Buckel Water Parks Inc
was a corporation with big plans, and even bigger investors. It was all explained to Tiffany during a private office meeting.
"Would you be interested in different responsibilities?" the boss asked. "We like your speaking skills. It's refreshing and different than what we usually have."
She smiled, "Thank you. I'm ready for whatever you have to offer."
"Don't get too excited yet. This assignment was turned down by a few others in our company."
"How come?"
The boss leaned back and sighed. "Well, Tiff, we're focusing on more water parks, first and foremost. But our investors have sights on other things. Things which, as it turns out, have a very lucrative market."
"That sounds interesting."
"I'm talking about nudist resorts. Now before you say anything, just think about it. It's for adults only. It's also a water park. And most importantly, clients are willing to pay top-dollar for it."
The thought had taken Tiffany by surprise. Especially since her boss and the corporation had such a family oriented reputation.
"I'm not bothered by it," Tiffany said. "There's nothing morally wrong with a nude water park."
He flashed a broad smile. "Excellent. So you're on board so far."
"I'm not opposed to being involved."
"Great. Because we have property in northern California which we'd like to become our first nudist park. We have the designs, the plans, business strategy, everything... The problem is, we're having trouble getting permits because some residents are against it. You know, the religious Christian types."
"I see..."
Tiffany nodded and she tried to hide the fact that she was slightly offended by the boss's dismissive tone towards religious people. She was a devout Christian herself, which the boss seemed to have sensed.
"Not that there's anything wrong with Christians," the boss clarified. "But being denied a permit is obviously bad for business."
"We would need a strong PR campaign," Tiffany said after some thought. "Luckily, we're dealing with a small population, I presume. I was raised in a small town, so I know how things work."
"Go on," the boss said with a strong sense of interest.
"People in these areas are very community oriented. They participate heavily in the political process. Our best chance would be to set up a town hall, then plead our case to the people. We would have to explain that the general public will be shielded from the nudity and that everything will be tastefully done. Furthermore, it would greatly benefit the local economy and create good paying jobs. That should be the general strategy."
The boss's eyes widened. "My gosh, you're an angel."
"Not quite, but I try my best," she said with a cute perk.
"It's settled. You're officially the new liaison for this job. And I won't take 'no' for an answer."
Tiffany was taken aback. In a good way. She had been with the company for a few months and she was already thrust into a major role for a multi-million dollar development deal.
"I... I don't know what to say... wow?"
"That's a start," he nodded.
"What exactly am I going to be doing?"
The boss sat upright. "When I first pursued this development deal, I made the mistake of sending square businessmen to the town and our plans were rejected. This time, I'm going to send
you
as our representative. You would know how to talk with them. And I expect you to convince them. Tell them why this deal will benefit the town."
Tiffany sat expressionless for a moment.
"I've never been involved with this level of deal making before."
"Do the things you said. Set up a town hall. Talk to the people. Use your legal experience. Use your charm. Use your cuteness. Use everything. Just get us the permits."
"Okay," she slowly nodded, even though she was unsure of herself. "Am I supposed to do this alone?"
"No. I'll send you with Christine-Jade Wong, our accountant. She'll provide assistance and will brief you on the financial matters."
Tiffany felt a slight jolt at becoming a boss to someone else. She also felt a buzzing excitement being paired up with CJ, in what could potentially be an epic business trip.
"That sounds doable," she nodded.
Bold Plans, Naked Ambitions
In the small town where plans were being laid, Tiffany drove from their motel to the auditorium with CJ sitting in the passenger seat; a scrawny Asian girl with a big heart, brains, and a witty sense of humor.
They didn't know each other that well prior to this, as they were both fairly new to the company and they worked in different departments. But their relationship these past few days could best be described as sisterly mixed with mild flirtation.
After parking, the duo went to the trunk of the car to get their props. They had brought everything from display models, to boards, to hundreds of pamphlets to hand out to everyone. The town hall was starting in an hour and this would be their well-planned public relations attack.
They warmly greeted the public officials and then prepared themselves for the reckoning to follow.
"How are you feeling?" CJ asked, when they had a private moment backstage, while people were entering the auditorium.
"To be honest, an early retirement from legal practice sounds good right now."
"What is it? The crowd size or the fact that you're representing a nude park?"
Tiffany became tense. "The nude thing."
"Alright, I'm going to do something for you that will boost your confidence. It's my variation of a yoga meditation technique. Are you ready?"
Taking in a deep breath, allowing herself to keep an open mind, Tiffany nodded.
"I'm ready."
Putting her hands on Tiffany's shoulders, CJ grasped tightly. Their eyes were deeply locked and they were mere inches apart. They could practically smell the coffee aromas in each other's breaths.
"You've got this," CJ said with great confidence. "Ask yourself how you got here. Why did the boss choose you? Deep down, you know the answer. Now repeat it to yourself, over and over again."
Tiffany gave it a try. Being no stranger to basic yoga, she was able to maintain a focus and give in to the mantra a few times. CJ squeezed Tiffany's shoulders tightly again and gave a little shake so things would sink in.
"Phew," Tiffany exhausted deeply, putting her coffee breath all over her friend, who didn't seem to mind. "Okay, I think it's worked. I'm feeling a little better right now."
CJ smiled, "Now we're talking. And if it's any help, you look cute in that outfit. I'd say a lot of men are going to have secret erections while you speak."
"Umm, thanks?"
"Sexual confidence is still confidence. Use everything to your advantage."
When CJ winked at the end, Tiffany could tell that it was a genuine sign of affection. They truly completed each other on a major job like this.
***
There were more than 100 people in attendance for the town hall, which was more than expected. It shouldn't have been a surprise, since a nudist resort opening here was the biggest political topic on people's minds.
City officials stood at one side. CJ stood on the other side. The townspeople filled the seats and the rest stood in the back.
Tiffany stood behind the podium, facing the crowd. She didn't have a copy of the speech in front of her, since she always preferred to memorize everything. It made her speeches sound more genuine and from the heart.
Nerves continued to grow as the Mayor took the microphone and began the town hall. He explained the importance of a good debate and encouraged people to have open minds.
When the Mayor finally introduced Tiffany, she put on her game face, despite her uneasy feeling which refused to settle.
"Good morning," she said into the microphone. "I'd like to thank everyone for coming. These are important matters and I won't waste your time."
So far, so good. Everyone looked engaged and interested while Tiffany spoke. Her friendly demeanor appeared to relax everyone a bit.
She continued, "My name is Tiffany McAlister. I'm here on behalf of
Buckel Water Parks Incorporated
, which is a development company that builds, operates, and maintains water parks. As you're all aware, this company owns the plot of land a mile away from the lake and has plans to redevelop it. The future plans allow guests to be, well,
less-dressed
than the average water park."
There were a few laughs from the audience, but her 'less-dressed' joked bombed.
She forged ahead, "In other words, we'd like to build an exclusive nudist resort. It will be legal, safe, and anyone over the age of 21 will be able to join. I'm sure there are many fears amongst residents from what a nudist resort would do to a community like this. I'd like to ease those fears."
With the audience fully captivated, Tiffany gestured to the model images that faced the skeptical crowd.
She continued, "As you can see, this resort will feature state-of-the-art facilities for rest and relaxation. There will be places for guests to eat, sleep, and have a good time. The layout is perfect for swimmers and sunbathers, as well as people who just want to lounge in the water. The general public will be shielded from these activities. We will ensure that people passing by this resort will
not
be getting an unexpected view of these activities."
People continued paying sharp attention and some people even nodded. She felt her speech was working.
She continued, "There are many additional benefits to this community as well, in terms of job growth and increased tax revenue. If you turn to page 2 of the pamphlet, you will see that
Buckel Water Parks
plans to hire roughly..."
"It's a nudist resort!" a man shouted from the crowd. "We don't want that here!"
"And I perfectly understand that," Tiffany replied calmly. "We're doing our best to preserve the rich culture of this community."
An older woman stood. "What do you know about our community? Have you ever been here before?"
"Well... no... but..."
"So you're an outsider telling us about our community?"
People in the audience began talking over each other. Some supported the hecklers. Others were telling them to be quiet so they could hear the proposal. Others were supportive of the idea of building a nudist resort.
The Mayor interjected himself into the debate and appealed for calm. The crowd listened when the Mayor told everyone to speak in an orderly manner, and to give Tiffany a fair chance to respond.
Tiffany took a deep breath. "I'm also a resident of California, if that helps. I was raised in a small town, just like this one. I understand what these issues mean. And I wouldn't be part of this unless I thought it would be beneficial to your community."
"How?!" a woman shouted.
Beads of sweat formed underneath Tiffany's shirt.
"Well, I never had a chance to mention the financial benefits that a nudist water park would bring. Particularly, we would be hiring..."
