Ben’s photo
Clara's grief is shown when the narrator asks, "Should she put a photo of Ben on her desk at the office? One that shows that clever smile of his that preserves at least some small piece of his charm?" The imagery is significant because it shows how Clara misses Ben, her boyfriend, who recently died in a road accident. Clara finds it difficult to move on and anticipates taking her boyfriend's photo to her office to get the energy to work.
Clara’s office reception
After taking a leave for several weeks, Clara returns to work, and the reception depicts the sense of sight and hearing. When Clara enters, her workmates welcome her with a surprise. The narrator says, "Surprise! Clara's office erupts into a many-voiced shout as she turns the handle and opens the door. The whole team is standing in a semicircle around her desk and looking at her expectantly.” The imagery shows Clara's workmates intend to support Clara to forget about her grief and focus on the office's productivity.
Texting Ben
Clara’s nervousness when texting the late Ben’s phone number for the first time shows how she misses him. The narrator says, “Acting on an impulse, Clara suddenly grabs her cell phone, sits up, and with trembling fingers and pounding heart, she types a text message to Ben.” Clara needs someone to talk to after leaving the office. Before Ben died, she could tell him everything about her day. To console herself, Clara takes her phone and texts Ben about her day, despite knowing that her message will never be read.
