Joe's Diner - Chapter 7



I asked my Chinese Secretaries to decorate my office Chinese Style

 

Two days later at our new home, our furniture was moved in and with the shopping the girls had done the place was complete.  Our first night in our new home felt strange. Jessie and Lacy had bedrooms down the hall and I had the master suite with a king size bed to roll around in.

I wasn’t expected to begin work for a week but I wanted to see how my office was set up. As I looked it over, I thought nobody else’s office looks like this and they will feel a touch of the Orient when they enter.

It was a large office with room enough to have key prospect’s in to begin negotiations.  The secretaries had done a marvelous job and I felt it would pay dividends.  With us speaking Chinese it was like being in China.

I explained to my secretaries how I expected them to know everything I was doing and to blend right in without being obvious.  I left for home but told them I would see them tomorrow.

Lacy lost no time in getting Jessie enrolled in school and managed to work a class in for herself in the local college a short distance from Jessie’s school.  

I had leased a car for Lacy so she would have her own transportation.

During my first official week at work Lacy and Jessie came by to visit my office and meet my secretaries. The secretaries were surprised when Jessie spoke to them in Chinese.

I told Jessie to knock it off for it wasn’t polite to leave Lacy out of the conversation.

She said, “Okay” (in Chinese) and said, “I guess we will speak English so my nanny can join in the conversation.”

It wasn’t but a couple of days till everyone knew I had a young woman I called a nanny living with me. This provoked a lot of talk at the water cooler so to speak.

My employer came to me and asked what was going on.

I said, “What do you mean?”  He said, “There is a lot of talk about you and a young woman living with you.”

I said, “From the time Jessie was born I have had a nanny caring for her. The original nanny I had for my daughter couldn’t move with us because her mother was ill and she needed to stay and care for her.  She told me she had a niece here in Seattle that had taken up the occupation of being a nanny like her and if I wanted she would put me in contact with her.

I agreed and had several communications with her, and hired her on the condition if my daughter liked her after I arranged a meeting. Jessie has taken to her much like she did to her former nanny and due to the uncertainty of having to entertain clients in the evening I needed a live in nanny the same as before.

If someone has a problem with this if they will step forward we can settle it between us but I will not stand for innuendos from gossip mongers.

That is the whole truth of the matter and again if someone wishes to step forward and accuse me of some impropriety then either step up or shut up for there is nothing in between.

The boss, George said, "I will handle this right now."  With that, he went and addressed each department and asked, “Do you like your job? I am prepared to fire any and all those who spread lies and gossip about things they know nothing about.

There has been some back biting going on and you know what I’m talking about. Now if there is anyone who knows something unseemly concerning about Mr. Hanson step forward and speak for he wants to hear it from you directly.”

He went on and said, “Some or all of you that have been gossiping about his arrangement for caring for his daughter need to speak up.

All was quiet and no one spoke, so he said one more word from any of you and you’re fired and anyone repeating something someone said is gone also.”

When I returned to my office my two secretaries were giggling and said, “The boss really took care of that.”

I had to chuckle and said, ‘Now girls, be good,” as we were all smiling.

I was to have lunch with Jessie and Lacy and they were a little early and heard the whole thing.

Jessie said, ‘Did someone say a bad thing about you dad?”

“I said I’m not sure but I don’t expect it to continue.”

There was a lot of entertainment in Seattle and when we had the free time we would all go out and have fun.

More and more it became my duty to entertain business prospects. I was expected to host a dinner for them where they could bring their wives with them.

I decided to bring Jessie with me for she was my family and of course Lacy came also.

It was a bit strange introducing Lacy to the visitors as Jessie’s Nanny for most assumed she was my wife.  After telling them she was Jessie’s nanny the men assumed she was my paramour and thought that it was a nice arrangement.

I’m not sure what the wives thought but they looked at Lacy rather suspiciously.

Jessie would whisper to her what was being said in Chinese and Lacy decided to make the most of it and have some fun  by taking my arm as we left and clinging to me.  

She and Jessie thought that was hilarious.

I didn’t know what to make of it especially after Jessie started calling Lacy mommy.

Jessie finished the first grade and I had promised to take her to Chucky Cheese to celebrate. I dressed casually which was unusual for me for I always wore suits when I went out.

The girls were having a great time while I mostly just enjoyed watching them.  Lacy came back and sat next to me actually sat very close to me and it was then I saw the main gossip from work staring at me. I just nodded at her and stayed where I was for it was too late to move away from Lacy while she was playing with Jessie and roughhousing.

I thought this is going to kill Miss big mouth because she knows if she starts to gossip about seeing us sitting so close next to each other she is likely to be fired.

The next day I saw her several times and she was fuming because she had some choice tidbits and was compelled to hold them in. For some reason I had the urge to rub it in when I saw her but I decided to let it slide.

I just said, “I saw you last evening, did you enjoy yourself?”

She could hardly speak for she was in such a state but finally managed to say, “Yes very nice,” and excused herself and went to the ladies room to gain her composure.

I could only imagine the torment she was going through, for such is the price a gossip must pay when they can’t spew forth their venom.

To be Continued