenches.  Between the three of us we probably have almost a century's worth of experience (I'll just let that sink in.....and then quickly add; with EMPHASIS, that I am the youngest of the three); with the majority of that experience being with this particular company.

When a new woman joined our ranks about a year ago - we were dubious of her - despite her excellent background and years of experience.

Butter wouldn't melt in this woman's mouth.  She is ALWAYS calm, collected and very, very, very slow.  Not mentally slow, mind, but in her mannerisms and speech.  Very. Precise. And. Deliberate.

And she doesn't seem to have picked up the habit (yet) of cursing at her computer.

A lovely woman but she has the tendency to drive us all a little mad.  Particularly for the no nonsense, "I don't have time for this" Yankee among us.

We've joked amongst ourselves that if the building were ever on fire she still wouldn't move any faster than that stately pace she has mastered, oh so well.

Our bosses (particularly the BIG bosses) are volatile and unpredictable with ever changing schedules - and some of hers are the worst.  There has been many a time when we schedule a load of meetings on a seemingly "clear" day only to discover that "they" have been talking behind our backs and making plans that never seem to make it onto their calendars or into our ears until after we've scheduled a full day of meetings for them.

This, of course, necessitates a flurry of re-scheduling across the board.  We, the veterans, are used to this by now - and though sometimes (often) irritating we "roll with the punches" as it were.

But this one?  She hasn't been here long enough to get understand the process.  She's not been with us long enough to have suffered as we have suffered.

Until today.

After today, I think she may be coming around.

After a grueling round of scheduling, only to re-schedule again I went to her to inform her that her boss had just declined a meeting invitation - one that he NEEDED to be in.  There she sat, with her eyeliner smudged beneath her eyes and her hair slightly mussed.  And I heard her squeak exhaustedly, "WHAT?!"

With a sympathetic smile I left her to deal with the mess.  And went directly to one of the veterans to inform her that the unflappable was slowly becoming unraveled; that she just might be turning into one of us.

To which my no nonsense Yankee friend replied "We will know that she has been completely broken when we walk up to her with the news of another re-scheduling and she replies with 'F*#k! Are you KIDDING me?''"

She's almost there....I can see the cracks.