Rush hour

Dialogue 1:Jingjing meets Mark for lunch.

Sorry to keep you waiting, Mark. Were you here long?

Well, I got here at the time we agreed to meet. But it’s no problem. I just finished part of this book.

Oh, you’re still reading the same book after two weeks. I thought you’d be done with it by now.

I thought so too. But I’ve been pretty busy.

I know how it is. Actually, that’s why I was a little late. I had to finish some work before I could leave the office.

Hey, don’t worry about it! I’m glad to have some time to relax. You know, we could just grab something to eat here, at this coffee shop. It’s the lunch rush now, and we’re lucky to have a table.

Hmm, expensive or crowded: that’s the choice of restaurants we have, surrounded by so many office buildings.

I know you usually eat at your dining hall. So, I don’t want you to feel stuck between some place that’s hard on your nerves or one that’s hard on your wallet. Anyway, I have a card for this coffee shop. Let me take care of our lunch.

That sounds pretty good. Yeah, I don’t feel like walking outside until it’s time to go back to work.

Take a load off, Jingjing. Let me bring a menu over.

Just surprise me. Order whatever you think is good, when you go up to the counter.

Ok. I think I know what kinds of things you like. I’ll be back in a little while.

Oh, and get them to tell you the wifi password.

Just use that sticker on the table.

Whoops! I thought that was an advertisement. Yeah, I’ll just scan the QR code.

It worked for me. The wifi’s pretty fast here.

Dialogue 2:Jingjing and Mark are waiting for their food.

I’m kinda envious of you, Mark. You don’t have to sit in an office all day.

Don’t be. I commute five days a week. I have to be on time. And I do forty hours of work per week.

Yeah, but you don’t have to work an eight hour stretch every day.

Do you?

Well, yeah! I have flex time, to some extent. I don’t have to be in until mid-morning. Obviously, I have to be at the studio in time to get ready for the broadcast each day.

So, if you’re tired, you can sleep in.

I guess I could cut my morning activities short. But that’s my me time each day. After the broadcast, I use the late afternoon, the evening, and even the night to prepare content for upcoming shows. That usually keeps me at the office until after dinner time.

So, you miss the rush hour. That sounds pretty enviable.

I guess it is. Nobody likes being stuck on a crowded subway or a bus. I’d rather work at the office for two extra hours, then have a smooth and shorter commute later in the evening.

I hope you don’t have dinner too late. That’s unhealthy.

Nah, I can grab a snack. You know, there are so many convenience stores around here.

It sound like you manage your time pretty well. I know too many people who have to check in at exactly 9:00, or face a penalty.

Yeah, those fingerprint machines are pretty common. We used to have one, but it stoped working. Our boss is happy with us as long as our projects are going well.

That’s a good way to handle it. Outside of customer service or tech support, punching the clock doesn’t make much sense in today’s workplace.

There are lots of jobs that call for people to be there 9 to 5.

Yeah, I guess so. Oh, here comes our food already.

Thanks for ordering a lot! I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I sat down here.