When her name was called, she entered the doctor's office and began to relate to him how she was feeling. The harried doctor, quite familiar with her symptoms, had his prescription pad in his hand before she was finished speaking. "Miss Symonds," he said, "You are working too hard and not relaxing enough. You are suffering from stress. The tranquilizers I am prescribing for you should help you to relax." He then paged his next patient.

Tamara was somewhat relieved as she left his office. She wasn't in favor of taking tranquilizers but if they would make her feel normal again, she would give them a try. And she WOULD slow down! The pills did work at first although her motor skills were slower but at least she wasn't experiencing panic. But with the trial in full swing, things got more and more hectic and once again, she found herself in an almost constant state of anxiety and panic. She increased her pill dosage which resulted in her having great difficulty in rising each morning. She was often late for work and was absent quite often. Although her boss was sympathetic, he reprimanded her on several occasions. Another trip to the doctor resulted in a new tranquilizer being suggested. This medication made her hyperactive. Poor Tamara! She found herself on an emotional see-saw. She paced the floor each night when she should have been sleeping. The day that she fell asleep at her desk was the day she was fired!

Tamara stumbled blindly along the city streets, heading for her place of solace - the park. Sitting there on the bench, she wondered what would become of her. Returning home was out of the question. She just couldn't do that! Maybe she could find a job with less pressure. She would have to put her dreams on hold for the time being. She would go through the want ads tomorrow and though she felt like a failure, she knew she had no other choice.

As she sat there watching the evening darken, she heard someone call her name. Coming towards her was a familiar face. "Steven! Steven Parker!" She had dated Steven while at college and had thought he was one of the kindest men she had ever met. His ambitions matched her own and they had discussed many times the heights they hoped to reach in the workplace. Despite her delight in seeing him, she was a little embarrassed at her appearance. She had gained weight due to her medication and, being unable to endure the long process at the hairdressers, she knew her hair was a mess. Yet Steven didn't seem to notice. He kissed her and held her hand, asking her how she was. The desire to confide in him rose within her, the desire to tell him of her fears and despair but she simply said she was fine. She did tell him she was between jobs, hoping to find one in the next few days. As Steven walked her back to her apartment he told her he had been transferred there to work at an up-and-coming engineering firm that offered many opportunities for advancement. He then suggested they go out to dinner and when Tamara accepted, made a date for the following evening. Tamara hoped tomorrow would be one of her rare days. Kissing her cheek, Steven walked away.

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