Elle Vampa

After reluctantly admitting that maybe, just mayyyyybe, my feet are starting to freeze off in my new, classy-fake-studs-included-cute-little-sandals, my coworker agrees to turn off the air conditioning.

Two side-notes:

1. I’m only wearing aforementioned shoes because it’s finally Summer outside. After months of rain! 😊
   Yesterday, thinking I was pushing the boundaries of what’s appropriate to wear to an office job, I had my semi-Summer-y sneakers on.
   However, before the day had ended they had made my feet feel like they were headed for a proper meltdown.
   And after noticing my coworker was sporting open shoes herself, today was the day for my new sandals to shine!
   
   (Literally, because of the studs.)
   
   
2. Today, my boss is in. He not only hates naked toes, he also hates heat. And he loves icy cold air.
   Which explains the air conditioning turning the otherwise okay office temperature into a total freeze fest. One that isn’t quite forgiving towards open shoes.
   
   Hence the feet freezing off – albeit in style.

I, of course, have waited for my boss’ lunch break to “casually” throw in my request. It is the only moment in a work day in which my boss goes wandering off for longer than 25 seconds (I have never met anyone who fulfils a bathroom visit quicker).

Ergo: he will not object. I mean, he would let me. While thoroughly explaining why I am wrong. So… Best to avoid.

It’s too cold for pointless discussions.

My fellow open-shoes-fanatic understands: “Put it on air circulation. It will only get a little hotter.”

My near-subzero-feet manage to carry me to the wall panel and I press some buttons.

How did this work again? I’m not sure, but it can’t be that complicated.

I tap away at the tiny icons and it asks me how much effort I want the device to put into the circulating.

I settle for 4/4 (no need to melt my feet off after saving them from a potential icy end) and sit back down.

Just in time, for my boss walks back in.

I wiggle my toes, partly to annoy my boss, partly to keep them from dropping off from frostbite. Don’t want to lose them now as salvation is right around the, well, air circulation.

It’s just that…

…

Is it me or is the air not getting warmer? Actually, it feels almost as if it’s getting colder…

After what feels like another ice age but turns out to be about half an hour later, my coworker mentions goosebumps.

(Side note 3: my boss left to go to the bathroom. We have 25 seconds to solve this mystery!)

“You did turn the air condition off, right, Elle?” she asks.

I nod in reply, shivering.

Our boss re-enters, humming a happy tune, while she “casually” gets up and inspects the wall panel.

“OH NO! You didn’t turn the airco OFF,” she exclaims, “You turned it UP!”

Boss-man stops and (disapprovingly) stares at our naked toes.

“I don’t understand the point of open shoes,” he says, “Especially not if you turn up the air condition full blast.”

Ouch.

That’s just cold.

Ice cold.