Alice In Office Hell

Alice In Office Hell
© Surazeus
2015 12 18

Pausing at the glass door of the clean bank,
Alice shudders sick at the memory
of her new boss, Paul, caressing her back,
and smiling as he says, with leering eye,
"How pretty you are, my sweet honey pie."

Walking to the small park across the street,
where young children play while their mothers watch,
Alice sits on the bench by an oak tree
in her elegant business suit and cries.
"I need to earn money to pay the bills,
buy food to eat, and pay for my new car,
and it will take me thirty years to pay
the student loan for my business degree.
I am trapped in this clean and shiny hell
where I earn less than men for the same work.
I wish I could escape to live in peace
but I will not jump from a tower roof
like Evelyn McHale to escape hell,
for I love my life and want to enjoy
all the pleasures available to those
who work hard to earn a fair living wage.
I will ignore him and do my job well."

Alice stands and smooths her elegant skirt
then walks bold across the busy street,
determined to grow beyond his abuse,
and a red shiny car crushes her life.