MILKSOP Chapter 28

New York Covers a lot of Territory
courtesy photobucket.com

 

Archie couldn't get over the city of New York (when I say New York I mean all the environs including Jersey).

It had everything you could want as far as entertainment goes.  There were parties every weekend and several during the week.  On Broadway and off Broadway there were so many shows, you would go broke going to all of them.  The many neighborhoods each had their own unique atmosphere.

Alice was also caught up with the excitement, and was making many new friends, most of which Archie didn't approve.

Six months went by and Archie was considered to be ready for handling some of the smaller legal problems a firm this size had to deal with.

After the first year he was called into the office of the Partner who was over him and during the conversation he was told, “Perhaps you have been wondering why you have been assigned the tasks we have been giving you?”

Archie said, “I thought there must be a good reason although I must admit it escaped me as to what it was.”   

The Partner said, “We wanted you to see some of the mistakes that can happen, and how you must exercise great care in preparing the contracts especially for mergers. 

 

Sometimes a small mistake can cost millions to correct.”

Archie said, “This past year has taught me a lot about what it takes to resolve these errors, and how easy it is to make them.”

“The board feels it is time for you to move up, and start being part of the team working on projects as they come up.” 

 

Archie was elated and couldn't wait to get home and tell Alice the good news.

When he arrived home he looked for Alice, but she wasn't there.  In fact more and more she wasn't home when he got there.  It wasn't uncommon for her not to show up until after midnight.

Then on the weekends very often she would be invited to spend the weekend at some vacation place her new friends had access to, and of course there were those who liked to sail with their boat.

 As a rule he was also invited, but most of the time he declined for he didn't like to be away from home so much.  Archie viewed what was going on as something these people should have gotten out of their system during high school and college.

Alice seemed to like that atmosphere and the men liked having her around for she exuded a possible promise of a one night stand without any permanent attachment.

When Archie would ask her about her conduct she would brush it off with, "We're just having harmless fun." Archie knew all about the so called "harmless fun."

When Alice started staying out all night things were coming to a climax where Archie felt he had to make a mandate for her to stop all this nonsense and start living like she should.

He still trusted her but knew that she was drinking much more than she should and wasn't sure what she was doing when she was out of his sight.  

 

He knew the reputation of some of her friends, and felt they would eventually try to get her to act like them.

While Archie was putting much effort into his job, Alice was taking fewer and fewer assignments and she missed several of them prompting her boss to call her in and read her the riot act.

Her boss had heard about her late night flings and he said she couldn't work for him if she continued doing what she was doing.  He had called Archie and told him where she stood with him and for Archie to talk to her about getting her act together or she was out.

Archie had already talked to her about her conduct but she wouldn't pay any attention to him.

Archie's firm was in the midst of negotiation for a large merger and everything was hush, hush.

 

Everyone was warned not to let any information slip out for there were others try for the same deal.

Then one night about four in the morning Archie was surprised by a phone call which shocked him wide awake.    

 

To be Continued