Margo stood on the pavement facing an enormous, black building. She stood, shifting her weight from one leg to the other back, holding a coffee in one had while the other nervously patted her hip. She always looked forward to a morning cup of coffee, but today she couldn't bring herself to take a sip. She felt sick from her nerves. Today was her first day at her new job.
She finally elected to toss the coffee in the trash, taking only one small sip from the paper cup. She was already so jittery; she figured a cup of caffeine would make her explode. She felt the cold January air and immediately missed the warm paper cup in her hands. She wanted to make a good impression on her first day. This wasn't just any job; Bartok Industries was a giant in the field.
She had been running a small tech start-up, finding moderate success, when Bartok had bought her out. She hadn't wanted to go through the beginnings of starting a company again, so she didn't think she'd be willing to sell, until she heard their offer. They were willing to pay a remarkably generous sum to buy her company, and to take her on at Bartok in an upper management position.
Her friends had told her not to take it. Well, at least, not to take the job at a company run by some old
man
. They had all insisted that she could start a new, even more successful business! They had said she'd never be taken seriously as a 22-year-old woman surrounded by middle-aged men; that she was 'surrendering her power'.
Margo had responded that Bartok was a modern company that had a great atmosphere, and valued it's employees. While Bartok did have a pretty good reputation, the truth was that she was exhausted. The pressure of running a company, even a small one, was beginning to take its toll on her. Part of her had respect for all the CEOs of the Fortune-500. Even the old men. It was NOT an easy job. Despite what she and her friends had thought back in college.
Still, Margo had defended Bartok with more confidence than she actually felt. She was anxious to make a good impression because this was going to be a new place with new people and first impressions were important. But more than that she needed to set the tone to make sure she was respected by her peers. She would not tolerate any slimy old men calling her 'doll' or making her do secretary work. She had been an accomplished entrepreneur, and just because she was happy to be rid of the overwhelming stress that came with being responsible for an entire company didn't mean that she would demand any less respect.
She repeated her mantra to herself, feeling somehow both more comfortable and more intimidated. Damn, she wanted to smoke. She longed for the all-too familiar feeling of a cigarette between her lips, the warmth of the nicotine in her blood. Maybe she could bum one off someone as they walked in.
No, don't do that. Nothing owns you; not even addiction
Why not? She still had time, and it would really take the edge off.
No, keep your word impeccable,
she thought to her herself.
You promised yourself that you'd quit
She instantly knew that it would be easier to take her mind off of her craving if she still had a cup off coffee in her hand.
Well, nothing for that now.
She stood there, consciously trying to keep herself from swaying back and forth, trying to calm her nerves a little and at least
look
confident. She took several long slow breaths, speaking quiet words of affirmation to herself.
She looked at her watch, and felt that it was finally late enough that she wouldn't be
too
early on her first day. She couldn't stand to wait any longer so she began her march forward along the pavement to the glass doors at the front of the building.
As her heels clicked away the space between her and her new career, Margo found that the building seemed to lose it's power over her; as if it was seeming more and more like a friend. She caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection from the glass doors. For her first day, she had chosen a very elegant suit that she felt looked professional, while still highlighting her natural curves, and she found that she was very pleased with that choice.
She couldn't help but smile as she opened the front door, wondering what she had been so nervous about.
A tall, brown-haired man stood facing her as she stepped into Bartok Industries. He wasn't exactly good-looking, but not hideous either. He had an athletic build, and an easy, comforting smile on his face.
He extended a hand to her, "Margo Matthews?"
She took his hand, trying not to think about how much of her first impression would be made right here with her first hand-shake at her new job.
"Yes. Hello its' mice to might you. Mice. Ni-Nice to m-meet you." Oh dear god. Margo's smile fell, seeming to run for it's life away from the disaster that was Margo's first impression at her new job.
"I'm Jethro Packer. I'll be working with you for your first couple of weeks. Just to help ease with the transition here. We have a very...specific way of doing things." The man was kind enough to pretend not to notice her fumble of her first words at her new job.
"You can call me Jet." He continued. "Did you have any trouble finding the building?"
Just relax
she thought to herself. Margo forced another smile through her nerves. "It's hard to miss."
Jet chuckled, "Haha, yeah. You know, there were supposed to be other buildings of similar size built in this district. Not sure why, but none of the projects ever seem to get anywhere. Anyway, we have your office all set-up, but I need to take you to on-boarding for some initiation videos, first. Is that okay? It's just standard stuff."
Jet began walking to the elevator before she could react. "Yes. Yes that sounds good."
She got into the elevator with all the poise she could muster. Jet didn't even look at her, he just stared eyes forward, stoically saying nothing.
The elevator doors surprised her when they opened back up, since she had only gone up a single floor.
"You okay?" Jet asked
"Yes. Of, course" she tried not to let her insecurity show. Why would he ask her that. Didn't she seem okay? Wait a minute....