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Anna's New Start · Season 2, Episode 7: A Seat at the Table November 7, 2026 · 4:59 · With Narrator, Lidia, and Anna
During a break at the Harbor Lane Hotel, Anna joins colleague Lidia for a short personal conversation and discovers they both enjoy crossword puzzles.
Transcript Narrator You’re hearing Anna’s New Start, a fictional continuing story about Anna building a new life in a new city and finding her place there. Anna works as a breakfast assistant at the Harbor Lane Hotel. After handling two requests during a busy breakfast, she takes a break and joins her colleague Lidia in the break room. Lidia I saved this chair for my bag, but I can move it. Are you looking for a seat? Anna Yes, thank you. Mind if I sit here? Lidia Of course. I’m glad you came in. The break room is quiet right now. Anna It is nice to sit down for a minute. How was your morning? Did you have a busy start too? Lidia A little busy. I started early, and the coffee machine needed more water. But the dining room is calmer now. How was your first part of the shift? Anna Busy, but I had help. Two things were needed at once, so I took the coffee first and asked you to bring napkins. Then I carried cups to the kitchen in two trips. Lidia That was a good choice. The coffee was for a table that had been waiting, and the kitchen needed those cups. Did you get everything done? Anna Yes. I checked the table number before I went over. I told you the coffee was urgent, and I asked Ms. Lopez to check the oat-milk request. I also checked the setup list. I still feel new, but I feel a little more sure about what to do. Lidia That makes sense. I felt unsure when I started here. I like having a clear list, especially when several people need something. It helps me see what is already done. Anna Me too. I look at the list when I am not certain. It helps me slow down and check instead of guessing. When the dining room gets busy, I try to do one thing at a time. Lidia That is a good way to handle it. I sometimes have to remind myself of that, too. What do you like to do when you are not working? I usually read during my bus ride, but I have not had much time this week. Anna I like puzzles. I am interested in crossword puzzles, especially the small ones in the newspaper. I try one with my breakfast when I have a quiet morning. I do not always finish it, but I enjoy thinking about the clues. Lidia I like those too. I do the little crossword in the free paper at the bus stop. Sometimes I know an answer right away, and sometimes I leave it blank. I think it is more fun when I do not hurry. Anna I leave blanks too. Then I come back later, and a word suddenly makes sense. Do you have a favorite kind of clue? Lidia I like clues about food. They are easier for me than clues about famous people. What kind do you like? Anna I like clues about places. I can picture a street or a river, and that helps me think of the word. But I do not know many famous people either. I always skip those clues at first. Lidia Then we have a good mix. You can solve the place clues, and I can try the food clues. Maybe we can do one together during a break sometime. We can take turns reading the clues. Anna I would like that. I could bring a crossword from the paper. I do not always finish one, but it is fun to work on it with someone. We can start with the easy clues and see how far we get. Lidia That sounds good. I can bring the free paper if I see it at the bus stop. We do not have to finish it in one break. We can leave some answers for another day. Anna Great. I should go back soon, but I am glad I sat with you. The break feels shorter when I spend it talking with someone. I did not know you liked puzzles, too. Lidia I’m glad too. We still have a few minutes, if you want to finish your tea before we go back. It is nice to talk about something besides work for a little while. Anna Yes, I will. Thank you for making room. Next time, I will bring a puzzle, and we can see how many clues we can solve. I think I will start with a place clue for you.
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