Pam and the Important Email

Pam walked into the office fifteen minutes late, carrying an iced caramel latte the size of a flower vase.

“Oh my God,” she gasped. “I almost had a heart attack.”

Nobody looked up.

“My phone died.”

Silence.

“I literally didn’t know what time it was.”

Jim nodded sympathetically.

“Brave.”

Pam smiled.

“I know.”

She sat down, opened Outlook for the first time that week, and stared at the screen.

“There are… so many emails.”

Sarah glanced over.

“Just delete the unread ones.”

Pam’s eyes lit up.

“Oh my God… you can do that?”

Sarah blinked.

“…No.”

Pam had already selected all.

Mr. Thompson slowly lowered his newspaper.

“I wouldn’t.”

Pam froze.

“…Why?”

He took a thoughtful sip of his coffee.

“Because that’s exactly how we lost Gary.”

The office went silent.

Pam looked horrified.

“…Who’s Gary?”

Mr. Thompson stared at her for a long moment.

“Exactly.”

He went back to reading his newspaper.

Nobody asked another question.