Danger in the Workplace

I remember a couple years ago, I was auditing a law firm down in Battery Park in Manhattan. I usually stayed late because I was the senior on the audit and there was a lot of work to accomplish in a short amount of time.

At night, our company had a policy of allowing us to take a limo home on the company tab if we stayed past 8:30 pm. I was usually leaving around 11:00 pm or midnight, so I usually took this service, but there was one night where I couldn't find a single car available. I decided to take a cab and just charge the expense through. As I was packing up to leave, I asked the janitor where the best place was to hail a cab. I had made friends with the janitor because we were always working late on the same floor. I learned he was from Chechnya, that he really wasn't a janitor, he was a chemical engineer, but he was working as a janitor until he found a real job in his field.

Anyway, the janitor asked me why I needed to take a cab this late. Wasn't my limo coming for me?

I told him, "No, they're all booked. It's Chinese New Year."

He said, "If you're going to hail a cab, cross the street to do it. You don't want to walk outside the building here at night. You could die."

What? Die? Was it that dangerous of an area at night?

He explained that actually, one of the lawyers who worked in the firm jumped out the window to commit suicide a few nights ago. He landed on a woman walking on the sidewalk outside the law firm. He killed himself, and he also killed the woman he landed on.

"Someone could jump on you, it's too risky. Cross the street and hail the cab from the next block over. You will live."

I couldn't believe it. I mean, that poor woman. Just walking along, minding her own business, when some suicidal lawyer falls out of the sky and takes her with him to the grave. I bet she never imagined that her life would end like that.

The scary thing was, in the past three months, there had been two other suicides at the firm. I don't know why those lawyers chose to jump and end their lives instead of simply resigning from their jobs, but I was very thankful the janitor warned me about it.

I crossed the street and hailed a cab to take me home. But as a rule, I never walked outside the perimeter of that lawyers' office after dark again. Just in case.


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Four Nailpolish Colors That Look Fab on Everyone

If it's been a while since you've updated your nailpolish wardrobe, try these four fun shades by OPI. They look good on nearly everyone, and will keep you in style from winter through spring.

Lincoln Park After Dark

This is a cult hit, and a color even my son thinks "looks cool". I recently went to a holiday party wearing this shade on my hands and both a mom and her teenage daughter asked me for the name of this shade. The daughter said it's very much like the black polish all the girls are wearing at school, but this looks classier. Her mom agreed. Lincoln Park After Dark is actually a super dark purple shade that makes you look trendy and glamorous, without the risk of looking like an emo.

I'm Not Really a Waitress

This is my favorite red polish ever. It's blue-based, so it looks equally striking on dark skin as it does on light skin. Try it on your toes, I applied mine nearly two weeks ago and it still hasn't chipped or lost it's shine.






Chicago Champagne Toast

The most perfect neutral everyday polish. Works great for the office as well as for evenings or just hanging around the house. It matches nearly every outfit you might wear. This is the shade I wore to Disney World.

A Rose at Dawn....Broke by Noon

My daughter Zee picked this one out herself and I'm glad she introduced me to it. It's a really fun pink, looks great on both your hands and toes. The pink looks bright in the bottle, but trust me, it's not the type of color reserved only for teenagers going to the prom. My daughter, even though she's only two, asked me to put this on her nails when we brought it home, she was so excited about it. (They don't wear polish all the time, but once in while I let them, just for fun.) My skin is several shades darker than hers and it looked equally nice on me. Overall, it's a really fun pink, and doesn't look tacky or "too young" at all.

You can find OPI nailpolishes at most Trade Secrets, but there's a website that sells all of them at a discount. Visit OPIDiva.com and save a dollar off retail per bottle. If you're planning to buy at 6 or more bottles, the dollar savings per bottle can add up to a free bottle of nailpolish.