The canary - The canary (the first paragraph) by Liliana Blum

The restroom floor is covered with puke, and the fron wall is now dotted with orange stains. The stink of liquor and frustration fills the air. Doña Mica knew where it came from, but she put off cleaning until someone complained. Even after cleaning restrooms for ten years, she hadn't managed to dull her sensitive nose, which was her Achilles' heel, according to her supervisor. "Ah, Mica, why did you choose this job if you're so delicate?" He would ask when he saw her trying to suppress the urge to vomit, like a cat coughing up a stubborn hairball. Then she would have to get a grip on herself, take a deep breath, and say she was fine, that it was all right now, and she would finish cleaning right away.


[ Read the whole story at http://www.pank.hu.mtu.edu/blum.html ]