Evening protocols and small indulgences

Tonight the office cleared at eight and the nine of us folded the day into neat bullet points. Mahler's Adagietto kept time on the speakers while a Negroni cooled on my desk — numbers ticked into place, the edges of the day softened just enough for something quietly decadent.

Caught sight of a conductor on the tram, tall and contained, baton tucked like a secret. Prefer men who have earned their competence; curiosity and a well‑argued résumé get you a seat at my table, and discretion always gets you dessert.