the holiday party

"So, Nathan, will you be joining us at the holiday party this Saturday?" asked the partner.

Nathan looked up at her from his computer monitor and responded. "No, unfortunately...I didn't really have time to ask anyone."

Nathan was being honest. In between studying for his CPA exam, travelling abroad for work, and working day and night for weeks on end, he had no time to ask anyone, let alone find a real-life date. The partner, however, remained unconvinced.

"Nathan, that's no excuse. You should come and find yourself a date."

Nathan bit his tongue. Hanging out with co-workers sounded like a waste of a perfectly good Saturday. However, Nathan couldn't think of another way out and could only offer a glib smile back.

"Really, though," she continued, "you should come. And dress up a little. Wear a tuxedo. You'll look great."

Nathan simply nodded - there'd be no weaseling out of this one. "You know," Nathan answered, "on second thought, maybe I will come to the party. And maybe I will wear a tux!"

The partner seemed pleased at this answer. "Good," she responded, "I'll see you there then." Nathan grinned awkwardly and promptly performed a Google search for tuxedos. To his dismay, a thousand-plus results for tuxedos popped up on his screen. "Fantastic" he muttered. 

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Dressed in a full-on tuxedo, Nathan made his arrival that Saturday at the hotel ballroom. After checking in his coat and helping himself to a glass of wine, he began looking for his boss. He planned to chit-chat with her for a few minutes and then make a quiet exit. He soon found her and her husband at one of the food stations, helping themselves to appetizers. 

"Nathan!" she cried out, glad but none too surprised at his presence. "Glad you could make it."  

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

After exchanging some more pleasantries, Nathan thought it prudent to take his leave. After saying goodbye to his boss, he soon ran into his good friend Gary. While he initially wanted to leave as soon as possible, he figured that while was there, he might as well make the most of his night. 

"Nathan!" shouted Gary. "Long time no see!" he added before giving Nathan a bear hug. Gary reeked of cigarette smoke and it was soon apparent to Nathan that his friend was very, very drunk.

Gary and Nathan made some small talk before Gary asked the question. "So," Gary asked tentatively, "Have you heard anything about layoffs?"

Nathan's brow furrowed. Yes, he had heard plenty about the layoffs his company was having. However, he didn't want to spend his night talking about them.

"No, not really," Nathan responded, "I know it's going to get worse before it gets any better. There are a few rounds of layoffs planned, but all we can do is hope for the best, right?"

Gary took in a deep breath and nodded glumly. "Yeah, but we're all talking about it. Management's been tight-lipped about it and we're all wondering how deep the cuts are going to be."

"Ah, c'mon man," Nathan replied helpfully, "don't think about it. You can't control that. You can only do your best and hope it's the other guy, right?"

Nathan hoped that this conservation was an isolated incident, but over the course of the night, he found the topic inescapable. The economy had everyone on edge and virtually all of his co-workers were panicked over it. Every conversation seemed to start well enough before degenerating into a discomfiting discussion over cuts and job security.

Weary of having another conversation, Nathan made his way to a more isolated part of the ballroom. Enjoying a quiet moment alone away from the madness of the party, he began to reflect. It was hard trying to stay positive. His grandmother had just passed away a few months earlier. The economy sucked. Work was eating him alive by sending him to faraway but undesirable locales around the world, away from the comfort of friends and family. Lastly, he was unsure about whether he was going to pass the CPA - his only short-term goal for the past three years. As his earlier credits were about to expire, a failed grade on his latest attempt would mean that he'd have to start all over again - a scary thought.

And yet, he felt bullish about the new year. He had given his best effort and persevered. 2008 did not turn out the way that he had hoped, but he believed that good things were in store. And in a difficult year with not a lot to celebrate, that would have to suffice for now. Taking a final sip from his wine glass, he set it down and made his way to his friends on the dance floor, eager to make the most of the moment.