Old Man Chapter 5 Getting Acquainted



"How Was Your Day?"
courtesy comstock

 

The first day at work was spent in getting acquainted with all the staff and setting up his office.

His name was on the door as the assistant to one of the vice presidents.  He had yet to meet the Veep and figured he might as well get it over with.  Knocking on his door he went in after hearing “Entrée.”

He sat across from the Veep and met his stare with a piercing look he had learned from dealing with people who felt they were superior to everyone else.   For a while neither of them blinked, it was then the Veep knew he had met his match.

He then moved on past the theatrics and began to lay out the New man’s (as he now called himself) portfolio.  He had a large file he wanted New Man to get acquainted with and said he expected him to perform at the level he was told he could.  After a while things began to ease up and the atmosphere became cordial.

New man thought this isn’t going to be so bad after all.  With the day all but behind him he started asking questions about the widow.

The secretaries were more than happy to tell him every thing they knew and add some speculations about things they didn’t know.

That evening he thought he would have dinner before he went home and went in a restaurant near the office.  As he entered he heard a familiar voice.

One he didn’t know if he wanted to listen to.  It was too late for she had him in her sights.  It was his ex-roommate and she was in the mood for conversation.  At first it was all about her and her conquests.

Then it shifted to our New man.  The first thing she wanted to know was how far he had got along with her.  He acted as if he didn’t know what she was talking about but due to her incessant razzing he told her how things had developed so far.

She said, “This isn’t the stuff I want to hear about.  Have you visited her bed yet?”

He said, “That’s enough.  If you don’t cut it out I will leave.”

She said, “Are you in the dark as to what is happening?”

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

“She has her cap set for you and she intends to have you.”

“Maybe she can have me … is that what you want to hear?”

He was getting a little perplexed at her implications , so he left and went home to his new apartment. 
The apartment he now had was bigger than his old one and his chair fit right in with the rather plain décor. 

Around seven, he received a phone call wanting to know how his day went.  He recognized the voice as belonging to the widow.

Out of fun he said. “I was just thinking about you, wondering how you were doing.”

She was surprised at first for he had never been that forward with her.

Being experienced at the “tit for tat” game so she said, “Just how would you like me to be?”

That was all it took for the wind to go out of his sails and all he could think of was the word “Okay.”

She said well you will be happy to know I’m okay.  Then there was a great silence between them until she laughed and said, “I’m just teasing, you know that don’t you?”

Being somewhat unsure he said “Yea sure.”

She said, “Now c’mon don’t go clamming up on me I wanted to chat with you.”

He said, “Okay.” And again silence.

She said, “Say something, something sweet.” 

That unnerved him and he said, “I have to go,” and hung up.  It was going to be a restless night for him.

She was ecstatic for she had him just where she wanted him.  She would reel him as he regained his composure and began to feel sure of himself again.

 To be Continued