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Nový zasadací poriadok je nová časť seriálu Medzi nami, pripravená ako dvojjazyčný detský príbeh v slovenčine aj angličtine.
Nový zasadací poriadok: začína sa príbeh
Nela vošla do 8.B s rukávmi mikiny pretiahnutými cez dlane a so zápisníkom pritlačeným k boku. V triede už bolo teplo, hoci vonku sa cez okná tlačilo sivé ranné svetlo. Niekto sa smial pri skrinke na mobily, niekto si dopisoval domácu úlohu z fyziky a pri okne sedela Kaja s Filipom, ako skoro vždy.
Kaja mávala červenou fixkou nad otvoreným zošitom. „Hovorím ti, toto nie je graf. Toto je nehoda na ceste.“
„Je to moderné umenie,“ povedal Filip bez toho, aby sa na jej zošit poriadne pozrel. Vlasy mal rozstrapatené a na športovej bunde ešte kvapky z rannej cesty do školy. „Názov: Človek, ktorý zabudol pravítko.“
„Vtipné,“ odsekla Kaja, ale usmiala sa.
Nela si sadla vedľa nej a položila zápisník na lavicu. Pri okne sa jej sedelo dobre. Nebolo tam úplné ticho, to v 8.B nebolo skoro nikdy, ale človek mal aspoň pocit, že patrí do známeho obrazu. Kaja vľavo, Filip o lavicu za nimi, zvuk topánok na chodbe, okno, ktoré sa dalo otvoriť len po krátkom boji s kľučkou.
Adam sedel ďalej, pri treťom rade. Čierny batoh mal opretý o nohu lavice a mobil držal v dlani, hoci sa naň nepozeral. Skôr sledoval triedu. Nela si to všimla už viackrát. Nový spolužiak sa netváril stratený, ale jeho pohľad často preskakoval z jedného človeka na druhého, akoby si potajomky robil mapu.
Pri dverách sa zastavil Mišo a povedal dosť nahlas, aby ho počula polovica triedy: „Počuli ste, že triedny má dnes niečo nové?“
„Dúfam, že nové známky nie,“ ozval sa niekto zozadu.
„Možno konečne vymení tie stoličky, čo vrzgajú,“ povedal Filip. „Tá moja znie, akoby sa pri každom teste lúčila so životom.“
Kaja sa otočila k Nele. „Stavím sa, že zas vymyslel niečo nudné.“
Nela pokrčila plecami, no v žalúdku jej aj tak krátko stiahlo. Triedny učiteľ málokedy začínal týždeň slovami, že má niečo nové. A keď to urobil, zvyčajne sa všetci tvárili, že je im to jedno, kým sa nezačalo týkať práve ich.
O chvíľu sa otvorili dvere. Triedny vošiel dnu s doskami pod pazuchou, položil ich na stôl a chvíľu hľadal pero. Šumenie v triede nezmizlo hneď, iba zmenilo tvar. Smiech stíchol, hlasy sa stiahli do šepotu.
„Dobré ráno,“ povedal učiteľ. „Dnes začneme malou organizačnou zmenou.“
Filip sa naklonil dopredu. „To znie nebezpečne.“
Niekoľko ľudí sa zasmialo. Učiteľ sa naňho pozrel ponad okuliare, ale neusmial sa ani nezamračil.
„Máme nový zasadací poriadok. Skúsime ho aspoň do konca mesiaca. Potrebujeme, aby sa v triede lepšie pracovalo a aby ste sa trochu premiešali.“
Na sekundu nastalo ticho. Potom niekto vzadu nahlas vydýchol. Stolička pri okne zavŕzgala, keď sa Kaja prestala opierať dozadu.
„Prosím?“ spýtala sa tak potichu, že to počula len Nela.
Triedny vytiahol papier. „Nebude to dlho trvať. Keď prečítam mená, presuniete si veci.“
Prvé mená prešli bez veľkej reakcie. Dvaja chalani pri dverách sa na seba zaškerili, lebo ich učiteľ rozdelil na opačné strany triedy. Jedno dievča si potichu povedalo „super“, ale podľa tónu sa nedalo zistiť, či to myslí vážne.
Potom zaznelo: „Nela, druhý rad pri dverách, k Lenke.“
Nela zdvihla oči. Lenka bola v pohode. Tichá, presná, vždy pripravená. Lenže druhý rad pri dverách nebol pri okne. A nebol pri Kaji.
„Kaja, posledný rad pri okne, s Miou.“
Kaja sa ani nepohla. Iba fixkou urobila na okraji zošita príliš dlhú červenú čiaru.
„Filip, prvý rad v strede, vedľa Tomáša.“
Tentoraz sa Filip usmial hneď. „Takže budem mať výhľad priamo na tabuľu. Konečne školský upgrade.“
Tomáš sa z prvého radu otočil. „Len mi nehovor cez celé hodiny svoje múdre nápady.“
„Neboj, budem ich šetriť na dôležité chvíle,“ odvetil Filip.
Učiteľ pokračoval a Nela už počúvala opatrnejšie. Každé meno akoby niekoho posunulo o malý kúsok na mape, ktorú všetci poznali, ale nikto ju nekreslil.
Keď sa veci začnú meniť
„Adam, tretí rad pri okne, vedľa Sáry.“
V triede sa nič viditeľné nestalo. Práve to bolo zvláštne. Len pár pohľadov preletelo ponad lavice. Sára sedávala medzi ľuďmi, ktorí vedeli všetko prví: kto sa s kým pohádal, aký trend práve letí, kto sa dostal do školského tímu. Neboli zlí. Len okolo nich bolo vždy o trochu viac miesta, hlasov a záujmu.
Adam prikývol, akoby mu učiteľ práve oznámil číslo strany v učebnici. Keď však začal baliť veci, zips na peračníku mu dvakrát ušiel spod prstov.
Presúvanie lavíc a tašiek trvalo sotva pár minút. Aj tak sa trieda zrazu zdala iná. Nie väčšia ani menšia. Len každý sedel na mieste, ktoré malo nové okraje.
Nela si odniesla zápisník k dverám. Keď prechádzala okolo Kaji, chcela povedať aspoň niečo obyčajné, napríklad že sa uvidia cez prestávku. No kamarátka sa práve zdvihla so stoličkou v rukách a jej tvár bola príliš sústredená.
„No výborne,“ vyhlásila Kaja, keď položila tašku pri poslednej lavici. „Z okna mám teraz výhľad na celý môj bývalý život.“
Mia sa krátko zasmiala, ale hneď sa zahľadela do zošita. Kaja sa tiež usmiala. Trochu viac, než bolo potrebné.
Filip sa už usadil vpredu. Z novej lavice sa otočil a zdvihol ruku, akoby moderoval televíznu reláciu. „Priatelia, nezabudnite na mňa. Bol som kedysi jedným z vás.“
„Ty si stále len o dve lavice ďalej,“ povedala Nela.
„Tak to začína. Najprv dve lavice. Potom už len spomienky a spoločné fotky.“
Niekoľko spolužiakov sa zasmialo. Aj Nela, hoci jej pri tom nebolo úplne ľahko. Filipov hlas znel veselo, ale po každej vete sa na chvíľu pozrel do strán, aby skontroloval, či sa všetci smejú.
Hodina sa rozbehla. Triedny vysvetľoval plán na tento týždeň a písal na tabuľu termíny. Nela si robila poznámky, no medzi slovami o projektoch a písomke si zapisovala aj iné veci.
Kaja sa prestala otáčať po tretej napomienke. Filip sa prvýkrát neprihlásil, hoci odpoveď vedel. Adam sa pri okne usmial na niečo, čo mu Sára pošepkala, ale hneď nato si narovnal ramená, akoby si spomenul, že ho niekto sleduje.
Niektoré lavice pôsobili ako odmena. Iné ako trest. Nebolo na nich nič zvláštne, len ryhy od kružidiel, nálepky odlepené do polovice a žuvačka pod doskou. Napriek tomu všetci presne cítili, ktoré miesta znamenajú byť bližšie k stredu a ktoré byť trochu bokom.
Po zvonení sa trieda rozliala na chodbu. Kaja vyšla medzi prvými. Nela ju dobehla pri automate s nápojmi, kde sa už tlačili dvaja siedmaci.
„Hej,“ povedala opatrne. „To nové miesto nie je až také hrozné.“
Kaja stlačila tlačidlo na minerálku silnejšie, než bolo nutné. „Jasné. Úplná výhra. Sedím vzadu s Miou, ktorá za hodinu povedala asi tri slová. Môžem sa konečne stať lepšou verziou seba. Tichou.“
„Mia nie je zlá.“
„Ja som nepovedala, že je zlá.“ Kaja si vzala fľašu z otvoru automatu. Potom dodala: „Len je divné, že nás rozdelili. To je celé.“
Nela prikývla. Mohla povedať, že jej je to tiež divné. Namiesto toho sledovala bublinky stúpajúce vo fľaši. Bála sa, že by to vyznelo príliš vážne, príliš dotknuto. A možno Kaja nechcela počuť, že niekto iný cíti to isté.
Práve vtedy okolo prešiel Filip s Tomášom. „Nela, ak mi budeš chcieť niečo odkázať, pošli holuba,“ zavolal. „Z prvého radu je signál slabší.“
„To je preto, že tam musíš dávať pozor,“ povedala Kaja.
„Presne. Neľudské podmienky.“ Filip sa zasmial, no keď sa Tomáš odklonil k skrinke, jeho úsmev na moment zmizol. „Inak… je to celkom blbé, nie?“
Kaja sa naňho pozrela. „Takže aj tebe vadí, že už nemáš svoje publikum pri okne?“
„Ja som svoje publikum,“ odvetil automaticky.
Tým to na chvíľu skončilo. Kaja odvrátila zrak a Filip si prehodil tašku na druhé plece. Nela mala pocit, že medzi nimi ostalo visieť niečo malé a nepríjemné, ako roztrhnutý kúsok papiera, ktorý nikto nechce zdvihnúť.
Dôležitý okamih
Po ďalšej hodine sa Adam zdržiaval pri dverách triedy. Väčšina spolužiakov už bola na chodbe, no on si pomaly ukladal učebnicu do batoha. Sára sa s kamarátkami rozprávala o niečom pri okne a každú chvíľu sa naňho otočila.
„Tak čo, dobré miesto?“ spýtal sa ktosi z triedy. Nebol v tom výsmech, skôr obyčajná poznámka. Aj tak Adam trochu stuhol.
„Asi hej,“ povedal. „Mám aspoň okno. Keď bude nuda, budem pozorovať holuby.“
„Sára ti nedovolí nudiť sa,“ zaznelo spoza neho.
Adam sa usmial. Príliš rýchlo. „To je jasné.“
Nela vyšla na chodbu práve vtedy, keď si chlapec zapínal batoh. Chvíľu stáli pri dverách sami, len z vedľajšej triedy bolo počuť posúvanie stoličiek.
„Ten roh pri okne je vraj prestížny,“ povedala, skôr než stihla premyslieť, či to neznie hlúpo.
Adam zdvihol obočie. „Vážne? To mi nikto nepovedal pri slávnostnom odovzdávaní.“
„Nikto to nepovie nahlas.“
Chvíľu sa na ňu pozeral. Potom sa tichšie spýtal: „A ty to cítiš tiež?“
Nela prikývla. „Trochu. Ľudia sa tvária, že je to len sedenie. Ale potom presne vedia, kto kde skončil.“
Adam si rukou prešiel po popruhu batoha. „Ja neviem, či mám byť rád. Keď vyzerám rád, bude to divné. Keď nevyzerám rád, tiež.“
„Tak môžeš vyzerať normálne,“ navrhla.
„To je najťažšia možnosť.“
Tentoraz sa zasmiala naozaj. Adam tiež, ale iba krátko. Potom sa chodba znovu naplnila hlasmi a ich chvíľa sa stratila medzi ostatnými.
Ku koncu vyučovania už nový poriadok nepôsobil tak hlasno. Každý vedel, kam si má sadnúť, kam položiť tašku a od koho si môže požičať gumu bez toho, aby sa musel otáčať cez tri lavice. Práve preto si Nela všimla, čo sa zmenilo.
Kaja jej cez triedu už neukázala každú hlúposť, ktorú našla v zošite. Filip prestal hádzať pohľady smerom k oknu tak často ako ráno. Adam pri Sáre sedel pokojnejšie, ale zakaždým, keď sa niekto otočil jeho smerom, vyrovnal sa na stoličke.
Po poslednom zvonení Nela čakala pri skrinkách. Kaja prišla o chvíľu neskôr s batohom prehodeným len cez jedno plece.
„Ideš na autobus?“ spýtala sa Nela.
„Asi.“ Kaja zavrela skrinku. „Teda áno. Ak ma moja nová zadná lavica úplne nezmenila na tajomnú samotárku.“
„To by ti dlho nevydržalo.“
Kaja sa usmiala, tentoraz menej ostro. „Nie. Asi nie.“ Potom sa na chvíľu zahľadela dolu chodbou. „Len… zajtra si cez veľkú prestávku sadneme spolu, hej? Aj keby to bolo na parapete pri telocvični.“
„Jasné,“ povedala Nela hneď.
Filip ich dobehol pri schodoch. „Tak čo, prežili ste školskú reformu?“
„Veľmi ťažko,“ odpovedala Kaja.
„Ja tiež. Tomáš má v peračníku tri rovnaké perá a ani jedno nepíše.“
„To je fakt hrozné,“ povedala Nela.
„Ďakujem za podporu.“ Filip sa pozrel na Kaju. „Mimochodom, ten zadný rad sa dá prežiť. Kedysi som tam sedel. Človek tam aspoň vie, kto sa za ním smeje.“
Kaja pokrčila ramenami. „Tak super. Aspoň budem mať prehľad.“
Adam schádzal po schodoch za nimi. Keď ich míňal, Filip naňho kývol. „Prestížny roh, čo? Nezabudni na nás obyčajných ľudí.“
Adam sa tentoraz nezatváril napäto. „Pošlem vám pohľadnicu z okna.“
„Dones holuba,“ dodala Nela.
Chlapec sa usmial a pokračoval dolu schodmi. Nebola to veľká vec. Len malý vtip, ktorý nepatril nikomu proti nikomu.
Večer si Nela sadla za stôl. Lampa svietila na otvorený zápisník a nálepka s malou planétou sa jej odlepovala z rohu obálky. Najprv si napísala dátum. Potom dlho len pozerala na prázdnu stranu.
V triede sa dnes vlastne nič strašné nestalo. Nikto nekričal, nikto sa s nikým nepohádal. Napriek tomu mala pocit, akoby všetci celý deň chodili v trochu iných topánkach a skúšali, či ich netlačia.
Napokon napísala: Niekedy človek sedí inde, než kam patrí.
Pokračovanie nabudúce…
Between Us, part 1: New Seats
The Story Begins
Nela walked into 8.B with the sleeves of her hoodie pulled over her hands and her notebook pressed against her side. The classroom was already warm, even though the gray morning light was still pushing through the windows outside. Someone was laughing near the phone locker, someone else was finishing a physics homework task, and by the window Kaja and Filip were sitting together, as almost always.
Kaja waved a red marker over an open exercise book. “I’m telling you, this is not a graph. This is a road accident.”
“It’s modern art,” Filip said without really looking at her book. His hair was messy, and his sports jacket still had drops from his way to school. “Title: The Person Who Forgot Their Ruler.”
“Very funny,” Kaja snapped, but she smiled.
Nela sat down beside her and placed her notebook on the desk. The seat by the window felt right. It was never completely quiet in 8.B, not even close, but at least it felt like being part of a familiar picture. Kaja on the left, Filip one desk behind them, the sound of shoes in the hallway, a window that could only be opened after a short fight with the handle.
Adam was sitting farther away, in the third row. His black backpack leaned against the side of his desk, and he held his phone in his hand even though he was not looking at it. He was watching the class instead. Nela had noticed that many times already. The new boy did not look lost, but his eyes kept moving from one person to another, as if he was quietly making a map.
At the door, Mišo stopped and said loudly enough for half the class to hear, “Did you hear that our teacher has something new today?”
“Hope it’s not new grades,” someone called from the back.
“Maybe he’ll finally change those chairs that squeak,” Filip said. “Mine sounds like it’s saying goodbye to life during every test.”
Kaja turned to Nela. “I bet he’s making something boring again.”
Nela shrugged, but her stomach still tightened for a moment. Their teacher rarely started the week by saying he had something new. And when he did, everyone usually acted like they did not care until it started to affect them.
A moment later, the door opened. The teacher came in with folders under his arm, put them on the desk, and spent a moment looking for a pen. The noise in the classroom did not disappear right away. It only changed shape. Laughter faded, and the voices dropped into whispers.
“Good morning,” the teacher said. “Today we’re starting with a small change in organization.”
Filip leaned forward. “That sounds dangerous.”
A few people laughed. The teacher looked at him over his glasses, but he did not smile or frown.
“We have a new seating plan. We’ll try it at least until the end of the month. We need the class to work better, and we need you to mix a little.”
For a second, everything went quiet. Then someone in the back gave a loud sigh. A chair near the window creaked when Kaja stopped leaning back.
“Excuse me?” she asked so softly that only Nela heard it.
The teacher pulled out a paper. “It won’t take long. When I read your names, you’ll move your things.”
The first names passed without much reaction. Two boys near the door grinned at each other because the teacher had split them onto opposite sides of the room. One girl muttered “great,” but from her tone it was impossible to tell if she meant it seriously.
When Things Start to Change
Then came, “Nela, second row by the door, with Lenka.”
Nela looked up. Lenka was fine. Quiet, neat, always prepared. But the second row by the door was not by the window. And it was not next to Kaja.
“Kaja, last row by the window, with Mia.”
Kaja did not move at all. She only drew one too-long red line on the edge of her notebook with the marker.
“Filip, first row in the middle, next to Tomáš.”
This time Filip smiled right away. “So I get a perfect view of the board. Finally, a school upgrade.”
Tomáš turned around from the front row. “Just don’t give me your clever comments through the whole lesson.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll save them for the important moments,” Filip said back.
The teacher kept going, and Nela listened more carefully now. Every name seemed to move someone a little piece on a map everyone knew, even if nobody had drawn it.
“Adam, third row by the window, next to Sára.”
Nothing obvious happened in the room. That was what felt strange. Only a few looks moved across the desks. Sára sat with people who knew everything first: who had argued with whom, which trend was popular now, who had made it onto the school team. They were not mean. It was just that there was always a little more space, more voices, and more attention around them.
Adam nodded as if the teacher had just told him a page number in a textbook. But when he started packing his things, the zipper on his pencil case slipped twice from his fingers.
Moving the desks and bags took only a few minutes. Still, the room suddenly felt different. Not bigger or smaller. Just as if each person was now sitting in a place with new edges.
Nela carried her notebook to the door. As she passed Kaja, she wanted to say something ordinary, like that they would see each other during break. But her friend was already lifting her chair, and her face was too focused.
“Well, great,” Kaja said when she put her bag down by the last desk. “Now I’ve got a view of my former life from the window.”
Mia laughed briefly, then looked back down at her notebook. Kaja smiled too. A little more than she needed to.
Filip was already sitting in the front. From his new desk, he turned around and raised his hand like he was hosting a TV show. “Friends, don’t forget me. I used to be one of you.”
“You’re still only two desks away,” Nela said.
“That’s how it starts. First two desks. Then just memories and group photos.”
A few classmates laughed. Nela did too, though it did not feel completely easy. Filip’s voice sounded cheerful, but after each sentence he quickly looked to the side to check whether everyone was laughing.
The lesson started properly. The teacher explained the plan for the week and wrote the dates on the board. Nela took notes, but between the words about projects and tests, she also wrote down other things.
Kaja stopped turning around after the third warning. Filip did not raise his hand for the first time, even though he knew the answer. Adam, sitting by the window, smiled at something Sára whispered to him, but then he straightened his shoulders, as if he had just remembered that someone was watching.
Some desks felt like a prize. Others felt like a punishment. There was nothing special about them, just scratches from compasses, stickers half peeled off, and gum stuck under the wood. Still, everyone could tell exactly which places meant being closer to the center and which meant being a little on the side.
An Important Moment
When the bell rang, the class spilled out into the hallway. Kaja came out among the first. Nela caught up with her near the drink machine, where two seventh graders were already crowding in.
“Hey,” she said carefully. “That new place isn’t so terrible.”
Kaja pressed the mineral water button harder than necessary. “Sure. Total win. I’m sitting in the back with Mia, who said about three words in one whole lesson. I can finally become a better version of myself. Quiet.”
“Mia isn’t bad.”
“I didn’t say she was bad.” Kaja pulled the bottle out of the machine. Then she added, “It’s just weird that they split us up. That’s all.”
Nela nodded. She could have said it felt weird to her too. Instead, she watched the bubbles rise inside the bottle. She was afraid it would sound too serious, too hurt. And maybe Kaja did not want to hear that someone else felt the same.
Just then, Filip walked past with Tomáš. “Nela, if you want to send me a message, use a pigeon,” he called. “The signal from the first row is weak.”
“That’s because you have to pay attention there,” Kaja said.
“Exactly. Unhuman conditions.” Filip laughed, but when Tomáš turned toward the lockers, his smile disappeared for a moment. “Anyway… it’s kind of stupid, right?”
Kaja looked at him. “So you also mind not having your audience by the window anymore?”
“I am my own audience,” he answered automatically.
That was where it stopped for a moment. Kaja looked away, and Filip threw his bag over his other shoulder. Nela had the feeling that something small and uncomfortable was still hanging between them, like a torn piece of paper nobody wanted to pick up.
After the next lesson, Adam stayed by the classroom door. Most of the others were already in the hallway, but he was slowly putting his textbook into his backpack. Sára was talking with her friends by the window, and every now and then she turned to look at him.
“So, is the seat good?” someone from the class asked. There was no teasing in it, just an ordinary comment. Still, Adam stiffened a little.
“I think so,” he said. “At least I have a window. If it gets boring, I’ll watch the pigeons.”
“Sára won’t let you get bored,” came a voice from behind him.
Adam smiled. Too quickly. “That’s obvious.”
Nela came into the hallway just as he was closing his backpack. For a moment they stood alone by the door, while another classroom nearby filled the air with the sound of chairs being moved.
“That corner by the window is supposed to be pretty prestigious,” she said before she could check if it sounded silly.
Adam lifted his eyebrows. “Really? Nobody told me at the official ceremony.”
“Nobody says it out loud.”
He looked at her for a moment. Then he asked more quietly, “And do you feel that too?”
Nela nodded. “A little. People act like it’s just sitting. But then they know exactly where everyone ended up.”
Adam ran a hand over the strap of his backpack. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to be happy. If I look happy, that will be weird. If I don’t look happy, that’s weird too.”
“Then you can just look normal,” she suggested.
“That’s the hardest option.”
This time she really laughed. Adam did too, but only for a short moment. Then the hallway filled with voices again, and their small moment disappeared among the others.
What Comes Next
By the end of the day, the new seating plan did not feel so loud anymore. Everyone knew where to sit, where to put their bag, and from whom they could borrow an eraser without turning around three desks back. Because of that, Nela noticed what had changed.
Kaja no longer showed her every silly thing she found in the notebook across the room. Filip stopped looking toward the window as often as he had in the morning. Adam sat more quietly next to Sára, but every time someone turned his way, he straightened up on his chair.
After the last bell, Nela waited by the lockers. Kaja came a little later with her backpack hanging from one shoulder.
“Are you going to the bus?” Nela asked.
“I guess.” Kaja shut her locker. “Well, yes. Unless my new back-row seat has completely turned me into a mysterious lone wolf.”
“That wouldn’t last long.”
Kaja smiled, this time less sharply. “No. Probably not.” Then she looked down the hallway for a moment. “Just… tomorrow, let’s sit together during the big break, okay? Even if it has to be on the window ledge by the gym.”
“Of course,” Nela said right away.
Filip caught up with them near the stairs. “So, did you survive the school reform?”
“Very badly,” Kaja answered.
“Me too. Tomáš has three identical pens in his pencil case and none of them work.”
“That is terrible,” Nela said.
“Thanks for the support.” Filip looked at Kaja. “By the way, the back row can be survived. I used to sit there. At least you know who’s laughing behind you.”
Kaja shrugged. “Great. Then I’ll be able to keep track.”
Adam was coming down the stairs behind them. As he passed, Filip waved at him. “That prestigious corner, huh? Don’t forget about us ordinary people.”
This time Adam did not look tense. “I’ll send you a postcard from the window.”
“Bring a pigeon,” Nela added.
The boy smiled and kept going down the stairs. It was not a big thing. Just a small joke that was against no one.
That evening, Nela sat down at her desk. The lamp lit up her open notebook, and the sticker of a small planet was starting to peel off the corner of the cover. First, she wrote the date. Then she just stared at the empty page for a long time.
Nothing terrible had really happened in class today. Nobody shouted, and nobody argued. Still, she had the feeling that everyone had been walking in slightly different shoes all day, testing whether they fit.
In the end, she wrote: Sometimes a person sits somewhere else than where they belong.
To be continued…