>>>~~~~<<<
Adrian stepped out of the elevator, right behind his boss. They both wore professional grey suits, although the boss’s showed its age, much like his hairline. Meanwhile, Adrian’s hair was combed back with care as if it was his first day on the job. They both marched through the black corridors of the office, which had a clean, Art Deco aesthetic. The lush carpets and dynamic angles were a far cry from the gray cubicle farm they were familiar with. However, it wasn’t the first time they’d been here and much to Adrian’s frustration, it would likely not be the last.
The boss stomped right up into a detached office. Inside was a young woman seated at an enormous mahogany desk, neatly organized with several monitors, office toys, and artsy file organizers. Behind her and to the side was a massive set of double doors that screamed, “The big boss’s office is through here.” The woman adjusted her glasses as she saw the two men approach and put on a customer service smile as she greeted them.
“Hello, gentlemen, and welcome again to RAF Inc.,” the woman said in a rehearsed tone. “How may I be of service?” She brushed her professionally styled hair behind her ear.
“Don’t give me that spiel. You know why I’m here,” the boss snapped. “I want to speak to the man in charge right now.”
“Certainly, sir,” the woman replied, “we have openings for a meeting as early as the end of next week. Would you prefer a morning or afternoon appointment?”
“I think you misheard me, I said right now!” The bossman raised his voice.
“Apologies, sir,” the woman didn’t flinch, “but there are no openings for meetings today. Would you be willing to accept the earliest appointment possible instead?”
“Listen here, girly,” the boss huffed, “I don’t have time to sit on my hands waiting. Your boss is muscling in on my business. I’m here to cut him a ‘good deal,’ and if he refuses, we’re going to have problems.” Adrain cringed as he watched this scene play out before him, if only because he had seen it so many times, he could recite the whole thing in his head.
‘Next, she’s going to offer a meeting again, and he’s going to interrupt her,’ Adrain thought.
“If that’s the case, we can rearrange a few appointments and push you up to the middle of next week. Would that-?” The lady tried to offer.
“I want to see him now!” The boss yelled in her face, but she still didn’t budge.
“Apologies, sir, but there are no openings for meetings today,” she repeated.
“You listen here!” The boss began to rant and ramble, and Adrain was ready to disappear. He prayed no one could hear them in here, but he knew they wouldn’t be so lucky. The boss would probably rant for a good ten minutes at this rate, and once he tired himself out, there’d be their walk of shame back to the elevator. Perhaps Adrian’s least favorite part of this whole ritual.
“Forget this,” the boss threw up his hands, “I’ll be back at 8:00 sharp tomorrow morning, and there better be a meeting open for us then. Do I make myself clear?”
“I hope you’ve enjoyed your time at RAF Inc. Please have a lovely day,” the woman replied.
“Gah,” the boss stomped his way out of the room, not even glancing at Adrian on his way out.
“I’m sorry again for his behavior,” Adrian bowed. “I promise he does not reflect the views and culture of our company.”
“That may be so,” the woman replied, “but he still refuses to learn a thing after all this time.”
“Please,” Adrian’s composure began to fail, “let me schedule the meeting. I’m okay with him chewing me out over it. Any time next week works.”
“And apparently, you haven’t learned a thing either,” the woman tsked, “the condition was that he accept a meeting next week of his own free will.”
“Please, I beg you,” Adrian began to cry, “we’ve been at this for years, at the very least. I lost track God knows how long ago. I can’t take it anymore. I don’t even remember what home looks like, or my girlfriend’s face, or if I even had a girlfriend.”
“Apologies, sir, but that’s not my problem to solve,” the woman smiled smugly.
“Then make it stop,” Adrain fell to his knees, “please I’ll do anything. I’ve tried at least eight different ways to make it end, but nothing sticks. I just wake up in the damn elevator.”
“Apologies, sir, but like I said before,” the woman leaned back into her chair, “that’s not my problem to solve, and neither is it yours. The only person who can make it end is your boss.” Hearing this crushed Adrain as if the weight of the entire building had dropped on him. He didn’t know what was worse, knowing this was true or that this must have been the hundredth, if not a thousandth, time she told him. Alas, he didn’t have much time to think about it. As he lay on the floor sobbing, a familiar lightheadedness overtook him. He felt his eyes roll into the back of his head as it all went dark.
“See you, ‘tomorrow,” the woman laughed. What an absolute farce, Adrian thought in his last second of consciousness. After all, tomorrow will never come.
>>>~~~~<<<
Business relationships are all about mutual respect, if you're not willing to respect their time, why should they respect yours?
Until next time, Read, Comment and Enjoy.
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