The Zoom meeting was dragging on like a snail. Caroline smacked the table with the pen in her hand, half listening to her boss who was speaking about quarterly targets and teamwork. Her camera was off, her mic supposedly muted, and her attention was fully on the steaming bowl of catfish pepper soup she just finished preparing.
She glanced at her laptop screen, nodding her head absentmindedly. Caroline rolled her eyes somehow in anger and rested back on her chair. She moved the bowl of pepper soup closer to her and took a small sip, as she couldn't take her mind off it. "This is much better than this corporate shit," she murmured.
"I can't believe I cooked this. Oh wow, this is delicious," she said with a bright smile.
"Caroline?" she called herself and answered, "Yes, you are a good chef, no doubt," she concluded.
"This pepper soup can melt a stone heart like Mr Gold's. I'm sure there is lots of work awaiting me on Monday, oh gosh," Caroline continued.
"If I should hear anything like targets one more time, I swear I'm quitting this circus and becoming a farmer on a deserted island somewhere in Asia," Caroline said, and then she heard laughter. It then dawned on her that she was not only speaking to herself anymore and that what she just said was not in her head.
"Caroline", her boss said with a puzzled expression. "Did you perhaps say something?"
Her stomach dropped. She looked at the mute icon; it was grey instead of red.
"Not red?" her brain spiralled, "oh my God, no no no no," panic flooded her mind. She had absolutely not been on mute.
"Oh my gosh, how did I fall into such a trap?" she said in her mind. "Is he going to fire me now?" she continued thinking.
Several thoughts were running through her mind; she didn't know whether to apologise or stay mute. At that point, she wished she could turn back the hands of time.
Her manager blinked. "A farmer? I'm sure you'll be rearing catfish because you've been praising yourself all along," he said.
The meeting was dead silence until Jola, the secretary, unmuted and said, "Honestly, the Asian continent is a place to be, but which country in particular?"
People began chuckling, then outright laughter. Someone clapping, "I guess Caroline has a good call for Asia for us all," said Ayo from the accounting department.
The boss also cracked a smile. "Let me know the country of your choice, Caro," he said.
Caroline was scared to death, but she laughed along, half from relief, half from embarrassment.
After the meeting ended, she received a message from her boss.
From Mr Gold
"Don't let your travelling catch me unaware; pre-inform me when you find a country of your choice."
Caroline chuckled.
From that day on, Farmer Caroline became her nickname in the office. They all laugh and joke about it, and as for Caroline, she never trusted the mute button again.
Thanks for your time, and your comments will be appreciated.