Angela Briscoe 1: Unmasking
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Sweet-faced Angela Briscoe with sensuous lips and a flattering cleavage had become the darling of the partners at Baldacci, Guy, Reinhardt & Robinson, Attorneys at Law, much to the puzzlement of lower level attorneys and some forty-support personnel.
Analytical or outright derisive discussion by fellow workers about Angela began around water-coolers, in restrooms, over coffee and in bars from the time of her appointment to the executive support team three years ago but lately had gained an admiring overtone. Angela now headed the executive support team, the most under-qualified person to do so in the legal firm's 127-year history. The only explanation for her unstoppable rise came at the time notice of Angela's promotion was posted. Management noted: 'Angela clearly was the most appropriate person for the position'.
Sensational disclosure referred to by the media as 'Angela Briscoe's Unmasking' came during the court proceedings into a dispute over custody of two children when Seymour Robinson, merchant banker, sought to divorce his second wife, Thelma Robinson, of Baldacci and Partners.
The story began three years earlier...
THELMA
Leaning back on her leather chair, glasses positioned low on her nose to read the smallest of print, Thelma Robinson looked at the five names the HR manager had short-listed for possible appointment as minutes secretary, the most junior position on the executive support team at Baldacci, Guy, Reinhardt & Robinson, Attorneys at Law. Junior perhaps but it was necessary to ensure a professionally competent, pleasant and industrious person was appointed. That was why Thelma, as managing partner, would chair the selection panel herself.
Thelma had asked the employment agency to supply details of the top five applicants. Idly she ran through the list of the unsuccessful fifteen other short-listed candidates and one name jumped at her -- Angela Briscoe of Plimmerton. Thelma had been born and raised in Plimmerton and many years ago an off duty policeman, Sergeant Gregory Briscoe, had single-handedly saved her from harassment by three men when she was home from college for Spring Break. She smiled, recalling the gruff, powerfully built policeman who's taken her to his home to have his wife bath her bruised face. The three men had been left at the scene, two of them unconscious and tied together by their belts and the third strapped with the sergeant's belt by the feet to the top railing of the park fence.
Thelma wondered could Gregory be Angela's father.
Moving on to other paperwork and taking three phone calls, Thelma then circled Angela's name and drew a line to under the fifth candidate scheduled for interviews with the note, "Please add." She then noted with interest in the background prΓ©cis that Angela, although not staying on to finish college had completed a diploma in office administration and had acquired two online diplomas in aspects of sexology involving 300 hours of study and 20 hours of one-on-one counseling under supervision of a field tutor/examiner. How interesting!
During lunch with the six candidates Thelma asked Angela what her parents worked at and was told her mother was a volunteer health worker and her father was a retired policeman.
"What are their names?"
Surprised to be asked such a seemingly irrelevant question, Angela told Thelma what she wanted to know. "Margaret and Greg."
Thelma looked at Margaret and Greg's daughter wondering whether to take the risk and engage her. The other five candidates had superior qualifications and experience.
"You have lovely skin," Angela said, such a personal comment from a candidate seeking a senior job position that it quite startled Thelma, and that didn't pass unnoticed.
"That was a genuine compliment, not intended in anyway to solicit favoritism."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Very sure Mrs Robinson."
After the final interviews and the candidates were sent away, Angela said: "Who should be voted out of final consideration?"
The candidate with acne and the candidate somewhat coarse in dress, manner and speech received the minimum two votes so Thelma ruled a line through the names of those two contenders.
The HR manager asked Thelma which of the others did she prefer.
"Please don't be surprised because she received one vote for rejection, but I favor Miss Briscoe."
"Why -- that was the only candidate without a college or university degree?" said the office manager.
"That's conceded, but she does have a most relevant qualification, a business school diploma in office administration and is certificated at currently maintaining a minimum of 160 per minutes in shorthand and is trained to operate a range of stenography equipment. That is more that sufficient I would have thought. We are not filling a position requiring an MBA or a law degree and I do point out Angela has almost completed online studies to qualify as a legal executive. Is anyone opposed to my choice?"
No one thought it necessary to be that brave.
The next day Angela was called in to HR to complete a contract and commenced duties a week later.
Angela was introduced to the partners at their regular Monday morning meeting. She entered the room and almost stunned Thelma. Angela's raven hair was down around her shoulders, her lips appeared puckered, ready to be kissed, her chest was reasonably sized and appeared very shapely and the skirt of her black suit was about five inches above the knees and revealed magnificent legs. Thelma sucked in her breath and looking at her three senior partners realized she wasn't the only person sexually enchanted.
After the introductions Thelma said, "Work beside me Angela. Just note main points for and against any proposal, note decisions and prΓ©cis questions and answers. We only require very basic minutes to be circulated to everyone here plus Michelle the office manager before midday. This is what we have discussed and decided already. Check with my PA Cynthia re anything you are uncertain about anything or with me if Cynthia is uncertain."
The meeting finished at 9:20 and at 9.55 the minutes were emailed to recipients. Thelma called in Angela.
"Angela, that was incredibly quick service and I have only one misspelling of a client's name -- but only make the change to your master copy. Please open the door and tell Cynthia to bring in coffee. Please sit with me on the sofa."
Both women left the cookies untouched but sipped coffee while they chatted.
"Angela, could I be personal and ask would you like to socialize with me?"
"Yes I would like that."
Thelma said her husband was president of a merchant bank. He worked long hours and often ate out with clients or buddies. "I don't like dining out alone and don't always have friends available."