Chapter 9 Eric

  The only jobs for which Eric feels qualified for are the clerk and office assistant positions. He also applies for the receptionist position but is beaten out by a young college student, which Eric finds quite humiliating seeing as he has earned a law degree. The worst part of the process is not getting the job but having to interview like the other schmucks for a position his father could have easily given to him. He hates having to sit before his father’s subordinates to explain an employment record that is unimpressive at best. The interview for the position is not so bad, but the comments from some of the interviewers are. While standing in one of the stalls in the restroom, Eric removes the tie from his neck and listens to a conversation that accurately describes his entire life.

  “Can you imagine how pissed the old man must have been to have made sonny interview like the rest of these hacks?” one guy asks as he is wiping his hands on some tissue.

  “Pretty damned mad, I’d say,” another guy who joined the two at the sink says.

  “Can’t even blame him. Kid went to college, even law school, has been sitting on his ass ever since,” the first guy says.

  The third interviewer says, “They say that ole’ Majerich came to America with twenty-five cents in his pocket. Twenty-five cents. Worked his pattousy off only to have an asshole kid blow a lot of it on cheap women and expensive cars. I say it’s about time.”

  They are right. Eric has blown a good portion of his wealth on women, the car and the apartment, and his father does not give him much time to simplify his life, to rid himself of the accoutrements of his wealth. In a matter of three weeks, he has to sell a $16,000 a month penthouse, a time share in Cozumel, and the Alfa Romeo, in addition to other manifestations of his wealth that he can no longer afford. He decides to rent out the penthouse to a buddy of his who has been chomping at the bit to buy the property, and he moves himself into a more affordable accommodations closer to the job. The time share he gives to the door man, and he sells all of his other possessions except one item. To part with the Alfa Romeo would have broken his heart, so he keeps it.

  Even with his attempt to assume a more working-class lifestyle, Eric leaves the bathroom knowing that he would be hard pressed to get hired given his track record. He has flirted with half of the women in the secretarial pool, dated a number of the managers, and just has been an all-around hound when dealing with beautiful women who work for his father. However, when he receives the call from human resources that he has, in fact, gotten the position, he is elated. He has found work, so on Monday morning of the following week, he reports for his new position.

  With a satchel slung across his shoulder, he approaches the receptionist who also has just been hired.

  “Hello, I’m the new assistant. They told me to come to the

  receptionist before I went upstairs,” Eric says to the young woman sitting behind the desk.

  “And you are?” she asks with a wide-eyed expression. Eric is taken aback that she does not already know who he is.

  “Eric—Eric Majerich,” he says while looking around the office and realizing it does take on a different perspective when going to work in it.

  “Oh, hi Eric, I’m Jonnie—the new receptionist,” she says extending her hand to shake his.

  “Nice to meet you,” he says staring into her eyes.

  This one is still a virgin. Eric can just tell by the soft lilt in her voice. He is definitely interested, but for the present time, he would wait. He has a job to attend. Meanwhile, his dark brown eyes bear holes into her, and she finds herself breathless at first. She gathers herself and looks at the office itinerary.

  “Okay, let’s see. Okay. Mrs. Fairweather says, you’re to first go to human resources and meet her in the third floor conference room,” Jonnie says.

  “Okay. See you later. Jonnie, is it?” Eric says.

  “Yes,” she says and smiles.

  Eric takes the elevator to the second floor and walks down the long line of cubicles to find Marcie, the go-to person at personnel. He fills out his paper work and heads to the third floor conference room where he meets his boss for the first time since the employee gathering.

  When he takes the job, he has no idea that Madge is the person he would assist, so when she gives him the agenda for that day, he just watches and takes notes. He is still entranced by her beauty, but it is the authority in her voice that stirs him passionately, despite the accent. While he has worked in other positions, he has never worked for a woman, or under one, so he figures this job might be trying for him, a little difficult. Plus, this woman is a perfectionist. He does not have to listen to her too long to know that she wants things done right the first time and in a specific manner.

  Madge is just as taken aback. When she asks for an assistant, she expects someone with a little more experience, someone a little more matronly. Because he is the boss’s son, she has already prepared to do much of his work herself, in addition to her own work. Madge is someone who is used to having to adjust to other people’s agendas, and this job is no different.

  Just as Madge finishes her directives, she says, “This is where I prefer to meet with you in the morning. I’m usually here by 7:30, so if you could get here a little earlier, that would be great. While this position does not offer overtime, you can either take a longer lunch or leave early.”

  He remains quiet and then asks, “Okay, which of these tasks is the priority?”

  She says in a quite arrogant tone, “They are all important.”

  Eric looks at her fiercely as though she has asked him to perform

  some menial task. To break up the awkward moment, Madge, automatically and without thought, says something she says to her children when they are not moving fast enough.

  “Chop! Chop!” she says and then claps her hands. Quite irritated at her flippant answer, he picks up the list, and he works in silence most of the morning, only taking a break to go to the restroom. He finds the work dull, but if working keeps his father away from his inheritance, he would work. He still wants to seduce Madge, but something about being her subordinate makes him hesitant, almost doubtful. She is bossy, a completely different version of the woman he talks to at the picnic weeks earlier. Even so, there is something very attractive about her.

  Instead of flirting with Madge all morning, he works, and at about noon, he says, “So, what’s for lunch?” and smiles a wide grin. She smiles and wonders whether he is flirting with her.

  “It’s the summer, so I usually go home to check on the kids and grab a quick bite, if they are not at camp.” Then she adds, “You’re fine to do what you want. I’d prefer we take lunch at the same time, so we can get back to work together.”

  Eric says, “Today, I’ll take an hour, but from now on I’ll take 30 minutes and leave early.” For lunch, Eric goes downstairs to the cafeteria and finds himself in line behind Jonnie.

  “Hey, how’s your first day? Or morning that is?” she asks.

  “Busy and you?” Eric replies.

  “Really busy. You don’t know how many calls people make related to things they could just handle themselves,” she says while taking a cold salad from the cooler. “I’ve been swamped, but thanks for asking.”

  The two pay for lunch and then sit at a table on the terrace.

  “Boy, this food is expensive, and lousy. Seven dollars for a salad. You’d think there was caviar in this, for as much as I paid for it,” Jonnie says, and Eric smiles because he has always felt his father needed to upgrade the food choices and change the prices.

  “And it’s not the highest quality fare,” Eric says after inspecting the contents of the sub sandwich he purchases.

  “After I finish school, I expect cost won’t really matter, but now it’s painfully expensive. From now on, I am definitely going to bring my lunch.”

  “What are you going to school for?” Eric asks.

  “To be an accountant.”

  “Oh, you’ll work with other people’s money, so you better be able to afford a seven dollar salad,” Eric says in a voice dripping of wealth.

  She laughs and then asks, “What’s your degree in?”

  “Business,” he says, “and then I attended law school.” He

  remembers getting his bachelors in the subject, but he would not be able to answer a single question about either discipline if Jonnie asks.

  “So you want to own your own business? Cool?” He is tempted to tell her that he would own his father’s business one day, but she would probably find that out soon enough though.

  “Yeah, something like that,” she retorts.

  Eric watches her and is almost jealous of her. He thinks to himself, “What it must feel like to be untouched.” Virgins are not that difficult to deflower. The work is in just getting them to that place where they would do anything for him, which would involve a lot flowers, candy, chocolate, and special trips. She is in college still, so she is no dummy. He would certainly have to make a special effort.

  “So, what do you do besides work?” Eric asks.

  “Are you kidding me? I have four classes on top of this job, and I’m competing for a spot on the departmental journal. I have no time,” Jonnie says.

  “My god, what are you trying to do? Become a Rhodes Scholar by the time you are fourteen.”

  “I’m twenty-three, thank you very much. No, I’m doing this, so I can travel abroad. The application and the selection process are very competitive.”

  “Oh,” Eric says, and he hears the distant chants of his frat brothers, as he reflects on his own college experience. He joins the requisite fraternity because his father thinks it might help him make the right connections. It does. He drinks himself right into senior year with a GPA just hovering over a C average. He quickly brushes the thought aside for a minute.

  Having bedded and ruined many a college coed, he has Jonnie figured out and seduced by the time he takes the third bite of his sandwich. Yet and still, her youth, innocence and exuberance tug at his heart. The two of them converse for almost an hour, each secretly wanting to get to know the other better.

  Meanwhile, on her way back from home, Madge passes the cafeteria, passing Eric and Jonnie who are finishing lunch. She glances at the two and reminisces back to the days when her life was care free and simple.

  Eric is kind of fly, and so she is not surprised that he manages to hook someone the first day of work. Madge is not really attracted to him at this point, but this interaction between Eric and Jonnie certainly interests her. She finds Eric to be boyish, immature for his age. Most men of thirty-five have more to their names than what their fathers have earned, and so she does not see herself relating to this particular one on more than a business level.

  When she reaches her office, she returns calls and waits for Eric to return from lunch, and as punctual as ever, Eric shows up a minute before lunch is over.

  “Knock, knock,” he says and then opens the door.

  “What’s doin’?” he asks.

  “Okay, I have a meeting in about twenty minutes,” Madge says. “You need me to take notes?” he asks.

  “No,” she says, “I need you to help me understand some of the people that work for me.”

  “I don’t get it. What do you mean, understand?” Eric asks. “I have to turn this company around. I’m sure your father has talked to you about the business,” Madge says.

  “It’s not in slump. Because that is the one thing I know—my father knows business,” Eric says.

  “Nothing like that. The company is fine, but it will be facing some serious competition” Madge says. “I need to know who I can rely on and who I can’t.”

  “Okay,” Eric says, “I’ll do whatever I can.”

  “Just jot down some notes about a few of your colleagues. It will help me stay abreast of some of these office bombs that go off from time to time,” Madge says.

  At promptly one-thirty, Mrs. Fairweather and her assistant head to the third floor conference room. Eric sits through one of the driest, most boring meetings in his life, but he does as she asks and takes notes. After the meeting, the two sit in her office going over his notes and she pauses for a moment and says, “God, you are doing a good job. This is great information.”

  “What? Did you think I was going to veg out in the conference room after lunch? Eric asks.

  “No silly, I just—I don’t know. So, what did you come up with as it relates to our colleagues?” Madge asks.

  “Well, out of everyone in attendance—I don’t think you have to worry about any plots, but here’s what you should be aware of,” Eric explains giving her his take on her employees.

  When he finishes his assessment, he adds, “Oh, and you might want to watch Derek Catrall.”

  “And what am I watching him for?” she asks.

  “He likes women of color,” Eric says with a sheepish grin.

  “Oh, Eric, be serious!” she says.

  “You be serious, boss lady. I can’t believe you made me an accomplice in your spy program. What are you expecting? Jeez, lighten up,” Eric says, “Anyway, my father doesn’t run that kind of business,”

  Madge hands him a file. She gives him her directions. They both work until five and leave the office to pick up their respective home lives.

  Chapter 10 Eric

  Mollie finishes her business with her editor and is determined that Eric cut his hair. She is slightly annoyed that he would have the gall to actually show up at her editor’s office demanding those types of changes. For the evening, though, Mollie sets aside her issue with Eric. For dinner that night, she cooks grilled lamb, risotto and vegetables in a spicy pesto sauce.

  “Hon, this is great,” Rich compliments her cooking between sips of wine. This time is the first she actually looks at her husband through a different lens. She scrutinizes him and finds herself fascinated by the blond hair that is streaked with silver. Mollie begins to understand why average is so attractive to many women in this day. She is watching him and distracted by his pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

  “You need a nose guard,” she comments.

  “Yeah, I know. I’ve made an appointment to get fitted for new glasses,” Rich answers.

  They sit in silence for a minute when Mollie asks, “How’s the research coming along?”

  “Well, we are set to travel next year,” Rich says. “Harry suggests we make a vacation of it.”

  “I know. Pat told me,” Mollie says, the tone in her voice a little disappointed.

  “What?” Rich asks.

  “I dunno know. I just thought maybe. You know. We’d do something together next summer—alone. I thought we’d actually plan a real vacation,” she says sipping her Chardonnay. “We haven’t had one in a while.”

  Rich does not respond to this inquiry, and they both sit quietly for a few minutes when Rich says, “Tom, Mike and some others plan to go up to the cabin this weekend.” Mollie remains quiet.

  “It’s been a while, and Mike says this is the only time he’s available,” he pauses and says “the life of a surgeon.”

  Mollie stares blankly at her husband. At that moment, something in her slightly cracks. Her marriage is perfect. However, a sudden incompleteness envelops her.

  “Can I go?” he asks.

  “Huh?”

  “Can I make the trip this weekend?”

  “Yeah, it’s not a problem. Fine,” Mollie says.

  That is how the Edisons spend most of their dinners this summer while the girls are away, but this time is the first she misses their noise. While she has eaten at this table with her husband a million times, tonight the silence is deafening, only to be broken by Rich’s gulps, audible smacking and their intermittent conversation.

  After dinner, Mollie retires to her office where she begins Eric’s transformation. She expects him to show up pretty miffed about his new image, but no appearance. She shuts off the computer, slips out of her office and slides under the covers next to her already sleeping husband. The next morning while in her bedroom slippers she walks her

  husband to the door, lunch bag in hand, and then heads back to her office. She opens the door to see Eric sitting at the monitor.

  Taking a sip of coffee, she asks, “What are you doing?” Caught off guard, Eric swings around in the swivel chair.

  “I see you’ve already made the changes,” he says indignantly. “That’s none of your business!” she says incensed that he has overstepped his bounds in such a way.

  “You’ve completely changed my look, so yes Molls it is my business.” “Why were you at my editor’s office?” Mollie asks, changing the subject.

  “To talk reason!” Eric says.

  “What, Eric it’s a haircut. Get over it.” She continues to say, “And stay away from my editor or—”

  “Or what? Or, I’ll cut you out of the story,” Eric says daring her to seriously consider the threat. He continues, “It’s so easy for you, isn’t it?” All you writers are the same!”

  “Lower your voice,” Mollie says, as if she is speaking to one of her daughters. The volume in Eric’s voice increases, and Mollie finally says, in a quite irritated voice, “You—are a character in a book.”

  “It’s so easy. Change this, edit that, but—” Eric says over her voice. “But what?” Mollie asks while waiting for him to answer. She looks at him as if waiting on a petulant child.

  “In your world with your reasonable expectations a regular guy has a chance,” Eric says pleading with the romance author.

  Mollie does not understand his anxiety, his vanity.

  “What!? What are you talking about, Eric? You’re a character in a book!” she says, the exasperation dripping from her voice as she places her hand on her forehead.

  Eric says, “You wouldn’t get it. Everywhere in your world the mundane is the norm, even celebrated in some cases.”

 

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