Too quiet

It's always quiet at work. Today, more so. A couple people missed work and some came in later than usual, so the big room was empty when I walked in. When people did turn up, everyone was subdued. L had called Mariana's family in Brazil to offer condolences. They are distraught, he said. Later, L & C called them again from work. C had been talking to Mariana's husband; he won't schedule a memorial until he knows when (and whether) her mother & sister can be here. It seems Brazil and the US are mildly displeased with each other and showing it by being snotty about issuing temporary visas to each other's citizens. L's liaising with the embassy here to get the paperwork in order.

The grief counselor guy showed up a little before two. K briefed him, or tried to. I heard her. Then we all pulled up chairs for circle time. Grief counselor guy called her "Maria." I corrected him firmly. GCG started an obviously rote spiel about losing a coworker. P walked out. (He said later it was because GCG hadn't even had enough respect to take off his hat. K did tell GCG that there were a lot of different cultures-of-origin in the office to contend with; I guess it didn't occur to GCG that "upper-class British" was one of the possibilities.) The hour seemed interminable, but at last it ended.

The ritual of having a ritual seemed to work, though. People began talking in normal voices again. We partook of the fruit basket A (our remote colleague) had sent.

This still totally sucks.


Today's earrings: scarabs

Bedtime reading: Decider, Dick Francis