“I don’t know. The really big one.”
“They’re both really big. I went to the monastery yesterday and saw the Tian Tan. It’s very peaceful.”
“You don’t seem peaceful.”
“I don’t want to be here. I just feel like—this is stupid, I know, but I feel like I shouldn’t have left you this soon. We were just beginning and you’re too far away. I can’t read you, can’t tell what you’re holding back.”
“Don’t stress, Jack. You’re probably operating on too little sleep. Jet lag’s making you paranoid.”
“You hung up on me last night, Britt. What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.”
“Okay, you’re sticking with fine as an answer. That’s unproductive but I’ll have to take it. Tell me something good that happened today. Did Marj have purple nails again?”
“They’re yellow this week. Something good....we had a cookie cake in the break room for somebody’s birthday.”
“Whose?”
“Does it matter? Free cookie cake!”
“I guess it doesn’t. Was there frosting?”
“Oh yeah. Neon pink. The kind that stains your fingers.”
“I missed out.”
“Yeah, you sure did.”
“I ate at a terrific dim sum place.”
“That’s good.”
“I asked the boss for an interpreter while I’m here. For the trainings.”
“Do they not speak English?”
“They speak English just fine. They don’t speak technology very well in the department I’m training this week. I’m having to go through my PowerPoint at half speed and they keep wanting print outs of the instructions. It’s soul killing.”
“Maybe your super genius software is beyond their ability.”
“No, this should be easy. I don’t get why they don’t understand.”
“What about your friend, the one you designed it with? What does he say?”
“He says they’re morons, just rush through the training, take the money and run.”
“Ah, brilliant PR. Tell the clients they’re stupid, don’t train them, then leave.”
“They’re not stupid. They’re just....I’m wondering if the interface isn’t user friendly enough. It did fine in focus groups and we have buyers clamoring for it, but if the people sitting in the cubes hate it, there must be a problem.”
“So tomorrow, or, well, today I guess it is, sit down with this group and ask them to explain what’s confusing to them. Maybe they all have the same misunderstanding and it’s fixable.”
“What if it’s all different problems?”
“Then maybe there’s a glitch in your software or else they’re stupid. Maybe both.”
“You’re so encouraging, Britt,” he said sarcastically.