“Work Day” – a short story, fictional piece

Below is a short story I wrote last year.  I’ve submitted it to two different publications but have not found a home for it yet.  In the mean time, I thought I’d share it here.

Although I was inspired by a few real work experiences in the story, the characters and the outcome are entirely fictional.  None of this ever happened.  But hey, it’s fun to imagine it could happen to someone who is stuck in a job she/he hates….

(Thankfully I’ve never had a boss this selfish or inconsiderate.  My current boss is pretty great and so are my team members.  That’s why this is called fiction!  🙂

————————————————————————————-

Title: “Work Day”

By: Mandy B. Fernandez

8:04 a.m.

“Two almost full diet soda cans, a half-eaten block of cheese and four mushy strawberries,” Beth described to her best friend Katie.

“Really, she seriously left all that food out on your desk for you to clean up?” Katie asked.

“Yes, and this is only Wednesday. As the week goes on, her dirty dishes and trash increase,” Beth groaned.  “Sometimes I find gum wrappers and used tissue around the office too.”

“What a slob! How did she even become in charge of the company?” Katie inquired.

“Oh, Celeste kisses butt big time. I’ve never seen someone rub elbows so well with the power players in this community. I wonder if I’ll ever move up or if I’m destined to be someone’s assistant for the rest of my career,” Beth sighed as she twirled her long brown hair.

She was in need of a haircut. Her split ends were beginning to become out of control. Her eyebrows looked a little bushy too. If Celeste hadn’t worked her through lunches and until dusk lately, Beth could take time to visit a salon for some much-needed pampering.

“Why not just quit?” Katie suggested.

“My landlord just raised the rent,” complained Beth, “Otherwise I would. But I can’t find another place right now. I love my apartment and Cooper is so happy too.”

“Your poor dog, he must hardly see you lately,” Katie said.

“Yes, and he reminded me of that when he chewed up my pair of running shoes two days ago,” groaned Beth.

“Change his name to Pooper Scooper then,” laughed Katie.

“Not funny,” said Beth but she let out a giggle.

“Well girl, I have to go. I just arrived at my favorite place in this world and I’m being called by my true love,” Katie exaggerated.

“Okay then, enjoy your caramel mocha and say hi to your barista Frances for me. Talk to you later. Bye.” Beth hung up the phone and placed the dirty plate into the sink. She tossed out the rotten berries and the half-eaten cheese. She poured out the hot diet soda can and placed the aluminum into the recycle bin. Only seven hours and fifty five minutes left in this work day she thought.

Beth grabbed a new coffee filter and rinsed out the pot so she could put on a new brew. She dreamed of placing a tiny drop of poison into the coffee grounds. A laxative or a sedative would be less fateful and not cause her jail time though.

Hmm, perhaps she would drive to the drug store on her break later….

*******************

9:16 a.m.

From voicemail – “You have seven messages from caller Celeste Kline.”

“Geez, only seven today,” Beth groaned. “How many step by step instructions for idiots has she left for me now?”

Beth grabbed a notepad and pen to jot down the messages. She turned her computer on and went to the internet to find some music. If she was going to have to sit through ten minutes of complaints, she could at least do it while swaying to Adele and Maroon 5.

Diana, the recently hired Creative Director of the company, popped her head into the room as Beth was rolling her eyes and listening to the fourth message from Celeste.

“Is Celeste in yet?” Diana asked a bit reluctantly.

“No, but I expect her at any moment. Meanwhile, I’m listening to all her instructions now,” Beth said sarcastically and pointed to the phone.

“How many did you have when you came in today?” Diana asked.

“Seven.”

“You beat me today; I only had five, less than usual. But she did say I was to check in with her right away which is why I’m here now,” admitted Diana.

“Lucky you Diana – only three months on the job here and you’re already her go-to girl?”

“Ha! More like her go-to complaint agent. Or her toy to wreck while she takes all the credit,” Diana blurted out. Shortly after she turned a bit red, realizing she said the words out loud without meaning to do so.

“I know exactly what you mean. Your secret is safe with me,” Beth winked reassuringly.

“Thanks,” Diana said. “I do appreciate your kindness and your assistance since I started here,” she added.

Beth really did like Diana. She was a thirty-something rising star in the media world. Her ideas had already taken their media company, Star Communications, to the next level. Ratings were up. Customer service had improved. She had accomplished so much in such a short amount of time.

Beth couldn’t understand why Celeste treated her so poorly. That was just Celeste though. She had no respect or common courtesy for anyone.

“Will you buzz me when Celeste is ready to meet with me?” Diana inquired.

“Sure thing,” Beth replied.
********************

10:27 a.m.

Celeste was pacing in front of Beth’s desk barking orders one after another. “Cancel my 1 o’clock. Call Jimmy at the dry cleaner’s to see if my suits are ready. Did you book my flight to Atlanta for next week? Where is my status report from the engineering department?” Celeste rolled all these sentences from her tongue with no anticipation of pausing.

Had Celeste not stopped to look at a chipped nail on her finger, Beth would have run out of ink from the pen she was using.

“Done. Yes. The flight options are printed and were placed on your desk,” replied Beth.

She was trying not to let her overbearing boss fluster her. She had been working at Star Comm for over a year now. Why did Celeste insist on micromanaging her and treating her like she was an imbecile?

If only she could be given a real project that would put her marketing skills and her degree to work. Instead Beth spent her time restocking the mini fridge and booking travel arrangements.

Bethie you must start somewhere, her mom had said to her. It’s a foot in the door, she recalled the conversation.
What Beth felt like doing at that moment was shoving her boss’s foot in the trunk of her car. Then drive that car off a steep cliff with her boss screaming for her life from the inside while she jumped out at the last minute. Her car was old anyway. Beth wouldn’t miss it too terribly. She certainly wouldn’t miss Celeste.

*********************

11:48 a.m.

Finally a few minutes of peace and some food too, Beth thought to herself. She grabbed her purse and headed toward the exit.

Her stomach growled loudly as she passed Diana in the hallway.   “Good luck!” she said quickly and kept walking.   Diana seemed defeated already as she stepped into the joint office of Beth and Celeste for her meeting.

Beth was hungry. She took note that she probably only had about fifteen minutes before Celeste would be calling her with another chore to do. Next it might be asking Beth to take inventory of Celeste’s lipstick collection or shine her shoes.

The Bagels and Beans Café was directly across the street from Star Comm. They knew Beth well. It was her only escape from the office most days. Beth ordered her usual chicken salad on a whole wheat bagel. Grapes and coleslaw came on the side.   She had such a headache.

“I’ll take an iced chai tea as well,” Beth told the cashier and completed her order.

*********************

11:56 a.m.

Beth had just wiped away the first bite’s remnants when the Hall and Oats tune “She’s a maniac, maniac….” bleeped loudly from her phone.

Crap, that’s Celeste groaned Beth. She handpicked that jingle to represent any calls or texts that came in from her boss. She figured “Bitch” by Meredith Brooks might not be appropriate in some social settings.

“Hi Celeste,” she uttered into the phone grudgingly.

“Bring me back a soy latte with one drop of vanilla. Pick up my suits from the cleaners on your way back too. See you ten.” Click!

See me in ten minutes? Is she nuts? The dry cleaners are about twelve blocks away and I haven’t even finished my lunch yet. Great, just great. My day is only half over!   I think there is a drugstore next to the cleaners…
*********************

12:42 p.m.

With a dozen skirts and tops draped across her arm, Beth nearly slammed into Diana as she opened the door to her office.

“Sorry about that, I didn’t see you.” Beth exclaimed as she scurried to find a place for the suits and coffee.

“It’s okay. I was just leaving,” Diana said with agitation.   “Apparently I’ll be back in an hour with a revised report that Celeste wants. I just need to complete an errand first,” she said hurriedly.

“Take a breather while you can. This day is crappy for me too,” whispered Beth.

“Beth, are you back? I need you!” beckoned Celeste from the other room.

“Coming…” sighed Beth. She put away her purse and bags and tried to put on her best, fake smile.

*********************

2:17 p.m.

Celeste was tapping her foot against the conference table. Beth’s headache had only increased since lunchtime.

“Diana, I asked you to revise this report for Mr. Richfield and compile data from our latest program. What is this crap that sits before me?” Celeste slammed down the sheets of paper and glared at Diana in the conference room.

Beth was asked to join the room and take notes. Typically she never looked up or made eye contact with co-workers in the meetings; this time though she glaced at Diana and felt sorry for her.

Diana looked distant, as if she had stopped listening to the words and was in fact, not even present. Celeste never had anything nice to say to her.

“For Christ sake, my assistant Beth could have done a more decent job than this and she’s a child!” continued Celeste.

She is on a roll Beth thought to herself. And since when did 26 year olds fall into the children’s category?

“I expect something on a higher level than a first grader on my desk by 5 o’clock!” Celeste shouted to Diana. “Now go!”

Diana simply stood up, started into the distance and left without a single word.

“Another idiot!” said Celeste. “Why do I end up doing everything myself around here?   Beth, I’ll need you to stay later tonight….”

“Okay…” Beth began.

“Did you forget to pick up my blue suit? The one with the black trim? And what about the business cards? I need them for this weekend’s trip.”

“I thought everything was there. Your ticket showed that….”

“Go back immediately and get it.   Pick up the cards. Then clear my calendar for tomorrow because you have some organizing to do with my files.”

“Right, okay.” Beth said through gritted teeth. She excused herself then reached for her keys.

*********************

3:25 p.m.

The receipt flew from Beth’s hand as the wind gusted. At least Celeste’s blue suit was still intact and the new business cards looked great.

What an ordeal that had been, remembered Beth. She thought the printer was going to cancel their order after the constant changes she made on behalf of her tyrant boss. Doing the simplest tasks always took three times as long because of Celeste’s scrutiny.

Only two more hours left, Beth reminded herself. Then this miserable day will be over.

As Beth closed the trunk of her vehicle, Diana breezed past her. She seemed to have more pep in her step. Perhaps her errand gave her the energy to face the beast once again. Diana was swinging a plastic bag in her left hand. Beth thought she recognized the packaging detail.

*********************

3:48 p.m.

“Beth, what is taking you so long?” hollered Celeste. “I need you to pull up last month’s statements. Call the San Francisco office for me and put Chadwick on the phone. Do you have his number or do I need to find someone else who can dial?”

Of course I do, I call him every day at least three times for you, Beth muttered under her breath. His assistant Stacie and she had become rather close. They loved swapping office horror stories about their bosses.

*********************

4:32 p.m.

“Now, not five minutes from now, Beth! And bring me a diet soda” yelled Celeste. “Go. That is all.”

Beth gladly stood up to leave. Celeste had spent the last fifteen minutes belittling her, reducing the work she did all morning to that of a mindless monkey.

After Beth grabbed the cold diet soda from the mini fridge, she remembered the plastic bag next to her purse. She eyed the white box peeking out from her purchase at the drug store earlier that day. Beth reached inside, gently opened the cap then cupped the pill into her hand. It looked perfect for her plan – to be silently slipped into Celeste’s diet soda.

As she was opening up the box, Diana walked into the office. Beth put the pill in her pants pocket and dropped the box next to her chair.

“Beth, I need to see Celeste one last time. But I forgot to make an extra copy of this letter. Would you mind going to the copier now and making a duplicate for me? I’d greatly appreciate it. That machine hates me.”

“Sure, I can do that, no problem.” Beth replied. She brushed her hand against her pants pocket feeling the pill; then she took Diana’s letter.

“Thanks. Is that diet soda for Celeste? I’ll give it to her,” Diana said. Then she took the can away before Beth could protest.

Beth moved slowly down the hall to the supply room. With each step, she lost faith and her nerve.
*********************

4:37 p.m.

“Damn this copier! Why can nothing go right today?” Beth screamed and removed the paper jam once again.

It is only a two page document. What gives, Beth wondered.

She pulled the stuck sheet out and glanced at the words. The greeting caught her eye…

Dear Wretched Hag,
I hereby give my resignation. Today is my last day and I hope you….

What? Holy crap!

Her mind could not comprehend the bold statements she was reading. She wanted to jump up and down.
Diana had written a very detailed, explicit letter to Celeste terminating her employment. In it she said exactly where Celeste could shove that latest report. Beth felt shocked and ecstatic.  She read the first page a second time, giggling out loud with glee.

As she turned to the second page of the letter, she saw the culprit of the paper jam – a sticky note that said, “Beth, call me. I know of a coordinator position that you would be perfect for….”

Really? Oh gosh…yes, save me from this place!

*********************

4:41 p.m.

Beth tried not to skip her way back down the hallway. She heard Celeste shout profanity and slam her door shut. Diana turned the corner with a huge, satisfied grin on her face.

“Hi Beth, want to join me for a drink in an hour?” Diana suggested.

“Wow Diana, I’d love to celebrate with you but I do still have to work to finish.”

“No you won’t. Celeste won’t be feeling well soon. After you drive her to the hospital, meet me at Foxy Alehouse on Second Street.” Diana said confidently and headed toward the exit.

Just before she left, Diana tossed a green, plastic container into the trash can. Beth remembered seeing that same canister at the drug store earlier that day. In fact, she almost purchased it herself but the pill was more expensive and had a stronger dosage.

Well, I’ll be damned. She had my same idea but beat me to it! Beth shook her head in disbelief. She really is deserving of the title Creative Director.

*********************

5:35 p.m.

Beth let the ambulance pass her as she left the ER parking garage. She reached into her pocket and grabbed her cell phone. She was nearly out of breath with excitement as she dialed Katie’s number.

“Hey girl, what’s up?” Katie asked.

“I’ll explain everything soon. Can you meet me and my new boss for drinks in a half-hour? I’m having the best day ever,” Beth said.