30 Minutes in the Counselors’ Office

The school counselors’ office is dead silent except for the typing of the computer. The lady moves from her desk directly across from the chairs of the waiting room and moves down the hallway and out of view.

The rustling of papers and desks and feet are the loudest sounds in the room.The lady at the desk returns a minute later. The printer buzzes for around a minute, first loud, and then just a soft dull that somehow radiates throughout the entire room. Someone returns to the printer again- there is another huge whir and the simple dull settles in on the office.

Posters litter the wall of the waiting room, all advertising different ways to protect or advertise the community. The woman at the desk is having a conversation with someone down the hall, she laughs and they continue to talk about music shows and Olympics and other things they enjoy. Their conversation goes on and on and feature a variety of topics that all have something to do with music and singing. They have been talking for at least two minutes

“Her voice is so beautiful,” said the woman at the desk about the artist they have been speaking about.

The bell sounds loud and clear, signaling the end of lunch. The hallway outside the office is now filled with voices.

“My mom is so homesick now that the Germans have come,” said one girl.

Others are singing out the name “Sarah!”

Now the sound of feet is the only thing that betrays the presence of the students and teachers outside. Some feet are heavy and some are soft. The bell sounds again.

The two ladies continue their conversation about singers. They laugh and laugh and laugh and talk about movies and music.

Eventually, the room returns to silence and the office gets back to work.