Among Giants

 I heard the sound of my own footsteps reverberate off the walls of the large room. It was empty now but it wouldn’t be for very long. A spotlight was turned on and directed my gaze to the six chairs that were separated from the crowd at the back of the room.  Soon this room would be filled to the brink with people, eagerly anticipating and listening to the words of those six people who would be sitting in those six chairs. One of those chairs was meant for me.   

“Oh hi, you must be Sonja. So nice to meet you,” said a very friendly voice, a voice I head heard  before. I turned around and then I saw her. She was  shorter than I thought. One side of her hair was bleached blonde, almost white and the other side was black. 

I weakly returned her smile and allowed her to lead me to those six chairs.

“Grab a seat,” she encouraged me. I hesitated, unsure of where to sit. I wanted to pick a seat in the audience, that seemed more appropriate somehow as I thought about the industry giants who were going to sit in those chairs. Perhaps I should sit on the outside? I didn’t really know anyone here. I had only met one of the giants a few times but that was long ago. I couldn’t be sure he would even remember me. Or should I sit in the middle and try to blend in? That way, perhaps the giants wouldn’t notice how small I felt?

Time had slowed down while I wrestled with that deceivingly simple decision of where to sit until a voice disrupted the feverish debate inside my head.

“Hi, is this the right room?”

Time was up. The giants had arrived.

Introductions were made and it was too late to back out. More and more of the giants arrived. Conversations erupted and we sat down.