It's a Wash

“Hold on I need to use a different headset, it seems as though our connection is weak,” she said nervously fumbling about to find another audio set. She then offered her apology for not knowing fully how to use the Apple computer she had borrowed from a friend just for this follow up Zoom. This was extremely important Zoom. It was the first follow up to the only interview Myta Khondros had had in nearly 8 months after COVID had taken her job. Dawson replied, “I can hear you now. I just wanted you to hear me extend our offer to have you come onboard with us our new Financial Data Expert.” She almost let out a shriek in excitement. She had just packed up some things ready to move in with a friend after maintaining on her diminished savings. But things would be better now. She could get back on track with her first job of ‘21. “Oh my gosh. Thank you so much, I am grateful for the opportunity.”

Dawson told her she would need to supply her own monitor, keyboard, and computer yet they were reimbursable expenses after the 3 months. Myta would now need to hunt down her equipment as money was very tight. She searched online for deals and applied for financing, yet she had a loan go into default trying to stay afloat with rent and bills that caused each one to say no. Finally, she headed up the street to the Mark Downe’s Electronics. With $567.50 left in her savings, she would need to make it work. She waited her turn in line and glanced briefly to the automatic doors to see a 50ish young man walk in the store with a box of equipment he undoubtedly was ready to sell to the shop. He gave her the warmest smile and wink. She returned with a humble smile and her gaze switched back to the line shortening before her until it was her turn. She reached the counter and explained to the clerk what she needed in a computer and equipment. He tapped on his computer searching for viable options to fit in her budget and just could not find any options or deals within any of their stores. She thanked the clerk for looking and turned quickly to leave. Forgetting the other patron behind her and she nearly ran him over. She bumped into him and his box knocking it almost out of his hands. She reached out to catch the falling box and he seemingly released it. She looked at him apologetically yet also quizzically and he told her “Well, I do not know what it’s worth but I’m sure my human would have taken $567.50 for it.” They are now gone and told me to find good spaces for all that they owned. She lowered her head in thanksgiving. He told her his person carried the small ebony computer notebook everywhere with them. “They were heavily into money exchanges; you know for good stock.” He assured her everything was functional and even extended his number for if anything was needed after including return.

She got home and thought, “that was pretty foolish Myta. what if it doesn’t work?” She took out the keyboard, a rather wide monitor. “Nice,” she said. Then she took out the little black notebook computer. “Voyo? I have never heard of it.” She shrugs and set the small handheld black computer notebook up on her desk on a tiny box. The screen was too miniature to use workwise she figured but it was powerful, and it held a lot of memory and software. She was impressed by how compact but mighty it was. She was ever more hopeful. She set it up next to her monitor and said, “It will have to do.”

The weeks rolled on and the little black processor did its job superbly. After weeks of videos and OJT, she would soon be flying solo cleaning up the books for multiple clients. The accountant managers and accountants she served under began to show and express their comfort in her work. “Thank you for how hard you are working. I am hearing people requesting you on their accounts. That’s good news if I have ever heard it” said Dawson slacked her. She smiled widely and bounced and rocked happily on her exercise ball. She went back to clacking loudly on her keyboard as she opened the last client of the hour. She had saved the monthly reconciliation of this client for last knowing that it was quite complicated with multiple banking accounts with money flowing in and out.

As she reconciled each account, and she was coming to the close and feeling a sense of satisfaction. She clicked the finish now button and expected and began to savor the impending $0.00’s and green light but and while all transactions were accounted for and cleared in the bank register and on the statement, she was $20,000 short. Myta panicked. She checked everything, rechecked the statements, checked for erroneously categorized transfers out of the account. She refreshed her page. She logged out and logged in and prayed for the green light, to be clear, washing her of any errors that could cost her this much needed position.

She couldn’t reach out to her manager or the lead controller all who had just complimented her work, gave her such a glowing review. She needed to get this corrected before the beginning of the next workday. She unplugged the little black computer. She folded it shut like the ledger book it was and placed it inside her handbag and headed for the internet coffee shop to sit with the books and rethink this process redo all that she had done. Maybe a different location would help her mind locate the deficit. She grabbed her jacket the charge cord and her purse and rushed out the door walking briskly to the corner shop. On the way she ran into her older neighbor Mrs. Felt going into the pharmacy. She had often told Myta how she didn’t sometimes get some of her medications as a trade for obtaining her diabetes regimen. Myta always wished it weren’t like this. Mrs. Felt told Myta she rarely saw her anymore and that she hoped she could catch up one day for coffee. She placed her hand on Myta’s shoulder and wished her a good evening as she went into the pharmacy. Myta smiled and continued down the sidewalk. She came to the doors of Quasi’s Home Cooked Diner and Bar. Quasi greeted her at the door, “Hey Myta, Wow it’s been a while since you have graced my place. How have you been?” She plopped herself in a stool at the bar and her bag nearby. “It was going well then today. I dunno if I can talk about it before finding some food to kill this stomach rumble. I just needed to get away from my home office to think a bit and to find 20 grand hanging around.” Quasi returned the quip, “You and me both, my bank is hounding me for the remainder of the 5k and change this month for mortgage. I told him I’d find it soon.” They both sighed, Quasi reached out to Myta touched her hand comfortingly as she slightly hung her head. “What’ll you have? It’s on me. I got it and don’t you even dare say a word. Also, I will make it special myself.” Myta smiled and said today’s special with green beans and that delicious mac & cheese.” “You got it!” Quasi hurried to the back. Myta took out the computer and unfolded its cover. She turned it on and waited for it to boot-up. Janine, the bartender came over, she closed the cover down to greet her. Janine told her, “It really is great to see your face in here. You’re always so bright and positive.” Myta asked her how her classes were fairing. Janine told her she dropped due to making the choice between rent and paying tuition. Her loans had run out for the semester and the scholarship she hoped for went to another student. Myta told her something would come through for her just to keep looking up. Janine took her drink order and came back with an Old Fashioned on the rocks. She needed this to melt away some of the anxiety before she looked again at the shortfall and attempted to tackle it. Quasi was returning from the kitchen, back turned to the swinging door to the kitchen just as Janine was about to serve Myta her cocktail and bumped the glass right onto the bar and onto Myta. She swiftly snatched up the computer before any liquid could reach it. “Whew, It’s ok. It’s just this little notebook can help me keep my job.” No worries she stated. Janine rushed around the bar to patting the drink off Myta with a clean bar towel. Janine apologized profusely and Myta waved her off and assured her she was fine. Quasi made sure she was set with another drink and dinner. “Enjoy your dinner. We will leave you to it.” Myta rushed in with fork and knife on the savory baked chicken and released a huge comforting sigh as she spooned a mouthful of mac n cheese in. “I couldn’t have needed anything more right now.” She sipped her cocktail and returned to the ledger. She set the computer in front of her and squinted at the small screen. She looked incredulously at the TurboBooks screen. Double taking, and then refreshing the screen, the total deficit had been reduced. The diner phone rings and Quasi picks it up, “Yes I know Mr. Worthy, I told you I’d get it soon. What? What are you talking about? My balance is zero? But I!??” Mr. Worthy hung up leaving Quasi stunned but relieved. He returns to the back to recompose himself. She looks over to Janine who is on her phone texting wildly. She has an excitement on her face that was recognizable and Myta brought the little book closer to her face and glanced back at Janine and down at the screen again and the screen automatically refreshed again with a newly reduced discrepancy. Janine jumped up and down in her joy. Myta did not ask. She jumped off the stool, grabbed the book dropped in her bag, as she ran to the brownstone. She raced up the stairs to nearly tripping as she reached Mrs. Felts door. Before she banged on her door startling Mrs. Felt, she slowed herself and quietly knocked. Mrs. Felt answered and says “Oh my Myta. I was going to tell you when I saw you next, I just got the greatest news. The pharmacist says that my medications have been paid in full for the full year. He didn’t know how just says maybe a benefit program had become available. What did you need dear?” Myta looked wildly at Mrs. Felt as she dug frantically for the little black computer book. She opened it up and refreshed the page. She was lacking for the words; she waved at Mrs. Felt and jangled her keys to get into her door. She rushed inside set the notebook on the table and looked at the total in disbelief. “What is this? I am still short $567.50. Where do I know this number?” As she paced, she heard her Slack notification go off, Singha, her controller, was pinging her about the account and saw that she was just needing to resolve one item on the account before pulling reports. She told her “I just wanted you to know you do not have to worry about this account, Chuck told me that he did not input an office computer expense he had from earlier in the month totaling the $567.50 deficit on this account. I entered the expense, and all is balanced.” Keep up the good works.