"HUH?", David looked up with a start and Oswald frowned, then turned to him.

"Are you also deaf now?", he asked.

He shook his head in the negation.

"No Sir, no I'm fine", he got up, "you said I should lay her off, just like that?", he asked.

"With two months advance pay", he said and looked away. David swallowed hard.

"Okay Sir", he replied.

"Put up a vacancy immediately, I need only male software engineers", he said without mincing words.

"Noted Sir", he replied shivering and took up the laptop, then turned to leave, Oswald called him back.

"Hey, come back here", he said and David halted, then slowly...