"Executive Staff only on Elevator Five", that was the rule. Everyone else was supposed to use number four.
After three months, just barely past probation, Maria knew this fact, but she was late returning from lunch. She would never arrive on time by bucking the waves of employees pouring out of the common carriers. Undoubtedly, her supervisor, Ms. Jones, would make some pithy comment and inscribe a mark on her employee record.
Elevator number five was slowly folding its doors on Maria's crime when a hand snaked out to catch it. The door chattered a moment in confusion, then slowly reopened. To Maria's chagrin, several executives stepped in. Maria actually knew the name of one of the executives--Mr. Richards, head of personnel--the rest were no more than recognizable faces from the company brochure, or figures glimpsed briefly while entering a limousine. Maria decided that her position couldn't be worse if Ms. Jones had caught her.
"Will you be seeing the senator this weekend?" the one executive asked another. "Friday night," was the response. "If I get a chance, I'll bring up your question about tariffs." "Make your chance," the first commanded. As he spoke, the commanding executive reached forward and gripped one of Maria's breasts, drawing her back against him, he absently mauled her bosom and creased her crisp white blouse.
"Oh!" Maria exclaimed, dropping her clutch purse. She twisted out of the first executive's grasp, and bent to retrieve her purse. A second executive yanked up the back of Maria's skirt, exposing her pale blue panties beneath a mesh covering of nylon pantyhose. With her skirt drawn upward, Maria lost her balance, pitching head first into Mr. Richards groin. Maria felt the personnel director's well manicured hands catch her by the shoulders.