It's All a Matter of Choice Page 9

  Mr. David Allen.

  He set about drafting a letter Mr. Allen would definitely understand.

  He wanted to meet Emmet Barrows.

  *

  Brandon sat in a sports bar, knocking back a few shots of Hennessey and cursing his luck. Hell, any decent CEO would be in a tailor-made suit and meeting him at a fancy restaurant…not sitting on a porch looking like Farmer Jones. He had a few hours before his flight arrived.

  He half turned and looked around the bar to see if there were any suitable females he could pass some time with. He didn’t plan on getting lucky, but one never knew. But no, nothing that met his fancy at the moment. There were a couple of mousy-looking brunettes seated at a table, one without a chin and the other with a huge nose. Both wore glasses too. He turned back around and tapped the bar. Maybe with enough liquor in him, they’d start to look better.

  As the bartender prepared him another shot, Brandon considered his brief meeting with Mr. Jonathan Grimes. What an old fart.

  So, Mr. Grimes wanted to meet Emmet. Brandon glowered. He believed Emmet to be the consummate all-around loser, but a small part of him was worried the nerd would show him up and lands the contract, untested and all. Brandon’s ego was built on the fragile shortcomings of others. Even the idea of Emmet’s possible success was shaking him badly.

  Brandon downed another shot, exhaling loudly as he sat the small glass down. He knew what to do. He would say Mr. Grimes decided to stay with his current company. Yes, it would be a big loss to B, B & B, but at least Emmet wouldn’t eclipse him. If the geek landed that multi-million dollar contract…he’d be the big man. Brandon wouldn’t be able to stomach that. Besides, if Emmet started closing his own interviews, then Brandon would be forced to man the phones again. He sucked at that and month after month placed notes in Mr. Allen’s suggestion box asking him to consider having associates that only closed contracts. To date, nothing had been even mentioned about it.

  Brandon looked back over at the ugly women, and the chinless one giggled as his blue eyes washed over her, clearly interested. The associate tapped the bar for another drink. The bartender walked up, drying a glass with a towel. His gray eyes washed over Brandon.

  “Putting ‘em down kind of hard, aren’t you, Mister?” the bartender asked.

  “I’m going to need all the booze I can stand,” Brandon replied, tossing his head toward the two women.

  The bartender’s eyes widened.

  “Whoa, you might need a couple of doubles to deal with those two,” he said, shaking his head at the very idea. Those were two very unattractive women.

  ”Just keep them coming,” Brandon said.

  He downed one more shot, then stood up, straightened his tie and headed over to the table.

  By the time seven o’clock had rolled around, he managed to get a blow job in the sport’s bar’s restroom by the chinless woman, whose name was Doris. It happened in the women’s bathroom. They went inside a stall and Brandon straddled the bowl as she knelt before him. The associate had to admit having no chin had its advantages as far as sucking cock went. Doris gave great head.

  Feeling a bit refreshed from his blowjob and a little hung over from the booze, Brandon caught his flight and fell asleep as soon as he fastened his seatbelt.

  As far as he was concerned, Mr. Jonathan Grimes and Hobson’s Financial Inc. was history.

  Chapter 10 ~ Emmet Gets the News

  The next day Brandon Luster didn’t have that swagger he usually did after a successful closing as he walked toward Mr. Allen’s office. By the expression on Brandon’s face, Emmet knew immediately that the interview hadn’t gone well. He watched as Brandon knocked on the door, then opened it and walked in.

  Mr. Allen eyed Brandon for a moment and told him to sit down. Brandon did so, ready to launch into his lie when Mr. Allen said, “I got the fax from Grimes, Brandon. What’s this about him wanting to meet with Emmet?”

  Brandon’s mouth dropped open for a second. Shit, the CEO had contacted his boss. Well, the lie was out the window now.

  “He said he wanted to meet the person who made the interview with him, Mr. Allen. I explained to him Emmet had no experience with closing, but he wouldn’t listen,” Brandon said sullenly.

  Mr. Allen wiped his hand across his face.

  “Emmet Barrows. Good God,” he said, frowning. Then he looked up at Brandon.

  “Well, you did what you could, Brandon. It’s up to Emmet now, God help us. Go and tell him I want to see him,” he said.

  Brandon scowled slightly.

  “I’d like another crack at him,” the associate said. “I could convince him…”

  Mr. Allen shook his head.

  “Mr. Grimes made it clear that if we tried another ‘bait and switch’ on him, he’d blacklist the company. We do provide services for some of Hobson’s lesser companies, and we’d lose them if that happened. Then I’d lose my job. Sorry, Brandon…you had your chance. Now go tell Emmet to come to my office,” he said.

  “Yes sir,” Brandon said sullenly, rising and exiting the office.

  As he walked toward Emmet’s cubicle, Brandon felt a strong sense of foreboding. He looked in to see Emmet reading through business magazines and jotting down company names. The blonde associate eyed his bad haircut, clothing and general geekiness, then shook his head.

  “Hey Emmet,” he said.

  Emmet turned around in his swivel chair and Brandon saw one of his lenses in his glasses was cracked. Mr. Grimes wanted to deal with this? The moment Emmet showed up, the account was as good as lost.

  “Yeah Brandon?” Emmet replied, his brown eyes rather curious.

  “Mr. Allen wants to see you in his office,” the associate said.

  Emmet’s brow furrowed. He had never been in Mr. Allen’s office but once, when he was hired.

  “Why?” he asked a bit worriedly.

  “Go find out,” Brandon snapped, walking away, his nostrils flared angrily.

  Emmet stared after Brandon. He seemed pissed off. Then Emmet stood up and brushed himself off self-consciously. He had to walk through the office to Mr. Allen’s office. Every eye would be on him. This made Emmet rather nervous.

  He exited his cubicle and kept his eyes focused straight ahead. Anita looked up from her work curiously as Emmet walked stiffly by her, heading for Mr. Allen’s office. He looked scared. Poor guy.

  Emmet drew in a steadying breath and knocked on the door.

  “Come in, Emmet,” Mr. Allen said.

  The moment the door closed, several of the girls gathered around it, trying to listen in. Anita frowned at this but didn’t say anything.

  Suddenly the door flew open and Mr. Allen stood there, glowering at the startled office workers.

  “Don’t you all have work to do?” he yelled at them.

  The women scattered, heels clicking as they rushed back to their desks. Anita covered her mouth so she wouldn’t laugh out loud. It served them right for being so nosey.

  Mr. Allen slammed the door.

  “It’s like working in a henhouse,” he muttered, walking around his desk and sitting down.

  He looked Emmet over. His clothes were practically hanging off him and his glasses were cracked. Mr. Allen had never seen a worse haircut. There was nothing remotely compelling about the young man. He didn’t exude brightness, confidence or anything to make others take note. Why was Mr. Grimes so set on dealing with him?

  “Emmet, what did you say to Mr. Grimes when you set up the interview? Did you tell him he would be dealing with you personally?” he asked the associate.

  Emmet looked a bit perplexed.

  “I don’t believe I did. But if he thought that, it shouldn’t have made a difference. Brandon’s been closing my interviews for years,” Emmet replied.

  “Well, in this case…it did make a difference. It seems Mr. Grimes was…impressed by you,” Mr. Allen said a bit doubtfully. “He refused to deal with Brandon at all and made it very clear that if we wanted a shot at
his company, then we had to send you to do the closing.”

  Emmet’s eyes widened.

  “Me sir?” he asked incredulously.

  “Yes, Emmet. You,” Mr. Allen replied despairingly. “If we don’t send you we can forget about Hobson’s Financial for good. And I have to be honest with you…I don’t like this one bit. You’ve never closed before.”

  Emmet looked at his boss and decided to say what was on his mind.

  “The only reason I’ve never closed is because you’ve never sent me out to close,” the associate said. “Personally, I think setting up the interviews is harder than the closing, because they are already interested in using us by then.”

  Mr. Allen looked at Emmet, and realized what he said was true…at least concerning him. Emmet had a way of connecting with the proper people in companies that were next to impossible for other associates to reach. He really was quite good at it.

  “Well, you are going out to close now, Emmet. I want this account…badly,” Mr. Allen said, “Hobson’s has more companies under its umbrella than I can count. If we get in, most likely we will handle them all. So a lot is riding on this closing…”

  Mr. Allen looked at him soberly.

  “A lot is riding on you. And we need you to make a good impression, Emmet…a better physical impression. Now, I know you are a nerd, Emmet and nerds just look like…well…nerds. But you need to get with the program. You don’t look the part of a closer. You don’t dress the part of a professional. You have to make some changes…some fast changes,” Mr. Allen began.

  “I’m…I’m going shopping for a new wardrobe Saturday, sir,” Emmet said quickly, “And I’m going to have help picking out my clothes.”

  Mr. Allen arched an eyebrow at him.

  “Not your mother I hope,” the boss said.

  “No. Not my mother,” Emmet said a bit defensively.

  “Who?” Mr. Allen asked.

  Emmet hesitated for a moment.

  “Anita Bowen,” he said, adjusting his glasses and looking just a bit guilty, though he had no idea why.

  “Hm. Miss Bowen eh?” Mr. Allen replied, looking thoughtful. “Well, she certainly straightened that bunch of slackers she works with out. Maybe she can do the same for you. So that means I’m going to see a new Emmet Barrows on Monday morning?”

  “Yes sir,” Emmet replied. He wasn’t sure about new…but he would be repackaged.

  “Good. In the meantime, Mr. Grimes wants you to contact him and set up another meeting…so go take care of that, and let me know when it is so I can have travel arrangements made for you,” Mr. Allen said.

  Emmet rose.

  “Yes sir. And thank you for the opportunity sir,” Emmet said.

  Mr. Allen looked at him.

  “Don’t thank me, Emmet. Thank Mr. Grimes. This is his doing. I just hope you come through for us,” Mr. Allen replied.

  “I will sir,” Emmet said.

  He left the office.

  David Allen sat in his chair staring at the door Emmet exited through. He was glad he hadn’t said anything to the board about the possibility of landing Hobson’s Financial. They would have been livid if they knew Brandon failed to land the contract. He had no idea what kind of fit they would throw if they knew he was sending an untried associate. He’d keep it all under the table for now.

  *

  Anita watched Emmet walk back by, looking a bit dazed but with a slight smile on his face. All the other girls were watching him as well.

  “Well, by the look of him, he wasn’t fired,” Susan said, buffing her nails as her paperwork waited on her desk. “I wonder what David wanted with him.”

  Susan liked to remind the other girls she was on a first name basis with the boss…but only in private. Several rolled their eyes at her namedropping and went back to their work.

  Anita was burning up with curiosity. She finished her paperwork, then announced she was going to check the cubicles for more. She headed straight for Emmet.

  She found Emmet sitting in his cubicle, staring at the phone.

  “Emmet?” she said.

  He didn’t respond.

  “Emmet!” Anita said louder.

  He woke up.

  “Oh, hi Anita,” he said, giving her a small smile. Anita sat down in the little folding chair, looking at him eagerly.

  “What did Mr. Allen want?” she asked him.

  “Oh. I’m going out on a closing,” Emmet said to her. “I just made another appointment with Mr. Grimes. He wants to deal with me…not Brandon.”

  Anita smiled brightly.

  “Oh Emmet, that’s wonderful,” she said, “I’m so happy you’re getting a chance to show your stuff.”

  “I just hope I have the right stuff,” he said a bit glumly, then looked at her a bit desperately. “You’re still going to go shopping with me tomorrow, right?”

  Anita furrowed her brow at the desperate look in his eyes.

  “Of course I am,” she said, “Why do you look so concerned?”

  ”Mr. Allen expects to see a ‘new’ me on Monday morning. He doesn’t want me looking like a nerd when I meet Mr. Grimes. You think there’s any hope, Anita?” he asked her.

  Anita’s eyes washed over him.

  “Oh yes, Emmet, there’s hope. The main problem will be you feeling comfortable with your new look. Once you get comfortable, you’ll be fine. But you’re going to have to trust me…I don’t want to fight with you bout what I pick out,” she said.

  Emmet blinked at her. Him fight? Never.

  “I’m not a fighter, Anita,” he said.

  Anita smiled naughtily.

  “Oh, so then you’re a lover?” she asked him.

  Emmet’s whole head turned red.

  “I’m not that either,” he said with a little hitch in his voice as Anita gave him another one of those undecipherable looks that shot straight through him.

  She stood up.

  “You might find out you’re both, Emmet Barrows,” she said with a smile, “I’ll see you at lunch.”

  ”Bye, Anita,” Emmet said, swallowing a bit as she left his cubicle. Guilt washed over him as he thought about his masturbation session with Anita as his focus. He was so tired of self-love. So tired of being the way he was.

  “I’m not a lover, Anita” he thought with a sigh, “But I wish I could be.”

  *

  In his cubicle, a sober Brandon Luster looked over all the interviews Emmet had set up. He still had those at least…until Emmet proved himself able to close on his own. Then it would be back to the damn phones.

  He had made a couple of cold calls, but couldn’t get past the front line of screening secretaries. They each politely took down his number and said someone would get back to him. Brandon knew he was out of the running immediately once he gave out the 800 number. It had “solicitor” all over it.

  How did Emmet do it? How did he manage to navigate the sea of secretaries and reach the people who made the decisions?

  If Brandon wasn’t so full of pride, he’d ask the associate. Emmet would have told him what to do. True, it was a lot of work researching each company and the names of key people, but it paid off. But as Brandon told Emmet, he wasn’t a “detail” person, so Emmet probably would have been wasting his time anyway.

  *

  A smiling Herman walked into the office, his bald head gleaming as he approached the office girls, most of who scowled at him. He ignored them, walking up to Anita’s desk, placing his briefcase on it and opening it.

  “Good morning, Anita,” he said, “I closed a good one today.”

  He took out a file and handed it to Anita, whose eyes went round.

  “Wow, Herman. That’s quite a bonus,” she said, smiling at him. “More flowers and wine for Agnes.”

  ”No, dinner and dancing for Agnes. I’m buying her a new dress and taking her out. We haven’t gone out as a couple for years. We always have the kids with us. But not this time. We’re going to have a grown-up meal in a grown-up re
staurant. No burgers, fries, chicken nuggets or rug rats. Just my wife and me,” Herman said.

  The office girls looked at each other. Herman had a romantic streak? What was going on here? First they find out Emmet is a gentleman geek, and now old Herman is tripping the light fantastic with his wife? A new dress? Dinner? Dancing?

  “And I have another closing tomorrow I feel really good about,” he continued, “I don’t feel so self-conscious about my hair anymore. I’m bald and I’m all right with it.”

  Anita smiled.

  “Good for you, Herman. You really do look younger,” she said.

  “I feel younger too,” Herman replied with a wink, closing his briefcase. “I’m going to go see if I can set up a couple of interviews before lunch. I’ll see you later, Anita.”

  ”See you Herman,” Anita replied as Herman walked away.

  “Is Herman losing weight?” Jennifer asked as she looked after him.

  “Losing weight and gaining confidence,” Anita replied, starting in on the associate’s paperwork, a small smile on her face.

  Agnes was going to be one very happy woman.

  Chapter 11 ~ Meeting Anita on the Outside

  Still in the rental car, Emmet pulled into the parking lot of the Holiday Inn. Anita was supposed to meet him in the lobby at ten o’clock. It was five to ten now. He exited his car and walked to the hotel, pulling open the door politely for two approaching women with suitcases, stepping aside and letting them pass.

  When he returned home the night before, June Barrows was gone to Agnes’ house aka the casino for the weekend. For the first time in a long time Emmet had a weekend without work. He made himself a sandwich and watched television for the night, television he liked. Scarface with Al Pacino was on. Emmet was fascinated and horrified by the story, but he couldn’t change the channel, the actor was so compelling as Tony Montana. At the end, when Pacino was doped up, killing his attackers with a gun bigger than he was, a thousand bullets lodged in his body, blasted from behind and fell into the fountain below the balcony, Emmet was left staring at the tube with his mouth open. What a movie. Not his usual fare.

  That night Emmet dreamed he was Tony Montana, but he was doing an awful amount of running and hiding in his dream version. He wasn’t moving dope but powdered sugar, and his love interest wasn’t the blonde, ice-cold woman that belonged to the drug dealer Frank, but Anita Bowen. He did get her in the bed, but woke up before anything happened.