New Secretary β Company Bonding
If you have been reading the previous stories about my new very personal assistant Marie, you'll know that she has turned out to be a great addition to the company and a great influence on me. At this point, twelve months into her new position, she has helped increase corporate morale and effectiveness with her talent for selecting just the right VPA for my senior executives, helped me close significant deals with many key accounts, and has taken my sex life way beyond my original plans for her β I mean way beyond.
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The week before Christmas my sales manager Tom came into my office as I was thinking about my birthday β the big 40 was coming the following week.
"Hey β what's up?" I asked.
"Are you aware I have been here eleven months, thirteen days and four hours? But who's counting?"
"Really" I responded, "already? " We both laughed.
" I thought we could do an impromptu review."
"Sure β my time is yours. No time like the present." Tom sat down.
" OK here's my summary. You are a terrific boss and I am a terrific sales manager. We have a terrific new CFO and, thank you, we have our VPA's. We are all cooking at high gears. We are well on our way to having doubled our optimistic sales increase. We have already increased business by almost 45% all with greater margins. I will make almost $50,000 more than we both thought and I know that makes you happy. It certainly does me. How am I doin' so far, Boss?"
"Great β don't stop now β you're on a roll!" I smiled in return.
"OK β I've got an idea. We need some R&R as a group β kind of like a retreat to plan next year β that is you, me and Jeff, and of course the girls need to come along to take notes. I propose that we plan a trip to someplace where clothes are at a minimum and that you pay for it out of my year-end bonus."
"Sounds like a great idea, Tom, but don't be silly. I would be happy to pay for it. You guys have earned it. You don't have to do this."
"Oh yes I do. If I pay, I get to chose how and where and how much. Besides, there must be a better boss somewhere in the world, but I ain't even thinking about looking. This is a great company you have here Jack. You are building something fabulous and you share the wealth β financially and personally. As an employee who feels more like a partner, thank you for the opportunity to make more money this year than my father thought I would earn in a lifetime."
"You're welcome, but you guys make it pretty easy. I don't worry about anything when you say you'll take care of it. You always come through. So where are you planning?"
"I have a friend who has a three-bedroom home on the bluffs overlooking the Caribbean at Runaway Bay in Jamaica. It's very secluded and very private. He has a pool and a hot tub/jacuzzi with a view that won't quit. We can have it fully stocked with food and drink, complete with cook and manservant so we never have to leave if we don't want to. We can charter a jet for a little more than commercial airfare for the six of us and be there in two hours. What do you say?"
"When do we leave?" and we both laughed out loud.
"Jeff is already in and I think Madeline has never unpacked from their purchasing trip last week. Rachel has already done the work on the plane and Marie has your bag packed and has already cleared your schedule for next week. The plane leaves Friday at 10:30 AM. The limo will pick you up at 9:00 and collect Marie, Jeff and Madeline afterwards."
"Are you telling me you guys planned all this behind my back?"
"Happy birthday, Jack, and a happy and prosperous new year with our thanks."
I turned around and there was Jeff, Madeline, Rachel, and Marie all smiling.
"You guys are the best."
Madeline responded with a bright smile β "you ain't seen nothing yet!"