Gromit Bueller's Day Off

My Dear Princess and Dear Friends,

Today I came into work to find a pink dinosaur - a parasaurolophus to be precise - guarding a packet of macaroons on my desk. 

(See extra).

Welcome to the world of Shenée.

I learned relatively recently that Shenée loves dinosaurs. I mean, REALLY loves them. Shenée is a lover of many things . She is a woman whose intellect will not just alight on a subject - once something or someone has her attention - it has her FULL attention. And dinosaurs are one of those things. 

Fazzi's little girl Haniah found this out a couple of weeks ago and immediately started drawing a picture of a brontosaurus for Auntie Shenée.

"Oh yes, I've made friends with so many six year olds," Shenée told me before adding. "Wait. That sounds way dodgier than I meant it to."

However, this parasaurolophus was to hold the desk next to hers so we could sit together. The macaroons were just because. 

Shenée explained she'd been having a tough week while I'd been on the road. She has been dealing with an absolute effwit at work, some small-minded, incompetent, scared little bureaucratic turd who has been giving her a hard time to cover for his own inadequacy.

I shall spare you the detail but the story ends with her humiliating this clownish toolspank and forcing him into an embarrassing climbdown. 

But each of these battles takes its toll upon her. This time, it has made her physically ill. She complained her chest felt tight and bruised and sore. And I was sorry I had not been around earlier to talk to. 

I decided a nice lunch was required and she was very excited at the prospect. "Let's not come back!" she suggested. 

In fact, I'd been planning on taking a half-day today anyway - I reckon I make up the time with the external hours I do, so I wasn't cheating anyone. And I also suggested bringing her boyfriend Craig in on the action too. I figured if anyone could lift her spirits, he certainly could. And indeed, at the mere mention of his name, she lit right up.

This is how the three of us ended up having yum cha in a Chinese restaurant on Cuba Street thirty minutes later. And can I just pat myself on the back at this point? Because Craig was fun and funny and Shenée was smiley and happy within SECONDS.

Unfortunately he had to go back to work (for some reason, I mean, honestly what the hell). But Shenée was by now fully into Shenée's Day O' Fun.  

She took me to one of her favourite places - Counter Culture - a board game cafe, where you can choose from over 900 board games to play while enjoying snacks, coffees and even beers. Honestly, Auslaender, you  would LOVE this place. See pictures in the extras. 

And it was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. I've never seen Shenée so happy. It turns out that board games are another of the things she LOVES. I think the only way Counter Culture could be improved for her, would be if all the staff were dinosaurs. 

So I spent the rest of Friday afternoon sitting with Shenée and playing "Rick and Morty Cluedo" with her. She had a GREAT time and I was just happy to see her happy.

"You're Mr. Poopybutthole," she told me. 

I bought her hot chocolate and a cookie anyway.

Delighted with her lot, she had heaps of fun and then Craig came back from work to take her to her beloved chickens on the farm. 

I can't undo the damage done by the small minded dolts unworthy of their position. But I can free Shenée from their influence for a while. 

I hope she feels better now and that the tightness in her chest is loosened and that she's now having the best evening with Craig and her favouritest chicken, Crookie. 

She's an amazing PM and a thoughtful, funny, endlessly surprising friend. I'd like to be the best BA and the best friend I can be in return. 

S.

p.s. Mr. Poopybutthole is a character from Rick and Morty. And to be honest, I do look a bit like him.