It was nearly midnight.
At this point, I had been sitting in this chair besides the young black woman for hours. Alexis Barron's size 5 nylon stockinged feet remained propped up onto my upper chest, crossed at the ankles, and with such arrogance. Her silk covered toes remained in contact with my nose at all times. Her arrogance was inconceivable to me and, partly out of my fear of her, I had no willingness or backbone to resist.
The 18 year old black woman was so beautiful. It was difficult for me to comprehend how someone so young, petite and beautiful could have such boldness and business saavy. She continued discussing the numbers of my business and her "plan" to bring the company back to profitability. She refused to removed her nylon covered feet from its' resting place upon my upper chest.
Occasaionally, Alexis would switch the position of her feet from being crossed over at the ankles from her right foot to her left foot, but the foot crossed over on top of the other was always the one that was, quite literally, in my face.
Alexis discussed the salaries.
The 7 older white female staff, who once carried the title of "Business Coordinators" with an annual salary of 52,000 to 55,000 dollars, had changed. Now, they were all "Clerical Assistants" with an annual salary of 37,500 dollars.
It was unfathomable to think how this young, beautiful black girl had the entire all white female office staff intimidated, and how she had them agreeing to such a dramatic cut in pay. All this while hers had been increased to such a high level. In my mind, I wondered if they even knew anything about Alexis Barron's sinister and nearly forged commission agreement.
It will be hard for anyone to comprehend that Alexis Barron was contining to make her 400 dollar a week salary plus the 11 percent monthly commission from that first contract. This put her combined salary at an unimagineable 218,800 dollars annually. But, that is exactly what it was now.
I sat there quietly, timidly and in awe as I listened to Alexis Barron's new plan. Her stockinged toes continued to "wriggle" and "smear" across my reddened face and nose in the most obtrusive, yet nonchalant way. She was coolly unconcerned about my suffering and degradation.
"Do you agree that people should be compensated by their ability and accomplishments?" she asked, rather sarcastically.
"Y-Yes, Alexis. Yes, M-Ma'am." I answered.
"And, would you agree that you have absolutely no ability at all?" she asked.
The young, black woman looked straight into my eyes and waited for an answer. She was extremely cool, calm and patient as I sat there speechless and thinking about her latest and most demoralizing comment. Alexis reached over to her desk top and pulled out another long, thin Virginia Slims cigarette. Patiently, she lit it and returned her eyes to me as she blew a long, smooth stream of smoke from her polished red lips.
"Yes, Ma'am." I answered quietly.
Alexis went on to tell me that my responsibility as the owner should be just that, as an owner, and nothing more. She explained that my role as President of my own company was a complete and utter disgrace. She also stated that it was a complete waste of time and effort, and that my incompetence and futility in trying to run things was actually hurting the potential of this company.
"It's obvious." she stated. "But, that doesn't mean you can not be useful." she concluded.
There was nothing she had just told me that wasn't the truth. I knew it.
I knew that she was right about my failures, and I felt embarrassed by someone so young stating what I had always known. Deep down, I knew that Alexis Barron was accurate in her assessment of me. Yet, it was the manner in which she stated the obvious that made this event so much more humiliating for me.
Still, I wasn't exactly clear of what she appeared to be suggesting. Aside from stepping down from my role of actually running the company, there was something else she had in mind.
Alexis Barron made me admit to her that she was the one responsible for saving the future of my company. She also made me admit that, without her, this company was heading for financial ruin. She even made me admit that only a black woman would be able to sustain and then grow this company in the most successful way. Hesitantly, I admitted to all the comments she set before me.
Then, she came right to the point.
Alexis Barron firmly suggested that she become the company's "Acting President" while I take, what she described, an "alternate role." She explained this would give her the credibility with both current and future customers, as well as the buying power with other entities she had been strategizing with since I was gone.
The young black woman's face was beautiful, yet stern. Her eyes were serious and intimidating. She knew that she was responsible for acquiring over 300,000 dollars in gross sales monthly. She knew that she was responsible for all our new business, and now she wanted the title to go along with her accomplishments. I didn't know how to take these comments, nor did I know how to react to such a sudden change.
"How would my staff react to all this even if I agreed to this change?" I thought.
"Would they just quit and leave me to fend for myself?" I asked myself.
"Would I have to start interviewing for more clerical assistants?" I wondered.
"How could I possibly handle the utter degradation of this change?" I questioned.
I didn't expect Alexis to already have an employment contract written out for herself. But, there it was. Now, she was holding it in her right hand.
Alexis had the contract placed onto a white lacquered clipboard. She simply handed it to me as I remained in this sitting position, her nyloned toes rudely cupped around my nose. I took the clipboard from her grasp and began to read through it. The short, five page contract was intimidating to read through as she flipped open her cell phone to make a call.
It was uncomfortable sitting in this position and trying to read through the contract with the 18 year old black girl's nylon stockinged foot literally "planted" in my face, like it was. Alexis was simply relaxed, her legs stretched out and her feet resting upon me in the most casual and arrogant of ways while she began talking to the caller.
"Hey, girl! What's up?" she began.
Those are the only words I heard for awhile. I was completely tuned out to her conversation as I began reading deeper into the employment contract. The contract was rather standard, giving Alexis Barron the title of Acting President with the authority to make all business and personnel decisions. I would remain the owner, approving any financial transaction above 250,000 dollars, and taking an "alternate role" as her assistant with an annual salary of 37,501 dollars, which was merely one dollar more than the clerical assistants.
As I read through the particulars of the contract, I didn't see anything unusual about it with the exception of the salary changes. Yet, I was deeply demoralized to see that she was suggesting my role as her "assistant" with such a low annual salary.
"How would I pay all my bills?" I asked myself.
I wondered how could I possibly agree to this? I felt so pressured and intimidated by this young woman that I couldn't even begin to explain my own feelings at the time. Inside, though, it was as if I was removing a tremendous weight off my shoulders, too. I certainly needed that. On the other hand, how could I even employ such a dominant and arrogant young woman to make these important business decisions for my company?
"She was barely 18 years old!" I thought.
