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all right folks settle in for a story
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that's going to hit you right in the
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heart this is Sleeping Reddit Pills and
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today I'm telling you about Sarah
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Thompson a woman who went from scrubbing
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floors at night to calling the shots as
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a corporate executive
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this isn't just a glow-up story it's
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about grit heart and shutting down the
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doubters in the most epic way possible
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so grab a drink get comfy and let's dive
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into Sarah's world imagine Sarah
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standing in her small bedroom the kind
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with creaky floorboards and a bed that's
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seen better days she's holding a navy
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blue dress she saved up for months to
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buy 3 months of pinching pennies from
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her night cleaning job to be exact the
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dress is beautiful with delicate beads
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that shimmer in the dim light the kind
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that makes you feel like you belong
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somewhere fancy she's picturing herself
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at her husband David's big promotion
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party david's been climbing the
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corporate ladder at more enterprises and
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tonight's the night they're toasting his
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jump to the executive floor sarah's
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buzzing with excitement thinking she'll
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be there arm-in- arm with him cheering
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him on like always but then David walks
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in fiddling with his fancy new tie and
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his words hit her like a bucket of cold
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"sarah you're too simple for these
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events," he says barely glancing her way
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as he checks his reflection in the
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mirror what will my colleagues think
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sarah's stomach drops she's been married
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to David for 15 years and she's fluent
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in his particular brand of shade still
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this one cuts deep "what do you mean too
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simple?" she asks her voice soft though
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she already knows where this is going
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david sigh like he's explaining
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something obvious to a kid who just
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look you're a night cleaner Sarah my
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colleagues wives they're lawyers doctors
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executives i can't have you there
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talking about mops and vacuum cleaners
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this promotion's too big a deal the
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words land like a slap sarah stares at
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the dress the price tag still dangling
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from it $200 a fortune for someone who
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counts every dime she'd saved up from
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her cleaning gigs at David's company's
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office building thinking this dress
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would help her blend in with his
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high-flying crowd i thought you'd be
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proud to have your wife there supporting
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you she says her voice barely holding
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steady david's face is a mix of pity and
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support me by staying home he says
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checking his shiny Rolex a recent
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splurge as he's climbed the ranks
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i'll tell everyone you're sick i got to
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go don't wait up the front door shuts
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with a sharp click leaving Sarah alone
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with a dress she'll never wear and a
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bitter taste of humiliation
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she sinks onto the bed her fingers
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tracing the beads on the dress each one
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a reminder of the sacrifices she's made
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15 years 15 years of holding it down for
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David working extra shifts to pay for
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his MBA staying up late to iron his
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shirts just the way he likes them crisp
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when did she become something he's
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ashamed of the apartment feels like it's
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closing in the walls too tight the
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she can't stay here stewing in this hurt
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grabbing her keys and her gray cleaning
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uniform she heads to work early the
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familiar routine of setting up her
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cleaning cart always calms her racing
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mind the office building is quiet at
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this hour the kind of still you only get
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after 5:00 p.m when most folks have gone
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home a few stragglers are still at their
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desks their monitors glowing in the dark
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sarah moves through the halls in her
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uniform practically invisible
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nodding politely to people who barely
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notice her as she reaches the executive
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floor the faint sound of music and
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laughter drifts from the conference room
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where David's promotion party is in full
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through the glass walls she catches
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glimpses of elegant women in designer
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dresses men in sharp suits and David
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champagne glass in hand laughing with
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the CEO like he owns the place her chest
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tightens she turns away fast focusing on
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emptying trash bins and wiping down
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desks this is her world now the after
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hours grind when the important people
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are off living their lives but then a
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soft voice cuts through her thoughts
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excuse me sarah jumps nearly dropping
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her cleaning cloth it's Margaret Moore
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the CEO's wife standing there with the
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i'm so sorry to startle you Margaret
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says her voice warm as a summer
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afternoon i was just looking for a
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restroom sarah points down the hall her
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hands still shaky right that way second
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door on the left margaret nods but she
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doesn't leave you must be Sarah right
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david's wife sarah's heart skips a beat
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how does this woman know her i recognize
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you from the photo on his desk Margaret
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explains her eyes gentle though I'm
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surprised to see you here working
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instead of at his party he's been
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talking about this promotion for weeks
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sarah's cheeks burn she fumbles for
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words falling back on David's lame
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i I wasn't feeling well she mumbles
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margaret's expression shifts just a
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flicker of something knowing in her eyes
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i see she says and Sarah gets the sense
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Margaret sees right through the lie
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well I should let you get back to work
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she reaches into her purse and hands
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Sarah an elegant business card call me
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tomorrow morning would you i'd love to
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discuss something with you before Sarah
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can even process it Margaret's gone
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leaving her clutching the card and a
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whole lot of questions
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what could the CEO's wife want with a
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night cleaner the rest of her shift
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passes in a haze her mind spinning with
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possibilities when she gets home around
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3:00 a.m David's already asleep his
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tuxedo tossed over a chair like it's
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nothing old habits kick in and she hangs
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it up before slipping into bed
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Margaret's card tucked safely in her
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wallet the next day as Sarah's pulling
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on her uniform for another shift her
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phone rings it's an unfamiliar number
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mrs sarah Thompson a deep voice says
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"This is Robert Moore CEO of Moore
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sorry for calling so late but I'd like
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to discuss something important about
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your future with our company." Sarah's
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grip on the phone tightens her mind
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racing did she mess something up is she
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about to get fired of course Mr moore
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she says trying to keep her voice steady
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excellent he says his tone warm but
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my wife Margaret spoke very highly of
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you and after reviewing your night
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school transcripts and certification in
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business administration which you've
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never bragged about by the way I believe
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we have a position that's perfect for
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you night school the classes Sarah's
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been grinding through for 5 years paid
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for with extra shifts while David was
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she never mentioned them because he was
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too wrapped up in his own climb to care
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"what position?" she asks her breath
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catching operations manager for our new
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sustainable practices division mr moore
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says "Margaret tells me you've
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implemented some cost-saving measures in
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the cleaning department that have cut
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our environmental impact that's the kind
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of forward thinking we need."
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Sarah's legs give out and she sinks onto
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the bed the recycling program the
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eco-friendly cleaning solutions the
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water saving tricks all her little
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projects squeezed in between scrubbing
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floors and emptying trash bins the
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salary is a big step up from your
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current role Mr moore adds we can go
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over details tomorrow in my office say
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9:00 a.m yes Sarah says her voice almost
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a whisper thank you Mr moore i'll be
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there as she hangs up a text from David
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pops up working late again don't wait up
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she smiles to herself picturing his face
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when he learns his simple wife is about
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to join him on the executive floor
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sometimes the best comeback isn't
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yelling it's letting your work speak for
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itself the next morning Sarah walks into
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Moore Enterprises in that navy blue
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dress David called too plain her hands
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shake as she presses the executive floor
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button so different from her usual
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nighttime rounds with a cleaning cart
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margaret's waiting by the elevator her
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smile as warm as ever robert's excited
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to hear your ideas for expanding the
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sustainability program across the
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company she says they pass David's new
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corner office where he's fussing with
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his desk probably practicing his
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he doesn't look up the meeting with Mr
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more is beyond anything Sarah could have
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dreamed the job isn't just a fancy title
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it comes with real power a corner office
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of her own and a salary that makes her
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cleaning wages look like pocket change
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as she signs the contract Margaret gives
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her shoulder a supportive squeeze
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"one more thing," Mr moore says glancing
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at his watch "we're announcing some
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organizational changes at this morning's
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executive meeting i'd like you to be
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sarah's stomach does a flip this morning
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she asks her voice catching he checks
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his watch again in about 10 minutes
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Margaret will take you to the conference
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room the executive conference room is
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buzzing when they arrive suits and ties
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filling the seats sarah slips into a
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chair near the back watching David
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stride in head high claiming a spot up
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front he still hasn't noticed her mr
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moore calls the meeting to order before
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we start I want to announce some
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exciting changes to our leadership team
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he says david sits up straighter
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probably expecting another pat on the
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back for his promotion
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first let's welcome our new operations
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manager for sustainable practices who'll
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be leading our companywide environmental
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push please give it up for Sarah
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Thompson the room claps politely as
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Sarah stands her heart pounding david's
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head snaps around so fast you'd think
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he'd get whiplash his face goes from
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confused to shocked to straight up
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horrified in about 2 seconds flat sarah
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just smiles locking eyes with him for
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the first time thank you Mr moore she
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says i'm excited to work with everyone
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the meeting rolls on but David's a mess
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sneaking glances at her his pen tapping
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like a nervous drum beat afterward he
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corners her by the water cooler his
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voice low and sharp "what is this Sarah
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what did you do?" "I took a job offer,"
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she says calmly filling her water glass
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"congrats on your promotion by the way
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sorry I missed the party i was working."
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"Before he can fire back Margaret swoops
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in." "Sarah ready for lunch we've got a
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table at Le Man." David's jaw hits the
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floor le Man's the swanky spot he's been
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trying to get a reservation at for
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months "of course," Sarah says flashing
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a smile "david you'll excuse us got some
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business to discuss." She leaves him
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standing there clutching his notepad
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like it's his last lifeline
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that night Sarah gets home to find David
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waiting his perfect hair looking a
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little less perfect "how long have you
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been planning this?" he demands pacing
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the living room sarah sets down her new
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briefcase a gift from a shopping trip
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with Margaret after lunch planning what
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she says "Getting an education putting
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in the work getting noticed for what I
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can do unlike some people I don't need
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to hide my spouse to feel good about
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She pulls out her night school diplomas
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from a drawer where she'd kept them
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hidden for years "i earned these while
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cleaning offices at night," she says her
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voice steady while you were out at your
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fancy dinners and networking events i
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did this despite you not because of you
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david tries to apologize his voice
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softer now sarah I didn't mean didn't
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mean what she cuts in not letting him
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to make me feel small to brush off
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everything I've worked for to treat me
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like something to be embarrassed about
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she shakes her head good night David
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don't wait up as she flips off the light
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it's like she can hear his whole world
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cracking apart the next few weeks at
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Moore Enterprises are a whirlwind
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sarah's in her element running meetings
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pitching ideas making real changes
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her office is a far cry from the
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cleaning cart she used to push with a
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view of the city skyline and a desk that
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Margaret becomes more than a mentor
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she's a friend guiding Sarah through the
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corporate world without ever making her
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feel like the cleaner she used to be
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sarah's recycling program is saving the
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company thousands and her eco-friendly
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cleaning solutions are getting noticed
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by other branches she's not just
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surviving she's thriving david meanwhile
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is a ghost he's got a knack for
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vanishing into urgent meetings whenever
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Sarah's around his swagger once so in
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your face has fizzled out
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one evening as Sarah's putting the final
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touches on a presentation for the board
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David shows up at her office door
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looking like a guy who's lost his way
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"can we talk?" he asks his voice quiet
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she nods to the visitor's chair the same
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fancy leather one he'd bragged about
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getting for his own office he sits
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fidgeting with his tie
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i found these," he says pulling out a
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stack of her old cleaning schedules
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scribbled with notes on efficiency and
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cost-saving tricks "they were buried in
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my files i never really looked at them
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"You didn't look at a lot of things,"
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David Sarah says her tone even but firm
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he winces like the truth stings "i know
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i was so caught up in climbing the
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ladder trying to impress everybody that
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I missed what was right in front of me
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he pauses struggling to find the words
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you were never simple Sarah i was the
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one who didn't get it sarah studies the
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man she married 15 years ago he looks
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older now the weight of his mistakes
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carved into the lines around his eyes
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"do you remember why I started cleaning
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at night?" she asks he shakes his head
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"because you said we needed the money
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for your MBA i took that job so you
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could focus on your studies then I kept
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it because I saw a chance to make things
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better better cleaning routes greener
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products anything to make a difference
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while I was out chasing cloud at parties
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he says his voice barely above a whisper
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exactly Sarah says not sugar coating it
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you got so obsessed with how things
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looked that you forgot what actually
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success isn't about who you impress at
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some cocktail party David it's about the
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value you bring the changes you make the
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people you lift up instead of tearing
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he's quiet for a long time staring at
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the floor i got offered to transfer to
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the Boston office he says finally i
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think I should take it sarah feels a
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pang in her chest 15 years of marriage
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doesn't just disappear no matter how
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rough things got is that what you want
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she asks i think it's what we need he
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says "You've built something incredible
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here Sarah you deserve to shine without
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me dragging you down." 2 months later
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Sarah helps David pack the last of his
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stuff their divorce is quiet amicable
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maybe the first honest thing they've
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done together in years as he loads the
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final box into his car he turns to her i
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got an invite to the annual corporate
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gala he says i'm not going but you
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should wear that blue dress it was never
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simple i was just too blind to see how
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it shined sarah does wear the navy blue
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dress to the gala jazzed up with some
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borrowed jewelry from Margaret that
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probably costs more than her old yearly
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salary she's at the podium accepting an
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award for the company's new sustainable
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practices program her voice steady as
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she thanks the team her reflection in
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the glass walls shows a woman who built
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herself from nothing that cleaning cart
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her first office those empty hallways
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her first boardroom every snide comment
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every dismissal just another spark to
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fuel her fire after the gala Margaret
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hands her an envelope with a sly grin
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the Boston office could use some help
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with their environmental program she
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says robert thinks you're the one to
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sarah opens the envelope to find a
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proposal for a nationwide sustainability
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initiative with her as the director the
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scope and the salary make her eyes go
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wide "what do you think?" Margaret asks
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"ready to show him how it's done?" Sarah
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grins thinking of David in Boston
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probably still figuring out that real
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success isn't about looking the part you
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know what let's start by asking their
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cleaning staff for ideas sometimes the
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best stuff comes from the folks
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everybody else ignores margaret laughs
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her eyes sparkling and that's why you're
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driving home that night Sarah passes the
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office building where she used to clean
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the night crews rolling in badges
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clinking ready to do the work that keeps
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the place humming she thinks about
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pulling over telling them to keep
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pushing keep learning keep proving the
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world wrong but she doesn't they'll
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carve their own paths just like she did
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success doesn't need a cheering section
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or a gold star it just takes a push
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broom a dream and the guts to keep
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moving forward when everyone else says
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stay small sarah pulls into her parking
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spot right next to the shiny executive
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sign with her name on it and lets out a
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sometimes the best revenge isn't just
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showing them up it's becoming so
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undeniably right that they can't help
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but see how wrong they were
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and that's Sarah's story folks a
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reminder that no matter where you start
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you can build something amazing if you
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thanks for tuning in to Sleeping Reddit
18:49
Pills if this hit home drop a comment
18:52
about a time you proved someone wrong
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until next time keep dreaming big and
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I'll catch you in the next