Memoir | Get Mia! | Part VI of VI

As the sun rose on another workday, I needed the signature of our bureau’s Principal Secretary of Prominence, Mr. Goldberg, on an important document. Naturally, I went to Jane, his office secretary, only to discover she was again on sick leave.

Jane’s desk was just a few steps from Mr. Goldberg’s office. At that precise moment, as I entered Jane’s workspace, I overheard Mr. Goldberg say, “Get Mia! I want her to work with me.”

…..

Upon hearing this statement, I swiftly exited the area, hurried back to my desk, and discreetly placed the document requiring Mr. Goldberg’s signature beneath an apple-shaped paperweight. I pretended not to have heard a thing.

A few minutes later, Goldberg’s senior advisor rushed over to my desk, delivering the dreaded news that I had become all too familiar with. “Mia, Jane will be on sick leave for a week. We need you to cover her desk and assist Mr. Goldberg during this time.”

Here are my private thoughts following his instructions:

• “No! I am worn out from continuously filling in for Jane while also keeping up with my regular duties as the office secretary to the principal deputy secretary of our bureau.

• “Why am I always the one called upon to work with Mr. Goldberg? Why not ask the other office secretaries who could also fill in for Jane?”

• “And why am I the one responsible for preparing Mr. Goldberg’s travel authorization orders when all the other office secretaries in the bureau handle their principals’ travel arrangements? This is Jane’s job!”

• “Furthermore, Jane refuses to work late hours, despite knowing that flexibility is essential in this job. I am always called upon to work with Mr. Goldberg after 5:00 p.m. because Jane has made it clear that she won’t work past that time. On top of that, I was instructed to arrive at work at 3:00 a.m. to set up an overseas call for Mr. Goldberg, his senior advisors, and legal counsel. Jane would not come to work in the wee hours of the morning!”

• “Oh, wait, I forgot! I don’t possess a master’s degree to validate my intelligence. Let me see if I understand this correctly — I have valuable institutional knowledge and an associate’s degree, which is just as important as a master’s degree, yet I am deemed unworthy of a pay raise.”

…..

After venting my frustrations in my mind, I reluctantly responded to the senior advisor, “Alright, let me grab my Clorox bleach sanitizer wipes, transfer my phone calls to Jane ’s desk, and gather some of my belongings so I can set up at her desk.”

…..

Naturally, I felt a sense of pride and gratitude that someone of his stature entrusted me, just a humble office secretary, managing his calendar schedule and travel plans.

It appeared that I had become his go-to substitute secretary, which certainly made me feel important! However, over time, I grew tired of simply being his backup and not being compensated for it.

Believe it or not, the role of an office secretary demands sharp focus and a keen eye for detail, and it was quite draining!

In my annual performance review, my supervisor remarked that I was “exceptionally organized and detailed-oriented.” When I read that, I was taken aback to discover I possessed such skills.

Clearly, Mr. Goldberg appreciated my talents, too!

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(Copyright © 2025 by Mia Z. Edwards. All rights reserved.)