THE HOUSE OF CHEN chapter 16

Free - I am no longer needed here
Courtesy photobucket.com

Cheri busied herself putting her desk in order.  She waited to be summoned to the new department head’s office but by noon she still had not heard anything from him.

Mid afternoon the new boss, his male assistant and a secretary came into Cheri’s office and he abruptly said, “Anthony this will be your office.”

He said to Cheri, “Please come to my office now.”

She followed him into Anderson’s old office.  He said, “Sit down please.”

He then said. “I suppose you are wondering what is going on?”

She answered, “Only what you want to tell me.”

In that case I want you to know that my assistant will be taking over your duties and will also take your office as well.  

My secretary will serve me and you will be demoted to the secretarial pool.  You will fill in for anyone who is unable to come to work or when we have an extra job to do.  

Your salary will be reflective of what a secretary should be paid.  Do you have any questions?”

Cheri said, “No I think you have explained yourself very well and I understood what you said.”  

 

She went on by saying, “I want to thank you for relieving me from my commitment to the Ambassador to work in this department.  

For months now I have been offered a position by several D.C. firms at double the salary I have been paid here.  

Do you need two weeks notice or may I be free to terminate my position as a pool secretary today?”

Layton was taken back by what he just heard, but tried to put on a strong front saying, “You must understand it wasn’t because I didn’t think you were doing a good job, but I felt I needed a man in your position.  

Women just aren’t considered the right personnel for the position you held.”

Cheri said, “That makes me feel much better so I thank you for being honest.

 

I will clean out my desk and will leave everything in boxes for the new man to look into if he feels the need to.  

All I will be taking is my purse and my coffee mug.

I will stop by security and turn in my badge and allow them to check my purse before I leave.  You should have my office in thirty minutes and I also will go by payroll and let them know I am no longer employed by the government.”

Layton said, “There is no need for you to quit.  Maybe I can get you a private secretary’s salary that way you won’t lose all of your normal pay.

It’s just women don’t make the kind of money you were being paid.”

She said, “Goodbye Mr. Layton and turned and left before he could say anything else.

That evening she and Lee went out for the evening and she told him what had transpired during the day.  

 

He was quite upset about the way things went and the next day he told several department heads about it.

They wondered why Layton would make a mistake like that.  They told Lee that she could come and work for any of them if she wanted to.

The next day she called up one of the companies that had wanted to hire her and made an appointment for an interview with the main man of the company.

His secretary tried to have her go through their employment agency.  Cheri said, “Just tell him I would like to talk with him and to call me.”

The secretary said she couldn’t bother him with such a request.

Cheri said, “Then never mind I will talk to him at the party tonight at his house and tell him you wouldn’t allow me to speak to him.”

Upon hearing that, the secretary panicked.  Immediately she put Cheri through to Morley the head of the board.

When he answered he said, “I just heard about you were being let go and was getting ready to call you.  He said I can’t spend much time with you tonight, but let’s have a long lunch tomorrow and talk about your new job.”

To be Continued