A Year in the Life of...

As he stood watching the woman behind the desk he found it increasingly difficult not to fidget. He didn't know who the woman was but he knew she was some kind of big shot in the company, perhaps even the owner. Chris Pickles, his manager, had been all over her when she arrived, in fact he couldn't have fawned over her anymore if he'd changed his name to Bambi. Chris Pickles, he thought, now there was an odious example of humanity if ever there was one. The kind of guy you wouldn't piss on if he was on fire; that is unless you'd developed the ability to piss petrol. Oh Jeez, he thought, she's been talking away and I've been in my own little world...what did she say?

"Erm...I'm sorry, what was that?" he managed to bluster.

"I said you could take a seat Mr Harding." she replied, indicating the chair near the desk.

"Oh right, thank you."

He took the seat and tried his best smile but she had already returned to the file that was open on the desk before her. For about the umpteenth time since he'd entered the office he wondered what was in the file; was it his file? The woman rose, an imposing figure in a knee length black skirt, white blouse and heels. Nice shoes he thought, not that I have a thing for women's shoes but you always notice nice shoes on a woman don't you? Oh crap! The woman had spoken again and once more he was away with the fairies.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that." he stammered.

The woman looked annoyed but then repeated herself.

"I said that it appears you are in a lot of trouble Mr Harding."

She slowly walked over to the large window overlooking London, heavy rain casting a grey pallor over the city, raindrops thudding heavy but silently against the thick glass. He tried desperately to think what this matter could concern, workwise anyway.

"Look, if it's the incident with the stapler I can explain...you see I was having this discussion with..."

"It's not the stapler incident Mr Harding" She said, cutting him off mid-sentence "Though I am fully aware of that. This is more about your position, financial, and otherwise."