There’s this one person at work I just don’t like working with. I’m not saying she’s a bad person—she’s not. But holy hell, she talks way too much for me. The kind of talk that makes the ride feel ten times longer than it is. Nonstop. Like, take-a-breath-sometimes kind of talk. And I always feel like I have to entertain her. Nod along. Throw in a “yeah?” or a “wow” here and there just to keep her from thinking I’m some antisocial jerk.

Today, she was supposed to be working with me all day. I was already bracing myself on the drive in—mentally preparing for eight hours of overexaggerated stories, TikTok recaps, and whatever else she throws at me when we’re stuck in the truck.

But then… magic happened.

She showed up for work and then suddenly had some kind of emergency. Poof. Gone. Just like that. And look—I’m not cold-hearted. If it’s a real emergency, I hope everything’s okay. But damn if I wasn’t smiling just a little when I heard she had to leave.

Because here’s the truth: I like working alone. Driving around, delivering meals, minding my business, and listening to my music without commentary. No small talk. No fake laughs. Just me, the road, and whatever playlist I’m vibing with that day.

Some people recharge by chatting it up. Me? I recharge by not talking. And today, I got a surprise recharge. So yeah… maybe it wasn’t the worst Monday after all.