Due to the power cut the night before, the alarms had been affected and getting to where we all had to be at the times we had to be there proved to be awkward and fraught with problems – it was 9-45 by the time I got to work. Full of last night and the strange goings-on with the computer, I was ready with apologies and got ready to go into the warehouse. Deano stopped me. I was to be upstairs, a position was available for Ms Bright’s assistant, and she wanted to talk it over with me.
So up those stairs I went, and knocked on the door of the office I had been in the previous day. When a voice called me in, I entered, but it was not Ms Bright, as she had come bustling up the stairs behind me. She was looking at me in a very odd manner, then it occurred to me that she wanted to see if I had the file on me. Not sure how to respond in the company of a third person after the whole secrecy thing. I just replied, saying boot. She knew to what I was referring. In an instant she had dismissed the other member of staff and gestured for me to sit down. Had I had a chance to get the file in my car straight away? Wasn’t it a good method of distraction?
I had my suspicions about the Fire Drill, but she had just confirmed them. It had been a distraction for me to get this file into the car without being noticed. After we had been chatting for a while she brought up the true subject, and I was just relaying to her the whole thing about the lights flashing then popping and the power cut. Then the screeching tyres in the early hours on an otherwise silent street.Asking me where I bought our lightbulbs from, she nodded gravely, and said that Brightsparkz was a main supplier, so the probably came from the warehouse downstairs. She excused herself as her mobile rang.
Upon re-entering the room, she was extremely agitated and in clipped tones told me that some filing needed doing and calls answering. Also not to expect her back in the office for the rest of the week. She was going to be unavailable for calls – all calls – and would check in with me on my work mobile. Realising this could be awkward, she said that a mobile would be made available to me and I were not to let the number be known by anyone. Extremely vehement in this she darted about the room, getting herself ready, but ultimately just getting in a flap. So much so the headless chicken would have been welcoming her into his coop soon. No doubt the invite was in the post.
As this thought was leaving my head, she was gone, calling back only to say she’d phone me at 4.30 each day until her return. Some assistant I would make – it was like a return to my days in the law firm – no he’s in court and will get back when he can. Yes I am aware you are waiting for him to return your call – no you turning up at the office not not make the slightest difference. He would still be in court and not able to see you.
A knock on the door interrupted this reverie and Lorraine came in with a box. She handed it to me, clearly wondering why I had been issued a company mobile after just a week – she had been there months and nothing! Then the cheeky madam asked if I wanted help setting it up and inserting the sim card. I did know what a sim card was didn’t I? We were joined just then by an infuriated Mr Edison, where was she, Ms Bright. I replied honestly that I did not know, but it appeared he had a fairly good idea, and out he stormed, cursing and almost spitting in anger that he told her not to bother the poor old bloke, and it was probably nothing….Nobody else knew…….
Lorraine had chosen Mr Edison’s entrance to the office as a great opportunity to leave, so now I was alone – with one mad boss, whose footsteps I could hear thundering above me – nothing like an employer making you feel at home. My new – direct- boss was away on business known only to very few. And my ally within the company had gone also.
For the first hour I busied myself, and found my way round the filing system - within no particular order - I could change that, now where was that list of calls she had mentioned. I found a pile of post with a yellow sticky note - please send. The one addressed to me - PRIVATE - ADDRESSEE ONLY
