Kimberly was gorgeous and what is more she knew she was. Six foot three inches tall, an hourglass figure with long wavy blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes that shined when the light reflected off them, the 29-year-old could have been a model. Instead she had gained a college law degree and bagged a job at one of the city's top law firms.
Not one for doing any more work than she needed to, Kimberly had found that loosening the odd button on her blouse, wearing a skirt that was probably a size too small or being 'forced' to go bare legged after 'accidentally' laddering her tights was a sure way to impress the right people and help her advance up the corporate ladder.
Of course this attitude had not sat well with many of her co-workers at Jenkins, Jenkins and Smith although Kimberly could not have cared less. Her motto was "I've got it so I will use it."
As the elevator arrived on the fourth floor that Wednesday morning, Kimberly was in a good mood. The elevator doors opened with a pinging sound and the leggy bombshell strutted out into the lobby of the firm's headquarters. Barely acknowledging the receptionist, she strode on into the bull pen passing the desk she recently had left and heading to the spacious office that she now occupied.
Walking into her office she immediately spotted the letter on her desk. Her name was typed on the front and as she picked it up she wondered as to its contents. A pathetic love letter from one of the mailroom saps, an invitation to drinks at the home of a middle manager or perhaps a thankyou note from a client who maybe had not received the best legal advice ever but had most definitely enjoyed her company?
Kimberly turned the envelope over, slipped her finger into the flap and ripped it open. Topped with the familiar Jenkins, Jenkins and Smith header the letter began "Dear Kimberly." Informal, she thought, so it must be good news. She read on: "Congratulations. You have been chosen to be this year's face of the firm and will be appearing in all the promotional material we are set to publish in the forthcoming months. A photo-shoot has been arranged to take place in the boardroom at 2pm today. Please attend promptly."
Kimberly was ecstatic. Face of the firm! What an honour and what a boast for her career profile. She really was on course to make partner by the time she was 35.
Tossing the letter aside without reading any further or checking who had signed it, Kimberly headed for the door. Leaving the briefest of notes on the desk of the PA she shared with two other junior lawyers, she made her way, head held even higher than usual, back through the bull pen and off on a shopping mission to buy some suitable attire for her photo-shoot.
It was almost 1pm when Kimberly returned to work not that she cared. She had spent the morning at some of her favourite uptown boutiques and was still buzzing at being chosen to be face of the firm. Anyway no-one was going to challenge her on where she had been after news had got round about her impending honour.
Once more Kimberly strutted her way through the lobby and bull pen and entered her office slamming the door behind her theatrically to make anybody who did not already know aware that she had made her entrance.
She stood in front of the full length mirror which had been the first piece of furniture she had had installed when she moved into the office a few weeks previously. "You look so good girl," she said to herself as she admired her reflection.
Kimberly was dressed in an extra tight, grey pencil skirt, matching blouse and a black belt that extenuated her figure even further. Sheer black tights hugged her shapely legs and three inch high stiletto shoes not only gave her even greater presence but also pushed up her comely butt in just the right way.
A call on her desk phone interrupted Kimberly's latest bout of narcissism. It was the photographer letting her know he was ready for her. With a final admiring glance in the mirror she strutted confidently out of her office and made the short trip to the boardroom.
Entering the boardroom Kimberly immediately spotted the photographer setting up the last of his equipment. "With you in a minute babe," he said.
I am not his "babe" Kimberly thought to herself annoyed at this man's casual greeting. But she would not let a little thing like his lack of manners spoil things and what was more this man, rude as he may be, was going to be taking some very important pictures of her so she bit her tongue and merely replied: "OK."
"I'm Greg," said the photographer as he at last looked up at Kimberly. Before she could respond he tersely added: "Shall we get started?" Kimberly nodded and took a seat behind a computer that had been set up for some "action" shots. After that she posed behind the lectern where the top bosses addressed important meetings and then had some less formal shots taken near a window.
"OK that's the boring stuff for the brochures and website out of the way. Time for the fun bit eh?" Greg said.
Puzzled by these remarks Kimberly queried: "What do you mean?"
"The fun stuff. The calendar and Christmas card pics," came the jovial retort from the photographer who was fiddling with the blinds that were used to cover the glass partition between the boardroom and the corridor. "Don't tell me you don't know the brief?" Greg said curtly as he finished closing the blinds. "You did read the letter?" he asked.
Not wanting to look stupid Kimberly decided to do what she did best and bluff her way through such difficulties. "Oh yes. Of course I read it," she responded with her best smile.
