Page 31 of My Boss

Jesus, I’m about to pee. I retreat to the bathroom. And there is an even bigger mess than in the kitchen. Dirty clothes are spilling out of the hamper onto the floor, the mirror looks like a store window festooned with fake Christmas snow, the sink and bathtub are as black as in a miners’ bathhouse, and a line of shit is visible inside the toilet bowl. It stinks like the city’s piss pot. Apparently, Karol hadn’t flushed the toilet for a week.

I wrinkle my nose and traditionally pee standing up.

I didn’t think Karol could be such a pig. When he was working in the corporate world, he could afford a cleaning lady who cleaned his apartment twice a week. It seems that after he let her go, his true nature was revealed—Carolus slobbus vulgaris.

Damn, even the soap is gone! Sheesh.

“Karol, get your rubber gloves, we need to declutter your shack!” I come out of the bathroom and don’t believe it.

My boyfriend is again sitting in front of the TV playing some damn shooting game.

“Chill. I’ll just finish this son of a bitch, and we’ll have fun in the bedroom. It’s clean there.”

I walk quickly to the bedroom, swing the door open and the stench of jizz hits me. It makes me sick.

A creased battered quilt on the bed, three piles of clothes on the floor, with crumpled tissues among them… At least I know where the stench is coming from.

I throw up my hands!

“If you jerk off, at least you could clean up afterwards!” I fling the window wide open. “Come over here and get those cummy wipes out of here!”

Silence.

“Karol!”

“Yeah?”

“Clean up this mess! I’ll take care of the kitchen.”

No answer.

I leave the bedroom and go back to the room.

Karol is sitting on the couch. His gaze is fixed on the screen, he’s all tense, his fingers move quickly on the pad. He looks like he’s in a trance.

“Can you hear me?” I stand next to him and put my hands on my chest.

“Yep.”

“What did I say?”

“That… Oh fuck, the son of a bitch surprised me!” He jumps up on the couch. He starts moving his thumbs on the joysticks as if he had springs instead of phalanges.

Okay, I’ve had enough.

“I’m leaving. When you grow up and clean up, let me know.”

“Yep.”

Yep? Suit yourself.

I’m thirsty as hell. I get up from my desk, take my glass, wander through the deserted open space and go to the employee lounge. Not a soul around. Where has everyone gone?

Being there, I pour water from the cooler and drink it in one gulp. Oh, how good it is. I feel totally dehydrated today.

I hear a voice right behind me. “I was thinking about your text message.” I turn around and see Engler. He is standing in front of me in a gray triple-breasted suit, giving me the once-over.

I’m racking my brain trying to figure out which text message he is referring to, but I don’t remember any. Was I supposed to prepare something? Brain freeze. My mind goes totally blank all of a sudden.

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