Impossible, They Said

At one expo build-up, the stand contractor kept repeating:

That’s impossible.

All we needed was a simple adjustment: repaint part of the structure and reduce the gaps between panels. Nothing technically complex.

Still, every time I asked, the explanations came quickly and confidently:

“Material doesn’t allow it.”

“Silicone won’t hold.”

“It’s not done that way.”

It was explained with that calm, technical tone often used when people assume the person in front of them won’t go deeper.

Because the event manager was a woman.

I asked a simple question:

— Show me exactly what makes it impossible.

A pause.

A different tone.

And then a more honest answer:

“Well… it takes extra time.”

“We’d need to stay longer.”

“We just don’t usually go into that level of detail.”

We stayed on site together.

A few hours later everything was done: repainted, adjusted, sealed perfectly.

The silicone held. The gaps disappeared. The “impossible” became routine.

Nothing about it was technically impossible.

It was just assumed it wouldn’t be questioned if men said so.

After that project, the word impossible was no longer used so casually around me.