Leighton Greene is Here
It's been a dream of mine to work at this bank, this global financial institution, because my great grandfather actually co-founded this place. My father used to work here, as did two of my aunts. I remember coming here as a child and being in complete awe of this downtown building.
No one knows about my family connections. To make a long story short, a hostile takeover decades ago diminished my family's interest in the bank, and because of other financial circumstances, we had to sell most of our shares. But that's not important right now. All in the past, though it's become a personal mission of mine to reclaim at least some of this bank to my family, however small.
I'm having my final meeting today to become a quantitative analyst. What's a quantitative analyst, you ask? Trust me, you don't want to know. But if you're curious, it has to do with analyzing financial and investment data.
Today I'm headed to a different floor, meeting someone I've never met before. I've already signed the NDA's and other security measures to ensure that I can keep a secret. When the elevator door opens, I'm struck by the sight of dozens of impeccably dressed women in office skirts and pantyhose. The workplace is filled with sounds of typing, rustling papers, and the hum of office machines. The walls are adorned with abstract art and the space is flooded with natural light from the floor-to-ceiling windows.
This is different from anything I saw when I was a kid. This place, dare I say, is more feminine. I can almost smell the perfume.
As I take a moment to look around, a voice calls my name.
"You must be Leighton."
I turn around to see an Asian woman, mid-30s, and I'm impressed by how she blends professionalism with casualness. Her blouse must be worth a fortune, yet her office skirt and flats look affordable. And then there are her pantyhose. For some reason, her pantyhose stands out. Maybe because her office skirt is short which exposes more of her legs.
"And you must be Amanda Chen, the person I'm here to meet," I say.
"Please, call me Amanda, right this way."
We head to her office and all I can think about is how much I want to work here. I catch glimpses of computer screens with complex data analysis and financial models. The atmosphere is intense, yet there is a sense of camaraderie among the women.
Amanda's office is simple and stylish. We sit down and the conversation is more personable than expected. I get the sense that she's trying to lower my guard, to disarm me, but my guard was never up in the first place. Not with those pantyhose.
"Let's not waste time," she says. "My schedule is packed. I know you've gone through a lengthy interview process already, but mine is a little harder. Do you mind doing something for me? I need to know what you're capable of."
"By all means, I'm happy to prove myself."
"Excellent."
Amanda Chen spins a laptop on the desk so that it's in front of me. I take a look. On the top of the screen it says, "FOR LEIGHTON GREENE" and there's a financial question below with a set of numbers, and below that there's a space to type an answer. Amanda checks her phone to track the time.
I get to work. The question is regarding risk management in the face of high inflation and high interest rates. Very relevant to today's market. I do my best, as fast as I can, and type my reasoning below. All together it takes me 18 minutes.
When I finish, I spin the laptop back to Amanda and she takes a look. Her face is stoic as she reads, then she smiles. She's back to her friendly self again.
"Pretty good," she says. "Now I can see why certain people were so hot to hire you. Now let's talk about discretion. Are you someone who can be trusted with sensitive information?"
"I can keep a secret. I've already signed the non-disclosure agreements."
"Then I'll be more direct. You applied for a job as a quantitative analyst. However, there might be a better opening for you. You'll have more responsibilities and you'll be better compensated. Does this interest you?"
"Yes, absolutely. I've always been adaptable. I welcome any opportunity to prove my worth here."
Amanda lifts her eyebrow, her eyes scrutinizing me. It's a silent challenge, a test of trust, as she questions my ability to keep confidential matters within the corporate realm.
"For your ears only," she says. "We have reason to suspect that an individual within the Investment Research Department is engaging in activities detrimental to the bank. This person may be stealing sensitive data and investment strategies. Are you following me so far?"
She further explains that they're offering me a great paying job if I can find out who is responsible. She wants me to do this because I'm young and unassuming, no one will suspect me, but I'm smart enough for the task. My body language weakens and she encourages me to hold my chin high.
"Be more assertive," she says. "Let your confidence shine. You should fit right in with these women. You're intelligent, energetic, and you look fantastic. All you have to do is keep your eyes and ears open. I'll also give you the passwords to their computers."
I gulp so loud that Amanda looks at my throat.
"And if I find the person, or people? What are you going to do with them?"
She looks amused. "We're not killers, if that's what you're afraid of. We'll discreetly get rid of them. We just need to make this stop."
The ease in which she explains this is unnerving. I try to remain cool. I've always dreamed of working alongside powerful and influential women. This takes me a step closer, although not in a way I could have expected.
I also think of my family, as if I'm somehow defending our legacy, even though this bank has zero clue who I am. They see me as just another employee. Inside I feel a strong drive to prove myself and leave my mark. I think of all the stories I've heard about my great grandfather, the sense of pride in their voices, the family photo albums with old pictures taken inside this building.
"This is doable," I say.
"Is that all you have to say? This is the opportunity of a lifetime. You're potentially being fast tracked to work for upper-management if you can pull this off."
Her gaze becomes piercing, more corporate. In the last few minutes of this meeting, I've witnessed the full spectrum of Amanda Chen, from sweet and lovable, to a serious operator who does whatever it takes to safeguard corporate interests.
"Fucking right I'm going to get the job done?"
My voice nearly cracked when saying that. Not the desired effect, though it pleases Amanda.
"Another thing," she says. "Have you heard about the unofficial dress code?"
That sounded more like a critique than an actual question.
"I've never heard anything about a dress code, but I can assure you that my wardrobe is tasteful."
"Read the room. Women tend to wear office skirts. Do you have any of those?"
"I mostly have dress pants and slacks, but I have a few skirts."
"Well get some more. And pantyhose. Do you have those?"
"I'll be sure to swing by the mall."
"Here, let me give you a present. Since we're friends now."
Behind her desk, she bends over and does something with her heels. Then she walks over and stands in front of me. Her heels are gone and she's standing in her pantyhose, which she starts to remove, rolling them off her feet. She's fine stepping barefoot on the floor as if she's done this before. There's a certain comfort as her toes dig into the carpet's fibers.
Amanda smiles as she hands me her pantyhose. She's done this before. I smile and accept her pantyhose with grace despite how odd this is. They feel warm in my hand, freshly worn.
*