I feel like I've been awake all night.
In the hours between the work day, peace descends upon these city streets. People retreat into their skyscrapers and hold each other while they sleep.
As the sun begins to rise, the commuters come in waves. Bumper to bumper or toe to heel, we emerge to make our routine journeys. We smile at one another on the sidewalks, bound by the sense of community that comes from being able to see into one another's apartments.
As for me, my wave has not yet begun. Above the traffic, a soundtrack accompanies my industrious preparations as I rise to meet the day. Every page in its place in my portfolio, every wrinkle carefully pressed out of my blouse. I've been cooking for an army, but there is still time to polish my pumps before I walk out the door.
These are the stories of the private lives of your bankers. These are the quiet moments between the work hours, but not all of them are peaceful. There is passion in the heart of your financial advisor. There are dreams in the mind of your compliance analyst. There is chemistry between the bodies of your customer service specialists.
And in the morning, we stand before a panel of our superiors and say, this is what we have to show for ourselves.
In the morning, we rise to meet the day.