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28
28A FEW MINUTES LATER
A few minutes of thought and reaching an epiphany, Thando left the car and walked inside the building ready to kickstart the day. Everyone moved up and down already, surely it was going to be a long and busy day.
Zandi: finally, you’re here. Come with me. We have an emergency.
Thando: good morning, Ms. Ndlela.
Zandi: hi, Thanduxolo, follow me to the conference room now.
Thando: ouch, okay.
After being called his full name as if he sinned, Thando trailed behind Zandi to the conference room. First look and scan into the room, it did seem like there were indeed handling an emergency. It was early in the morning, and he already did not like the tense mood and seriousness on everybody’s face. This day surely was going to take a tool on him and his already hindering energy.
Sandile: team, I am not going to push blame or even point fingers at anyone for this mistake. I feel as responsible. I know everyone feels like they’re pushed into a corner right now, but we really must rush and nip things in the bud with this campaign. The team in charge of the Tutti Fruit campaign, please see me later in the office. For now, does anyone have any idea how to solve this mess?
Thando: what mess?
Zandi: [whispering] scan the folder in front of you. About the print on the product, there’s an error somewhere there and social media is bashing us with Tutti ready to take things to court as this defames their brand.
Sandile: I would have thought everyone in this room is briefed and knows what’s going on. Mr Intern, don’t you read your emails?
Thando: I apologize.
Sandile: that won’t be enough, we have a problem to solve before legal war roars.
Sara: to chip in, when and how did we land Tutti again?
Zandi; probably 2 weeks ago, and they messaged us on social meeting, the meeting about the product was virtual too. Only the VP came for signing the contract and he was barely here for 5 minutes too.
Sara: did anyone from their side ask to verify everything before the ad went on their platforms? Because it was in the contract, and it is just standard procedure for the client to verify and check if the work is to their taste and meets the idea they had in mind.
Sandile: and your point is?
Sara: we made it very clear that the time is a little pressing to provide quality work for the Tutti Fruit campaign, but their VP insisted that we go ahead. I remember pulling two all-nighters with the rest of the team in the studio to get the perfect images. And now that things are falling apart because of the pressure they put on us, they want to sue. Funny to me---
Sandile: I hear you. But they’re the client and you know where we stand with customer service.
Sara: but director---
Sandile: please--- let’s just request a meeting with them and see how things pan out after that.
Zandi: I will get in touch with the VP of Tutti.
Sandile: thank you. You can all be dismissed then.
SANDILE’S OFFICE
A FEW MINUTES LATER
Sara: Zandi is still on the phone with the VP of Tutti, so I came here in here place.
Sandile: and the intern?
Sara: he was on the campaign too---
Thando: I can leave I f I am not needed here.
Sandile: no, stay. This is the only way to learn.
Sara: so, why are here?
Sandile: we have a chance to land another deal with an electronics company this time. So, I have arranged to meet and pitch to them. The meeting is out of town so, I thought we’d leave this evening and probably come back a day or two later.
Sara: that’s kind of an inconvenience for me but--- for work, it is totally fine.
Sandile: intern?
Thando: for work--- anything. I will make sure to be there prepped and ready sir.
Sandile: okay, that was all. You can update Ms Ndlela later. You guys can go back to work.
Sara: yes, sir.
Thando trailed behind Sara feeling a little bad about himself. He felt the cold nudge Sandile was putting on. He was this beloved cool director everyone admired and that made him feel totally small. It was at work, he understood but some of his actions were somewhat uncalled for to him. Like being called dump and put on the spotlight in a meeting.
Sandile called out to him as Sara disappeared out of sight.
Sandile: intern? A second? Please close the door.
Thando: I don’t think this is right.
Sandile: I am your superior, I have every right to call you to my office.
Thando: must be nice, yeah? What the hell was that at the conference room?
Sandile: so that offended you?
Thando: what did you think?
Sandile: how did you expect me to treat you? This is work--- we must be professional. If I had let that go, how would I have looked in everyone’s eyes? I thought at least that you would understand.
Thando: professional? Is you tugging my waits right now professional? Let me go! You’re so frustrating.
Sandile; okay, I am sorry about what happened in the conference room. I will be cautious going forward.
Thando: that is not enough. I want you to talk. I want to have a conversation with you--- about everything. This may not be the place to raise this, but I will, I feel uneasy every time we do this. I can’t properly enjoy my time with you without knowing what you have been up to for the past 7 years. You don’t want to talk; you always dismiss me when you see things are getting too serious. I feel stuck and I don’t know I am doing with you. I feel like I am in a cycle of endless darkness and uncertainty. I need affirmation and assurance from you that you know what we’re doing and you’re in a 100% percent. I want you to let me in… in your heart without holding this time. I want to sleep knowing I will wake up and you’ll be there. I don’t want to take another breath wondering where you are with whom and what you are doing. I don’t want to think about you and be clouded with worry. I want to feel warm in my chest every time I think about, I want my heart to flutter and threaten my life every time I think of you, hear your name of. I want to get chills all over my body again when I smell your scent. I don’t want this half-hearted Sandile you’re giving me. I don’t want this Sandile with secrets, the Sandile who doesn’t want to talk about the past. No, I do not want him. Please come back to me, huh?
Sandile stood stunned and all he could do was hug Thando closer and lean on his shoulder holding back tears.
Thando: are you crying?
Sandile: no.
Thando: then---
Sandile: can we stay like this for a few minutes… please.
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