I sat for some time in my car and stared at the Norris building. I had worked here for over fourteen years and now it was beginning to pay off. Tim Wilson, the CEO, had called me in yesterday and informed me that the company was about to receive a huge government contract. He also said that this would necessitate the establishment of an entirely new division. Then, he dropped the bomb!
"John, how would you like to be the Associate Division Director for this new division?"
For the longest time, I couldn't bring myself to answer him. This had come completely out of the blue. I had known that we were bidding on a new, big contract, but I hadn't thought that it would involve me. Well, that isn't quite true. I knew that Dick Blake was slated to head the new division and I felt certain that he would want me as one of his team leaders, but, Associate Division Director? That had not been on my horizon. Naturally, I accepted the new appointment on the spot.
After clapping me on the back and congratulating me, Tim continued, "Naturally, since you will be moving up into the higher executive ranks, you will have to go over your personnel files again. We can't have a top executive suddenly showing up with a bad record. What might be acceptable for a team leader will not do for an executive. So, I've set up an appointment with Miss Weatherly for tomorrow morning. Think you can make that?"
My only answer was a very wide grin.
When I entered the personnel office, Miss Weatherly's secretary rose from behind her desk to greet me. I was somewhat surprised for this was a woman of at least forty. She was a large woman. Her hair was stylishly done and she presented a very attractive appearance. Except for her dress. I think it was what a woman would call, "a shirt-waist dress" and it was very plain-looking. It was beige in color with short sleeves with a white cuff around their ends. The dress had a white collar and a row of rather large buttons extending from the neckline down to approximately the middle of her stomach. All in all, a very drab-looking attire. Somehow, I had expected a beautiful , striking female for Weatherly's secretary. This was definitely not the case.
"Mr. Martin?" I nodded. "You may go right in. Miss Weatherly is expecting you."
Anita Weatherly was the personnel director for the whole company and, as such, she possessed a lot of clout. Not only was she important within the company, but she was personally prepossessing. She was a large woman. She was easily six feet tall and that without heels. I would have judged her weight to be in the 150 to 170 range. She wasn't fat, just very large.
"Well, John. From looking over your file, I see that it hasn't been updated – except for promotions – since you first came to work here. Sooo, we are going to have to redo the whole thing. Does that worry you in any way?"
"Not at all."
"Okay, let's begin. You are thirty four?"
"Yes"
"Married?"
"No."
"Engaged?"
"No and I am not currently in any kind of relationship."
"Oh, that's too bad. Religious?"
"Not really. I was raised as a Protestant, but I've sorta gotten out of the habit of going to church."
"Then it is okay to say that you have no real religious ties?"
"Yes, you can say that."
"Smoke?"
"No."
"Drink?"
"Absolutely!"
That brought a grin to her face. "Do you consider yourself heterosexual? In other words, have you ever had a homosexual relationship?"
"Emphatically, no!"
"Sorry for these questions, but we have to be careful of what others might think – especially in our more intimate working conditions. I do hope you understand?"
"Of course and I am not in any way insulted."
"Very good. The company would like a brief resume' of your current financial status. A recent bank statement would do for this. You must understand that we wouldn't want an executive who is in debt over his head?"
"Okay. I'll contact my bank and I'm sure they'll send you a copy of my statement."
"Fine. You may have wondered why I asked about a wife or serious friend. Did you know that the company has an organization just for the wives of the members of our senior management?" I shook my head. "Well, since you aren't married, there really isn't any reason for you to know about it. That particular organization is organized and run by Mrs. Wilson, the CEO's wife. To continue with our updating of your file, any run-ins with the police? Any criminal record? We are primarily interested in felonies not run-of-the-mill traffic tickets."
"No. I've never been arrested for any reason. I'm a very safe and sane driver."
"Fine. That about finishes it. There is one other thing that I feel I should prepare you for. The major executives o f the company – over the years – have formed and currently maintain an intimate relationship among themselves and their wives. You will be expected to participate in this organization. Does that offer any impediments to your acceptance of this promotion?"
"What kind of organization? Can you tell me a little more about it?"
"Certainly. It is a sexually-oriented group that meets periodically for certain ceremonies and ... er....rather free-wheeling rituals!"
There was a very long silence while I considered all that she had just said. I found it hard to believe that all of my bosses and their wives and girl-friends got together for sex orgies. My surprise made it impossible for me to answer her.
"I have assumed that you will still accept the offered promotion so I have assigned you an office and I have delegated one of the secretaries from the pool as your secretary. Her name is Mrs. Ryan and she should already be established in your new office. She has been with us for a number of years and knows a lot about the workings of the company. Oh yes, if you have a private insurance policy – life or health – you should consider cancelling it. As a member of the executive staff of the company, you will be provided with both life and health insurance. Furthermore, you will be entitled to one physical examination every year at company expense. You can pick the doctor or I can make a recommendation from a list of acceptable physicians maintained by the company. Any questions?" I shook my head and then she continued, "There will be a get-together of the upper management group next week. It would be especially good if you were to attend. In that way, you would get to meet the entire executive branch. I'll give you more info in time for you to answer. We are hoping that you will accept the promotion. In anticipation of that fine event, good luck in your new position."
I thanked her and left. I was excited over my promotion, but there was one thing, besides this sex thing, that was nagging at me. I had seen the women who worked in the steno pool and some of them were real cuties. What bothered me was this woman's name. Somehow, "Mrs. Ryan" didn't sound all that sexy. I knew I was embarking on a big, new phase of my life, but I didn't realize just how different it would be and I vowed to myself not to let a small setback like, "Mrs. Ryan" throw me off my game.
There was one surprise awaiting me that I encountered on the way to my new office. Weatherly's office was in the upper regions of the company building. The nineteenth floor to be exact. My office was on the seventeenth floor so I strode from Weatherly's office to the elevators. When the elevator doors opened, I was greeted by five women – all of whom were dressed in that same shirt-waist attire. They, like me, got off at the seventeenth floor and, from that, I assumed that they were also secretaries. But, why were they all dressed in the identically same fashion?
Unfortunately, Mrs. Ryan was just the type of woman that her name suggested. She was something over fifty, tall and rather large. Her hair was done up in ringlets in a style not seen for decades and the dress she was wearing was a replica of the others I had just seen. It hit me that all of the executive secretaries were dressed in the exact same manner! She jumped up as I entered and came around her desk to greet me.
"Hello, Mr. Martin! I am Mrs. Ryan – your new secretary. Oh, I guess I've made my first mistake! Since you didn't have a secretary, I must be the new one." And then, she laughed at her own booboo.
"Hello! Glad to meet you. You undoubtedly know that I have just been promoted to this office so, let's get off on the right foot. Whenever you and I are alone in the office, I'd like you to call me John and, if you don't mind, I'll call you – by the way, what is your name?"
"Betty, Mr. Mar.....er .... John. I'm Betty. I've spent the time since this morning drawing our office supplies and, in general, trying to get things laid out for you. If there is anything you want, just let me know and I can get it."
"Thanks, Betty. I'm a sort of straightforward kind of a guy so I'm sure what you've gotten will do me just fine. I think it would be a good idea if I paid a call upon my new boss and get some idea of what he wants me to do. See you later."
Upon my return, Betty greeted me in something of an excited manner.