Due to a downturn in American made machine parts, Carl Grant is in a financial bind that he will overcome with the order from James Wentworth. He went to see his client confident he will get the order as Mr. Wentworth has been his client for fifteen years.
Friday morning Carl strolled into the JW. Machine Shop offices confidently, walking up to Mr. Wentworth's secretary as he said. "How have you been Amanda? I haven't seen you in a while.
"I am well and it has been a long time. I imagine you're here to see Mr. Wentworth." The Administrative Assistant said in a professional manner
"Yes, that's what I like about you; you're a very perceptive lady."
"Thanks, but don't you remember, I was the one to schedule your meeting with the boss."
"You got me there; I did talk with you to schedule the meeting."
"Go right in, he is waiting for you."
Carl went through the door and greeted Jim saying. "How are you doing Mr. Wentworth?"
"I am doing fine, but the time is going fast. Is it time to reorder the cutting tool supplies already?"
"Yes it is, I received the list of cutters you need and emailed the quote to you. It is a little higher than last year, but you are ordering more cutters. I figure with the increase in tools you need, you are actually saving about four percent this year."
"Thank you Carl I appreciate looking after your clients as you do."
Carl Asked. "How is everything going with your family Jim? Isn't your son a star pitcher for the high school team?" Oblivious to his wife's job as a teacher and he forgot she said something to him about one of her students giving her a rough time throughout the year.
"Yes he is, but one of his instructors gave him an undeserved low midterm grade and this caused him to be cut from the team." Jim lamented, as his son is the only bright spot in his otherwise stressful life, and as an afterthought, he asked. "Do you know an English teacher named Wendy Grant? Is she related to you? My son told her that he had two booklets for his English comp midterms and she only gave him back one, so he failed the test, thus it caused him to be cut from the baseball team."
When Jim explained to Carl, what happened to his son Jim Jr. he turned red, because Wendy was telling him about a disruptive kid in her class? He said to Jim. "Wendy is my wife, but she is a good teacher everyone likes her. I don't think you got the whole story?"
Jim was livid with Carl's last remark, he said. "I think you better leave now, I will talk to you later, after you talk to your wife about the incident." He turned his back to Carl signally the end of the meeting.
The rest of the day Carl was useless, he needs this contract or he will be in danger of losing his business. He went home early, before Wendy arrived, the stress causing him to feel helpless.
At quarter to four, Wendy arrived home. She was surprised to see her husband home before her. Wendy was worried he was sick and rushed into the house, while she called his name. "Carl where are you? Carl?"
"I am out on the deck." He hollered.
"How come your home early, you sick?"
"Kind of, what do you know about Jim Wentworth Jr?"
"He has been a pain in my class, very smart but vindictive; the last straw was when he took the midterm and only answered the question portion of the exam. He didn't write the composition he was instructed to write. He said he did and I must have lost his paper, he tried to make it my fault he failed. Why what brought this up?"
"I was banking on getting the contract for the machine tools from his father who owns JW Machine Shop that is why. We need that contract. You usually correct the midterm tests at home. Are you sure it didn't fall behind the desk?"
"I didn't realize that Jim Jr's father owned JW Machine Shop. I am sorry if I caused any problems. I am very careful, but I will go and check." Wendy said, as she went to the office as Carl trailed behind.
Carl helped Wendy move the desk and they found not one, but a few papers behind it.
"Oh my, Jim Jr. was telling the truth and there are other student's papers also. I have to be more careful from now on." Wendy said upset for doubting Jim Jr. She sat down and corrected the composition immediately finding that he composed an A plus composition, bringing his mark up to a B plus for a midterm grade.
Monday afternoon the contrite English teacher Mrs. Grant apologized to Jim in front of the class. "Jim I am truly sorry. I didn't think you were telling the truth when you said you had two booklets for your midterms. It fell behind the desk in my home office. I called the coach over the weekend and he reinstated you to the team. I changed your mark and told the principal that I made a mistake."
"That is not good enough Mrs. Grant; you humiliated me in front of all my friends." Jim Jr. Said, as he stood up in front of the class.
Seeing that she was not getting anywhere with her student accepting her apology, Mrs. Grant said. "Class we are working on writing client letters today, turn to page 309." while marking the page number on the white board while starting to explain the mechanics of the letter.
Meanwhile Carl Grant called Jim Wentworth senior and that did not go any better.
"Hi Jim I talked with my wife and we moved around the desk that she uses at home. We found your son's composition in the back. You will be glad to know that he received an A plus for the composition and his mark is close to an A at this time. Wendy called the coach telling him of her mistake and Jim Jr. is now back on the ball team." Carl stated when his client answered the phone.
"I want to thank you for following through Carl, but that isn't good enough for you to earn my business back." The divorced father said to Carl.
"Then what will be a way that I can earn back your business?" Carl asked, with the hope he can salvage this clients order or face dire consequences.
Jim, having all weekend to think, and remembering how attractive Mrs. Grant is, he is going for broke. He has a feeling that Carl really needs his contract and Mr. Wentworth wants to have Wendy feel the humiliation that his son felt for being ban from playing ball. Jim also wants to see Wendy naked. He has come up with a plan saying to Carl. "My friend in Whately owns a strip bar called Classy Ladies Lounge. If your wife consents to dance there for one afternoon, I will give you the order for the machine tools."
"What do you mean by dancing at the lounge? My wife does not like to dance." Carl said incredulously, not even remotely thinking that Jim would want Wendy to do something like this.
"If you're agreeable, I will have a woman I know by Charlene instruct your wife on the dance moves required, in order to secure my contract. I will text you Charlene's Cell number. Oh and by the way, Wendy will have to ask all the senior boys over eighteen in Jim's class to attend her afternoon of dancing. I will leave it to you, how you will tell your lovely wife that she will be the headliner of a private party at the club for an afternoon."
They disconnected after they said good-bye. Jim laughed after he hung up and Carl was in shock. Carl could not work the rest of the day and at two o'clock gave up trying. He left; because he needed time to mentally compose his argument of the merits of Wendy dancing for one afternoon to secure the contract.
Wendy arrived home at three-forty five; she was surprised to see Carl home again, but they have been married for over thirty-five years, so she had a premonition as to why he was home, as she asked. "Why are you home early again, does it have anything to do with the Wentworth boy?
"Yes it does." Carl said hesitating to tell his wife more.
"Well now that I straightened out the mess I created. Did you get the contract?"
"Sort of, with strings attached, that includes you."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"In order to get the contract, you will have to dance at a club in Whately for an afternoon. Jim texted a number for a woman named Charlene, who will instruct you on the type of dance he wants you to perform, if you're interested."
"Should I be interested?"
"Yes, if you want to keep the house we are in and our cars."
"We are in that bad a shape?"
"Yes we are Wendy, we need the contract."
"Okay I will call Charlene to see what this is about."
Wendy retrieved the cell phone from her purse and called the number. "Hi, is this Charlene?" Wendy asked, noting the loud music playing in the background with people shouting.
"Yes it is." Looking at her cell phone, Charlene asked. "Are you Wendy?"