"Mike, are you almost done?" Craig, Michael's co-worker at the software company he'd worked at now for more than eight years. "The show's about to begin. There are so many people, they had to move it to the car lot next door. If we want a good seat, we have to leave now."
"You go. I have to finish up...a, umm...a thing," Michael said. "Save me a seat if you want."
"Okay, but don't take too long," Craig, in his late twenties, and at least twenty years Michael's junior, with sandy blonde hair and an average build said. "I don't know how long I'll be able to hold off the crowd."
"I have complete faith in your abilities," Michael said, picking up a random stack of papers, and smiling awkwardly until Craig left. As he bounded down the corridor made by the rows and rows of cubicles, Michael dropped his papers and exhaled a long sigh.
What Michael was going to be late for, and what he'd hoped he could avoid altogether, was his company's semi-annual team-building afternoon. Not that he minded working as a team; Michael was a valuable and hard-working part of the company, and everyone loved working with him. What he did not understand was: how bouncing on trampolines, zip-lining across canyons or sitting through yet another motivational speaker's rabid rants was going to make him a better software engineer or team member.
"That can wait, my boy," Big Jim Chesterfield, CFO of the company bellowed as he passed Michael's desk and slapped him on the shoulder. Michael winced in pain. "There's nothing more important than the team, don't you agree?"
"Yes, sir," Michael said through gritted teeth. In his early fifties, and quite fit, Michael still had some of the common ailments the years bring upon us all. His was a dodgy shoulder that screamed at him every morning he woke, and each time he'd rotate it too far in the wrong direction. Today, he added to the list, when my boss's ham-sized hand grabs it. "Just putting these files away, Mr. Chesterfield; I'm on my way."
"Mike, I've told you over and over again," he said, standing above Michael, which is how he saw himself, anyway. "My name is Big Jim."
"Yes, Big Jim," Michael said, smiling through the pain. What he wanted to say was "I've told you time and again my name is Michael, and not Mike. That doesn't seem to matter to anyone around here, though."
Now that the CFO of the company had caught him trying to avoid the meeting, Michael knew had to get there, and sooner, rather than later. With the entire football-field-sized room of cubicles empty, save his, he stacked his papers neatly, arranged his desk, took a deep breath, and made his way next door.
"You have got to be kidding me," Michael said, out loud, but thankfully not as loudly as it was in his head when he saw what the exercise was. "A hypnotist? A stage hypnotist? What the hell kind of team building are we going to accomplish here?" He sat in the seat Craig had saved for him, and the enthusiastic young man beamed.
"Apparently Big Jim and the CEO, Mr. Paulson saw this guy in Vegas during a retreat a few months back," he said. "Word is they just thought he was incredible, and decided they wanted to share the experience. I don't think there's any team building to it, really."
"Well, that's an improvement," Michael said, glancing at his watch. "But it's still a waste of time. I have a month's worth of work, and four days to get it done in."
"Aren't you ever just relaxed and concerned with pleasure?" Craig asked Michael. The words 'relaxed' and 'pleasure' stuck for a moment in Michael's mind, and he noticed he stopped really thinking of anything else. He just stared in Craig's eyes for a few seconds before shaking his head clear.
"Well, there's a time and a place," he said, adjusting his seat, and noticing, to his embarrassment, that he had the beginnings of a pretty serious erection happening out of nowhere. "And this time of day is set aside for work."
"Still," Craig said, gripping Michael's bad shoulder. Surprisingly, although he expected it, there was no pain. Instead, there were pleasant tingles that ran up his neck and across the back of his head. "You must get so tired sometimes. Need to switch off. Be true to yourself, Angelina."
"Be true to...hmmm...," Michael said dreamily. "Wait, did you just call me...who is Angelina?"
"What do you mean?" Craig said, chuckling. "Michael, I just told you to lean over. I wanted to get my jacket off your chair. I put it there to save your seat for you."
"Oh," Michael said, confused and looking around. "Oh, yes, I'm sorry. How silly." He leaned forward and Craig leaned over his back to get his jacket. As he did, he placed his hand on his older workmate's back and whispered into his ear,
"It's okay to let go, Angelina."
Michael visibly slumped further down as he heard the words, as if in a dream and felt the young man's warm breath against the back of his neck.
"Let go," He whispered. Craig retrieved his coat and eased Michael back up into his seat. Shaking his head clear, Michael didn't remember anything of the past few seconds besides Craig getting his coat.
"And now, I would like to ask for a volunteer from the audience," the hypnotist, The Magnetic Hypnotic Caruso announced. Craig merely clapped softly and kept a side-view of Michael, who watched the show intently, but didn't volunteer. "Thank you," Caruso said as a young, muscular, attractive man Michael had never seen before got up on stage.
To his surprise, Michael found himself tracing the volunteer's muscular shape with his eyes. To his further surprise, he could feel his erection growing as he did so. Normally this would concern him; he was married and had been for decades. His wife was a lovely woman to whom he was very much still attracted. So why was his body reacting in such a way to...to...who was this guy? He was gorgeous! What was he just thinking about? Oh well, he thought...sometimes I should just let go. He smiled and continued to watch.
Caruso waved a pendant slowly in front of the man's eyes, and Michael was fixated. First on the pendant, then on the man's eyes. Such beautiful eyes. Shiny eyes. Sparkling...back and forth...his eyes were so pretty...sleepy...shiny pendant...back and forth...let go, Angelina...back and forth...relax...pleasure....
When the man's eyes closed, Michael let out an audible sigh that made Craig smile wide.
"Now tell me, young man," Caruso said. "Do you have a girlfriend?"
"Yesssss..." he replied, sleepily. Michael's face became a bit darker as he frowned, despite himself.
