Provided by Katharine, this prompt was simply that you’ve been invited to your boss’ house for dinner and while wandering to find the bathroom, you manage to break a vase. React.

My reaction:

I was just backing up, looking for those stupid towelettes to dry my hands, when I bumped something. I froze. There was that moment when you have hope, when you think, “Maybe this is no big deal. I just bumped a corner table or something, and all will be fine, no harm, no foul”–but then comes the crash.

And it’s a loud crash, followed by the brittle sounds of ceramic shards scattering in all directions like shrapnel, with some bouncing off my shoes.

Crap.

OK, Plan A: Blame the cat. Was there a cat? Does she have a cat? I don’t think I saw a cat. Dammit.

Plan B: Blame that annoying intern working in finance. Just say she butted in while you were washing your hands, and she hip-checked the corner table. Sounds completely plausible. But wait, isn’t she on vacation in Toledo this week? Dammit.

“Hey Tomek, is everything OK up there?”

Crap. OK, Plan C: A microburst. The window was open and the humidity of the running water in the sink combined with a sudden dense, high pressure system just outside the window to create a massive down-draft, and…

“Tomek? I thought I heard a crash. Is everything OK? Do you need help?”

Crap crap crap. OK, Plan D:

But before I could come up with another idea, three sharp knocks on the door.

“Tomek?”

Cornered, there was nothing I could do. I sheepishly opened the door, and there she was. My mind went completely blank.

Her gaze fell to the floor, and the wreckage at my feet.

“I am so sorry. I was just…” I started, but she waved her hand and stepped past me. She rummaged around in the debris on the floor before settling on a shard, and turned back to me. She held it up to my nose, where I saw the Walmart price tag indicating it had cost $3.99.

“I have kids, you know. Now stop being an idiot and join us back downstairs.”

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