Tiffany gave the mirror one last glance before she headed off to work. She firmly believed that one should always have a professional demeanor and appearance at a workplace, especially one who works in marketing must always be presentable. Tiffany being the perfectionist that she is she would not let a single strand of hair be unkempt in her pony tail. Standing before the mirror was a second-generation Japanese-American Nisei woman. She is proud of her heritage however her only regret was not learning Japanese from her grandmother. Tiffany brushed off a small bit of lint off her grey pant suit before grabbing her keys and purse and briskly walked out the door.
"Hi, Matthew! Good morning!" Tiffany chirped as she walked to her car.
Her neighbor Matthew was out watering the lawn as usual. His favorite part of the day was catching a glimpse of Tiffany as she walks to her car accompanied by the sounds of her high heels clicking on the pavement each morning. His second-most favorite part was when she would go for her daily runs when she gets home from work. Matthew couldn't help but just stare as the 5'2 petite Asian girl got into her car. The pant suit was tight on her ass and her collared shirt was disappointingly buttoned just before her cleavage line.
"Oh, hey Tiffany! Have a good day at work!" Matthew waved feverishly as she reversed out of her driveway. The moment her car disappeared around the corner he gave up on the whole watering act to head back to bed.
How the fuck did Ted score a hot wife like that?
Matthew pondered for the thousandth time as he shut off the water hose. He had always thought her body was the equivalent to the petite Kristin Bell's -slim, but round and tight in all the right places. Just to see what she was wearing each day was worth it to wake up at dawn. Matthew had God to thanks for this one and only joy in his retired life.
Tiffany braved through the morning traffic as "Time after Time" aired on the radio station. The title of the song had her reminiscing about her own life and how time is so fleeting -from being practically raised in a Japanese restaurant that her parents had owned before she was born, to all the friends she had made through her educational years, to the only two guys she had ever dated in her entire life -one of which she would end up marrying, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in marketing, and to the unfortunate event of her mother's stroke immediately afterwards. This led to Tiffany working at the restaurant after graduation for almost 8 years before her parents decided to sell the business out of the impending fear that they were holding her back from her future career. After her mother's stroke Tiffany married her then-boyfriend who was a Nisei like herself to appease her family and also due to her worry that her mother didn't have much time. Ted is a good husband but he is just so steady. He is so predictable and set in his daily routines. No wonder he is an accountant, a numbers man. Tiffany's parents later moved into a senior care home which is expensive but worthwhile. After the sale of the restaurant she was hired by the prestigious firm Lane Marketing and has been there for the past 2 months under a bitch of a manager who despised Tiffany for being hired despite her lack of experience. 30 years of her life flashed by in Tiffany's mind as quickly as the song had ended.
Like on auto-pilot Tiffany snapped back to the now and found herself parking in the garage of Lane Marketing. As she entered the empty elevator, she smoothed out her suit even though there were no wrinkles and gave herself a final look in the mirrored walls to ensure nothing was out of place. A quick ping and she was at the 10th floor. The office was empty as usual upon her arrival each day. Tiffany made it a point to be the first to arrive and the last to leave to prove to her manager Stacy that she deserved to be working here. As the sun's rays began to hit the computer screens the office slowly filled with Tiffany's coworkers. She smiled and greeted each one as they passed by her cubicle, she got along with everyone except Stacy who had it out for her.
"Tiffany! Get in here!"
Monday, here we go.
Tiffany knocked on Stacy's already opened office door. Tiffany put on her best smile which she feared is coming off as being overtly fake. Stacy never looked up as she continued signing document after document, her springy hair reminded Tiffany of a bunch of slinkys that bounced and recoiled with each movement of her signature. When she was done Stacy picked up a stack of folders and tossed them at the far corner of her desk away from Tiffany.
"You're going to these companies. Some are prospective clients and some are already doing business with us but need a simple contract renewal. You have three months and I'll need you to report back to me each week so I know the progress. I don't think you're ready but everyone else is busy with the more important clients to deal with these small businesses so consider yourself lucky that you even get this chance."
Tiffany entered the office and picked up the huge stack of folders. "I'll take care of it." Determined to show her worth, she was up for the challenge. She left Stacy's office with a newfound sense of self, eager to get the task done to prove Stacy wrong. She was going to close with all the companies just to shut Stacy's fat mouth.
Tiffany sat down at her cubicle and stared at the stack of folders on her desk, methodically thinking of the best approach. She decided to keep it simple -top to bottom, without opening the next until the previous company had signed a deal. Tiffany took the first folder from the pile and placed the rest in her desk drawer. She opened the folder and printed on the first page were the words "EXISTING: Emmitt's Bakery"
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Tiffany stood in front of Emmitt's Bakery looking in through the front window. The storefront consisted of two glass display cases, an old time register which resembled something her parents had at their restaurant, and a set of metal double-swinging doors that led to the kitchen. Tiffany already had the folder memorized. The shop had been running for 30 years and in contract with Lane Marketing for just the past 2 years but the account manager had only been limiting advertising to telephone books. Not much effort had been placed into Emmitt's business because the yearly contract was for $1,000 in exchange for the firm's expertise, not even a drop in the bucket in comparison to the annual millions in revenue from the other companies that utiTiffe Lane Marketing.
Tiffany entered the shop and a bell mounted above the door rang softly.
"Hello and Welcome young lady! What brings you here today? Cakes? Cookies? Cupcakes?" a jovial Emmitt bellowed. Emmitt's arms were outstretched at the sight of a new customer.
"Oh wow! As amazing as I'm sure all of those are I'm actually here on behalf of Lane Marketing. My name is Tiffany Nishimura and here is my card. Everything in here looks so delicious Mr. Wren!"
Emmitt's smile faded as soon as he heard the words Lane Marketing. "I'm sorry miss, but I'm afraid I won't be needing your firm's services anymore. There hasn't been any improvement with the flow of customers since I started using you guys. I think after two years it's enough to see that it was $2,000 down the drain. No offense to you but more to the company itself."
Tiffany was not taken aback by Emmitt's frankness and was genuinely concerned about the lack of service Emmitt has been receiving from the firm. "I'm sorry Mr. Wren, first of all please allow me to apologize on behalf of Lane Marketing. I have looked into what our company has done for Emmitt's Bakery so far and I have to say that I am also disappointed at what has been accomplished in the last two years. There should have been more completed and also completed sooner. I understand it is a small business and your contract is for $1,000 each year but that does not mean that Lane Marketing should only do the bare minimum for you. Now, I'm not an account manager but I can try speaking to my head of department regarding some ideas I have that may help expand your business clientele. Digital medium has not been explored for you, but I believe registering Emmitt's Bakery with more the popular review websites and even creating a simple website for the shop displaying your baked goods and what you have to offer would benefit you immensely."
Emmitt's eyes lighted up as Tiffany rattled on about the possibilities that had never been mentioned by his current account manager. "Well, this is a nice change of pace! I like it! Let's do it!"
"Mr. Wren, I have to admit that although I work for Lane Marketing, I'm not an account manager. But I will bring up all that the possible avenues we can approach that I have mentioned to you to the one who is in charge of your account. Growing up my parents owned a restaurant and walking in here and seeing your cash register reminded me of how challenging it can be as a small business. I know this has been frustrating but I won't have you signing a new contract with us until you receive the service that Emmitt's Bakery deserves."
Emmitt nodded frantically in approval. "You do understand! And it's Emmitt to you, young lady. Let me box up some cupcakes for you!" Emmitt was already packaging a box of cupcakes before Tiffany can protest. "You are far too kind Emmitt!" Tiffany replied as she took out $40 from her purse and slipped it into the tip jar on the counter without Emmitt noticing. Emmitt walked Tiffany out the shop as she held the box of cupcakes in her hand. "I'll be sure to share these with my coworkers, thank you! And next time you see me I promise to have good news for you!"
It was already 4 PM but Tiffany was eager to speak with the account manager of Emmitt's Bakery as she drove back to the office. This job was a blessing as she and Ted had the house mortgage and the senior housing bill between the two of them. Tiffany was happy to find a new sense of self and determination to finally be able venture into her career.
After setting the box of cupcakes down in the breakroom, Tiffany headed up to the 20th floor of the tower that was Lane Marketing. She did her customary look-over in the mirror as the elevator arrived. Each account manager had their own office. Tiffany located Darren Miller's nameplate on the wall of a corner office. She knocked twice on the closed door.
"Come in."
Darren's eyes lit up when he saw the petite 5'2 Asian girl walk into his office. He stood up from his desk and extended his hand, "I don't think we've met."
Tiffany shook Darren's hand, "Hi, yeah I'm a new-hire. I'm Tiffany Nishimura and I just started in sales."
