When the Price of Being Nice is Too High
FICTION
Image by Thought Catalogue on Unsplash
Louise took a sip of her drink and rubbed her chin as she contemplated her choice. It was not one to be made lightly, after all her decision would determine her future. Her thoughts were interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. It was her friend Laura.
“Thanks for coming at such short notice. I need your help,” she began.
Laura nodded, shook her head, threw her arms up and occasionally interjected with a piece of advice as she listened to Louise’s story.
“You’re gifted, intelligent and have a good education. It’s time you took action,” she finally said as she patted Louise’s hand. Louise nodded then leaned over to whisper something in Laura’s ear.
“That’s wonderful news!” Laura exclaimed. “So, what are you going to do about it?”
“My sister could go.”
“Your sister? Tell me how that works out when we next meet. Seriously though Louise, you need to get your act together and start showing the world what you have to offer instead of being used. And pray of course.”
"As in "lead us not into temptation?""
“Hey, don’t look at me – I know a short-cut!” Both women laughed.
Of course Louise wasn’t going to send her sister to interview for her dream job but she hated interviews so much she wished she could. Although she felt stuck in her job, loathing her manager who got all the credit for her hard work, she rarely applied for new jobs. She hoped things would go well this time.
She turned to hug Laura. “I better go. I’m meeting James for dinner.”
“What, the neighbour who cooked dinner for you last Sunday? Hhmm, sounds promising,” Laura added winking.
“He only wanted my opinion of his cooking, that’s all,” Louise argued, secretly hoping it wasn’t all.
Laura’s view was that talent, intelligence and good looks got you nowhere if you didn’t use them to make your voice heard, and get ahead in life.
“Think of yourself as a product on a supermarket shelf. You need to package and market yourself well otherwise no-one will want what you have no matter how good the content is. It applies right across the board – business and personal,” she would lecture.
Well, it looked like she’d been wrong on the relationship aspect. Louise had done nothing to attract James. He was a good friend who sought her opinion frequently, and now he’d invited her to dinner.
Arriving at the restaurant Louise paused by the door and scanned the place trying to locate James. He saw her first and waved her over. He had company, a pretty young woman with long braids. Feeling conscious of her looks she took a deep breath and walked over to them.
“Louise, I’d like you to meet my fiancée, Angela,“ James introduced the woman at the same time pulling out a chair for her.
“You have such good ideas I thought you might help us with our wedding plans,” he finished.
Louise felt her head spinning as it dawned on her that she had been used yet again. The memory of Laura’s words to her earlier stung but Loise’s smile remained plastered on her face as she replied, "I actually came to apologise personally. I double-booked myself this evening so I really cannot stay. But good luck with your plans."
She walked out of the restaurant with her head held high, but couldn’t stop the stabbing pain in her chest, her hammering heart, or the sting in her eyes. She let the tears flow freely.
Laura was right. It was time she re-branded herself, she reflected bitterly.