Pre-workout prep with the efficiency expert

Carmen shows up at 6:45am looking like she stepped out of an athleisure catalog. Hair perfect, matching set, shoes already laced. Meanwhile I’m still negotiating with a piece of hair that apparently decided independence was the goal this morning.

Pre-workout prep with the efficiency expert

The contrast is honestly impressive. She’s doing calf stretches against my bathroom wall while I’m three coats deep into making my lashes look like I didn’t just roll out of bed twenty minutes ago. This is why Carmen gets promoted at work and I get comments about my “creative approach to punctuality.”

Carmen: efficiency in motion. Me: still figuring out this one piece of hair.

By the time we’re actually ready to leave, she’s been fully prepared for approximately twelve minutes while I’m still braiding the rebel section that escaped my bun attempt. But she waits patiently, which is either friendship or she’s secretly documenting my chaos for future blackmail material.

Jake emerged from his office just long enough to witness this production and retreat back to his coffee. Smart man.