Steps in the right direction of where you need to be is much better than not budging an iota.
Maybe it works sometimes?
Non-zero chance she's impressed by his honesty if nothing else XD
someone who might not even be in the same country, and has no idea of the day to day operations, makes the call
I understand why they exist but this is generally why I don't like head offices.
I don't think I'm quite understanding how your employment fund works, do you have to pay it back and that's why you'd be working without getting paid?
I think I know the ticking you're talking about but it's a different kind of feeling for me (I'm assuming you hear a ticking sound in your head from the tone of the post, I am constantly feeling like I'm running really late/forgetting something/all of the above). Do you think it ever goes away x_x