The first time that I met Diane was my first interview with her. I was a little nervous, of course, as I sat in the waiting area. I had already filled out my application and had a meeting with the personnel manager. Diane was the office manager and the job reported to her, so meeting with her was the next step. I remember seeing her walk into the room, look at me and smile. She said my name and I stood up and shook her hand, and then she led me down the hallway to her office.
Even that day I noticed. She was wearing a charcoal gray suit with a white blouse and her long blonde hair was pinned very neatly in a bun. She wore make-up, but it was simple and understated, as were the few pieces of jewelry she had on. Everything about Diane's appearance was professional and business-like, except, she wore sheer black hose and black high-heeled pumps. Being more concerned with myself and how I looked and what I said, I didn't really think about it. I was wearing my "interview" suit - a navy blue jacket and skirt with a white blouse, tan pantyhose, and blue pumps with two or two and a half inch heels. I just tried to sit the right way and answer questions intelligently and do all the things you're supposed to do on a job interview to get hired.
Well, we talked for almost an hour and I felt pretty relaxed with Diane, and when we finished she congratulated me and offered me the position. The job wasn't much but it was my first professional office experience, so I worked hard and tried to learn as much as I could. Diane was a good manager, or at least I thought so. She was very aware of everything going on, and handled things in a very business-like manner. She didn't talk much with any of the girls in the office unless it pertained to work, although she always seemed to be a little nicer to me. She would smile when we made eye contact throughout the day, and when I didn't know something and had to ask for help, she would explain the answers in a gentle and encouraging tone of voice. Diane really made me feel comfortable.
I learned how to conduct myself in a business setting by watching her. She was always polite to people, especially customers on the phone. Her concentration on the work never wavered, and her demeanor and appearance were completely professional. Diane's suits and dresses were always conservative and corporate, very much the ideal for the office environment. But no matter which outfit she came to work in, she always wore high heels. It was a real contrast, seeing her in business suit and a pair of pumps with 3 or 4 inch spike heels, sometimes even higher. She was very attractive, probably in her late 20's or early 30's, with blonde hair, beautiful facial features and a shapely body, and maybe this was her way of expressing some femininity in her professional role. I couldn't quite figure it out and it certainly never came up in any conversation, so I didn't worry about it.
One afternoon around 4:30 Diane asked me if I could stay after 5 because she wanted to meet with me. She spoke very quietly to me when she asked, giving me the impression that wanted no one else to know about it. I told her I would gladly stay, she smiled, thanked me, and went to her office. I got a bit nervous over the next half hour as I tried to imagine what the meeting was to be about. The others in the office left right at 5, and I sat at my desk for a few minutes waiting for Diane to finish a phone call. I heard her hang up the phone and I got up and walked into her office. "Are you ready for me now?" I asked.
"Yes, Jackie. Thanks for waiting. Please close the door," Diane said.
I did and then walked over and sat down in one of the two chairs in front of her desk. Diane was finishing some paperwork so I waited for a minute or so as she made notes and shuffled the documents in front of her. Finally, she looked up at me and smiled as she let out a tired sigh. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting Jackie, but things are so busy right now..." she said.
"Oh that's alright, I understand," I replied.
She smiled again and said, "Yes, I know you do. You certainly have been doing more than your share of the work, and doing a very good job. That's why I wanted to talk with you today."
I thanked her and felt my cheeks getting red. I really valued her opinion and it was so nice to get such a compliment. Diane went on to tell me that she wanted me to be a Special Assistant to her, to handle projects as they came up, to report results to her, and to learn more of the responsibilities of her position.
"You see, Jackie, I think you're very talented and have lots of potential, so I'd like to give you as much extra help as I can. Would you be interested in working with me in this way?"
Well, I was so excited I told her "yes" right away and that I was honored that she thought so much of me to make such an offer. I thanked her several times as I was leaving her office and I could see that she was pleased with my reaction and response. I went back to my desk and as I was gathering up my things to leave, Diane came over to me.
"I was going to the mall to get a bite to eat and maybe do some shopping. Would you like to join me, Jackie?" She caught me by surprise because I had never seen Diane socialize with anyone in the office, but I was still so excited by our meeting that I didn't hesitate more than a moment and said "yes." We reached the parking lot and Diane offered to drive, so we got into her red 300ZX and drove off.
Once at the mall, we stopped and had a light dinner of salad and iced tea, and then strolled around. Diane looked at suits in several different stores and tried on a few. With each one she put on, she asked for my opinion. I told her each time that the suit looked great on her and truthfully, every one of them did. It felt a little odd at first, but Diane was so sincere and relaxed that it was like being out shopping with one of my girlfriends. Here was my boss, this beautiful and successful professional woman, a woman I looked up to and whose opinion I valued, wanting to know what I thought. She finally decided on a light tan wool suit that fit her so perfectly, it didn't need any tailoring so she paid for it and took it with her.
"Thanks for your help, Jackie. It's nice to have someone besides the saleswoman telling me how things look on me," she said to me as we left the store. "Of course, now I'll need new shoes to go with my new suit," Diane continued with a laugh, "You don't mind, do you?"
"Oh no, not at all. In fact, I need some new shoes myself," I replied.
"Great," she said with a soft smile, "I'm glad you came along tonight. It's nice to get to know you better away from all the craziness of the office." Her words were so nice and sincere that I felt a little flutter inside as we walked along there in the mall, aware of her letting me see another side of herself that she had never shown at work. I thought that it was one of those special moments that rarely happens between two people, especially for a boss and one of her employees.
Diane led me into a shoe store where we began browsing. I noticed a selection of dress shoes along one wall and I started to look for a pair of black pumps for work. Diane had gone to another part of the store where I could see her looking over a selection of high heels on display. I had a low-heeled pump in my hands, waiting to ask a salesperson for a pair in size 7, when I wandered over to Diane. She had already asked to be brought a pair of beige leather pumps. The shoe in her hand had a slim heel that must have been 4 inches high. It was exactly the style of shoes she wore to work; just like the dark blue pair she was now wearing.
She turned to me and said, "Have you found anything?" and then noticed the shoe in my hands. "Oh, that's nice Jackie. You know, I've always liked to wear really pretty shoes to work. Some women complain about having to wear heels, but even at the office I like to look nice," she said.
