Go With the Flow

Yohanna Lopez was an American citizen because she was born in the United States soon after her immigrant parents had snuck across the Rio Grande. It cost him all the money he had for he and his wife to be smuggled in. Her father was determined to give his family a better life. A life he did not believe possible if he stayed in the corrupt, cartel-ruled part of Mexico he came from. He took all the jobs he could in the United States, usually off the books. Eventually, he bought forged documents that allowed him to work regular jobs. He was dependable and worked hard.

Yohanna's father learned that corruption was not just on one side of the border. In many of his jobs, he was shorted on his pay and never got anything extra for overtime. He never complained to anyone outside of his family for fear of being reported to ICE. His deportation would be devasting to his dream for his family. His attention was laser focused -- his children would have a better life, no matter what he had to put up with personally.

It wasn't until Yohanna was a teenager that she began to understand her father. It pained her to see him work so hard and receive so little. She tried to talk to him about his rights and told him that he should not stand for it. His response showed anger that Yohanna had never seen before. He told her that he could not risk the life he was making possible for her and her siblings. All the cheating, insults, theft, and disrespect he suffered was the price he was willing to pay. Although her father never was violent at home, he drank a lot. Alcohol helped him tolerate the loss of manliness that his macho heritage demanded.

Yohanna met other children of immigrants whose fathers were making the sacrifice for their families like her father was. Many were angry and wished their fathers had stood up to their bosses and other authority figures. Then there were those friends whose fathers had protested. Some lost their jobs. Some were reported and either deported or were threatened to be deported. It was not unusual to have friends disappear overnight. She hoped the reason for their vanishing was only that the families had to move and start over again.

Yohanna thought since she was an American citizen, she would not face the danger and humiliation her father had to tolerate. As soon as she was old enough, she started working part-time to help the family. She was a waitress in a Mexican restaurant. Her work taught her a lot: responsibility, dependability, hard work and that there are a lot of nice people in the world and a lot of not so nice people.

One other thing serving the public taught her was that many men were attracted to her. They would compliment her looks and some were very specific in the body parts that they liked the most -- breasts most often but her butt was praised also. It seemed that those men automatically assumed a waitress would make her body accessible to them -- for fun, for money, or for a not-so-believable promise of a permanent relationship. She learned the fine art of flirting to increase her tips, but never took any of the vulgar proposals or offers of cash she received.

Yohanna's school and waitressing schedule meant that she could only date infrequently. Mostly she went out with Latino boys, but there were some Anglos too. Ethnic background didn't seem to matter as far as what boys expected. All the boys wanted to get around the bases as quickly as possible. She never went past second base with any of them, therefore, she never had a steady boyfriend.

Graduating from high school, she went to Tech School to take secretarial practices. Word processing, spread sheet, and data processing were her main classes. Yohanna continued to be a waitress and date when she could. The loss of her virginity came shortly after her 19^th birthday. During the second and final year of her tech program, one of the other waitresses introduced Yohanna to her brother, Miguel, an auto mechanic. They clicked instantly. With little time to date, Yohanna decided to make the most of each date. They had sex on their third date, committed to be exclusive on the seventh date, and engaged by their 20^th date. The total time of their relationship until they got married was just over a year a few months past her 20^th birthday.

Their plans to get an apartment to start married life depended on Yohanna getting a full-time job as soon as possible. Miguel worked in an auto repair business but was still an apprentice mechanic making just above minimum wage. Yohanna was helped by the tech school's placement department and put in a number of applications. It took six weeks, but she was hired by Gordon Ramer at Astro Industries, a supplier of custom shipping packages for fragile objects. The interview with him had gone very smoothly. She was relieved to have found a job and excited to start a new household with Miguel.

Mr. Ramer had told her that she would be expected to dress professionally, but she should not try to downplay any of the physical attributes that she felt made her attractive. "I don't want to sound sexist, but the truth is that the men who visit here are more likely to do business when they can remember our office had beautiful, smiling, friendly women. That might not be politically correct, but I'm not going to accept less business because my girls don't look good." He chuckled after saying that.

Yohanna and Miguel went apartment shopping. Their happiness in finding a good place was short-lived as they learned of the amounts of the deposit and first month's rent in advance plus deposits for electric, water/waste management, and gas. Then there was budgeting for two car payments, insurance for two cars, rent, and renter's insurance. Health insurance for Yohanna was covered by her benefits' plan, but she had to pay to get Miguel added. Reality bit them on their asses. They needed an initial boost in their income to get started.

After neither family was able to help in any substantial way, Miguel suggested that they both go to their bosses about an advance in pay to help them get into the apartment. Once the initial deposits were paid, they believed they would be able to pay the recurring monthly expenses.

Yohanna asked to meet with Mr. Ramer. She was terrified to have to have to ask for a favor this soon after she had been hired.

*****

MR. RAMER'S OFFICE

"Yohanna, isn't it? I hope you're not having a problem with the job. Do you need more on-the-job training?"

"No, Mr. Ramer. The job is going fine. This is a personal issue that affects my job. The problem is that my husband and I can't afford all the deposits we need to get into an apartment. We have asked our families and they have given us all they can. We haven't done enough borrowing for us to receive a credit rating in order to get a loan. Those paycheck loan places will give us money, but their fees are horrendous.

"Mr. Ramer, I know that this is my and my husband's personal problem, and you are you are certainly under no obligation to help us, but you did say in orientation to come to you with any problems. I am asking for help because the distance from where we live now takes so long to get here that I am afraid I might be late to work some days if there is a traffic problem.

"The good news is that we have found an apartment close to here. We can afford the rent, but we can't afford the deposits. I hate to ask you, but I was wondering if you might be able to give me an advance on my wages that I could pay back with interest over time. Like I said, I hate to ask you especially since I just started but I don't know what else to do." She was almost crying.

"Yohanna, please don't cry. I think you will find that by working here you have an employer who has a heart. Your and your husband's situation reminds me of when Alice and I first started out. There was a time where rice and beans with an occasional Banquet pot pie -- four for a dollar, was what we ate the most. It was sure hard for us to live that way, but it gave us an appreciation for money. Our salvation was a car I had been restoring since I was a teenager -- a 1957, red and white Chevy Bel Aire. I loved that car almost more than I did my new wife. Since I did love my wife more, however, I sold the car. My wife tells people that when I did that, she knew I really loved her. Several years ago, I was able to buy it back although I had to par a lot more than I sold it for. By sacrificing then, I could afford the expense now.

"I assume you two don't have anything to sell that would bring you enough money. If so, I will tell you what I will do for you. I will personally loan you the amount of your deposits. Once you two get settled into your apartment and get used to paying the monthly bills, you can tell me how much you can afford to pay me back each month for my loan. I will not charge you any interest." He wrote a check for $2500 and gave it to her.

Yohanna broke out crying. "Thank you, Mr. Ramer, but this is more than what we need."

"Take it. I also remember that there were dozens of little extra expenses in setting up our first place we hadn't thought of. You'll see."

"This is more generous than what I had hoped. Oh, Mr. Ramer, would it be against the rules if I hug you."

"Well, I guess I could accept that instead of you paying interest." They embraced and held onto each other for a couple of minutes as she cried in his arms. She was very grateful.

Yohanna returned to her desk and immediately called Miguel. She had trouble keeping her cool as she told him of their good fortune. They celebrated that night at home with mock champagne -- a concoction of apple juice and ginger ale mixed together.

In the next few weeks, Yohanna and Miguel signed the annual lease required for the apartment that was in between their two job sites, but closest to Yohanna's. In another couple of weeks, they had finished the initial furnishing the house with the most important pieces of furniture -- especially the bed. Major appliances were provided by the landlord and his parents provided a used couch. They were blissfully happy.

At the end of the first month of employment, Yohanna was called into Mr. Ramer's office. She was not sure why. Her guess was that he was wanting to know what she and Miguel would be paying each month towards the loan.

"Well, Yohanna, how has your first month been working here?"

She breathed a sigh of relief. "I love it here, Mr. Ramer. The people are so nice and there is plenty of work to keep me busy." Suddenly, she became fearful. "Is my work okay? No one has told me it wasn't. If I need to do more, I will be glad to do it. I really need this job. I... "

"Whoa, calm down. According to the other secretaries, your work here has been fine. I have called you in because there is one aspect of your working here that needs improvement."

"What is that?"

"Your wardrobe. It's too... well, it's too conservative. We need professionally but attractively dressed secretaries."

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean. I'm wearing the best I have."

"Let me ask you. Who would you say is the best-looking, best-dressed secretary in the pool?"

"That's hard to say there's so many attractive women working here. I feel like an ugly duckling sometimes compared to them."

"That's a good analogy. Let me ask it a different way. Who is the secretary who most often catches the eye of male customers who come in here?"

She did not hesitate. "Sheila."

"And why do you think that's the case?"

"She's very beautiful and I think men believe she's sexy."

"Exactly. I think with the right wardrobe and make up, you could look as nice or even better than Sheila."

"I don't know about that. If I did dress that way, I don't think my husband would appreciate it, especially if I got the type of attention she gets from the men who come here."

Gordon turned serious. "Have you ever heard of Sheila doing anything inappropriate with any of our male customers?"

"Oh, no. As far as I know, there's never been an indication of improper behavior from her. I have, however, overheard several of the male customers making it clear they would like to date her despite her being married."

"And what's wrong with that?"

"She can't date other men. She's a married woman."

"Having men ask her for a date and her actually going on a date are two separate things. Sheila is a woman whose husband knows and approves of how she appears. He knows that is what is expected of her at work. Most importantly, he trusts her not to be seduced by another man's charms. Don't you believe your husband would trust you if a man complimented your looks?"

"I don't know. He does tend to get jealous. It doesn't matter right now anyway. I can't afford a new wardrobe even if I wanted one. Maybe in a year or so I can save up enough."

"That's why I called you in. I'm giving you a credit card that has $1000 on it. You are to go out and start building you a new wardrobe for the office. It is not a loan. It is an investment in the business. Your improved appearance will improve our business just like Sheila's appearance does."

"But I wouldn't know where to start, Mr. Ramer. I've only worked as a waitress before. My church clothes were my best clothes."

"Just a minute." He dialed an extension. "Sheila, this is Gordon. How would you like to go shopping?... Not for you, for Yohanna... Okay, you can buy an outfit for yourself too... Is right now okay?... Great."

A dazed Yohanna stuttered out, "I have a lot of work to do. I can't go shopping now."

Gordon put on a fake gruff face. "Just who do you think you are young lady. I'm the boss and if the boss says go shopping, you damn well better go shopping." He was now smiling.

"Yes sir! Anything you say sir."

"Good, I expect to see you back here by the close of business today in an outfit that will knock my socks off. Now get out of here."

Yohanna went back to her desk about the time Sheila was arriving there. "You ready to go, girlfriend?" They left.

"Sheila, is it normal for Mr. Ramer to buy clothes for the women who work here? I've never heard of a boss doing something like that."

"You'll find out that not only is it normal for him to give money for clothes, but this is just the beginning of the perks you will be offered. This is a different place to work than most. Don't be closed-minded. My advice is for you to 'Go with the Flow.' Personally, I wouldn't want to work anyplace else."

Sheila took control of the stores to go to and what clothes she thought looked good on Yohanna. After being presented outfit after outfit Yohanna thought looked too sexy, her conservative fashion sense was eventually numbed. She began to give in to Sheila's opinion. Yohanna had to admit she looked very good in the outfits, maybe too good. Sheila then took her to her favorite cosmetic department and got Yohanna a free makeover. Everyone who saw her after, including Yohanna herself, said 'WOW!'

Sheila picked the most revealing outfit for Yohanna to model for Mr. Gordon. He was impressed, very favorably impressed. Sheila said, "I thought you would like what we picked out."

"I doubt I could be more pleased. Thanks for the help, Sheila."

"My pleasure, boss. And thanks for the new outfit."

After Sheila left his office, Yohanna asked, "Are you sure that these are an expense the company won't mind paying for?"

"Let's just say that this is an expense that I gladly incur in order to improve my office's productivity and, therefore, my standing within the company. It's a win-win."

"I can't thank you enough, Mr. Ramer."

"Yes, you can."

"What?"

"How about the same thank you I got for not charging interest on your loan?" He stood up from his desk and walked over to her. They embraced. This time it lasted longer and there was more patting by him on different parts of her body. She also noticed that he felt something hard where his lower body was pressing against her. She was embarrassed and began to wonder about Mr. Ramer's intentions. Yohanna was pleased when they broke apart. That didn't stop her from noticing the bulge showing in the front of his pants. She was impressed by what she saw. She chastised herself for looking and hoped he hadn't seen her staring.

Yohanna was afraid when she showed Miguel her new outfits for fear of his disapproval. She was right to have that fear.

"No way! Those clothes show far too much of your body. I've seen street walkers with more on."

Yohanna got defensive. "You know what street walkers wear? Do you still look at them now you have a wife? You pervert."

"Hey, I'm just like any man. If a woman wants to show me her goods, I'll look. That's not perverted. It's human nature."

"Yeah, you look and then go masturbate, I bet."

"No baby. Well, not any more. I don't have to masturbate now that I have you. Let me show you what I like to do instead."

They headed for the bedroom. The next morning, Yohanna argued that the outfits were required the same as the uniforms that Miguel had to wear at his job. As a concession, she agreed not to wear her new outfits in public without him beside her. She said she would wait until she got to the office to wear them and change clothes again before she came home. It was a compromise they both could live with.

It did not take long for her new wardrobe and makeup to make an impression on the customers going into Mr. Ramer's office. Soon she had what Sheila called 'puppy dogs' hanging around her desk, panting to get noticed by her. Yohanna became adept at flirting without succumbing to the offers of the men. Her practice as a waitress paid off. She was very happy.

At the end of her 90 day initial evaluation period, Yohanna was called into Mr. Gordon's office. According to agency policy, a new employee could be fired without cause during that time without recourse. Yohanna felt a little trepidation going into his office. Since it was to discuss a personnel matter, his usually open door was closed while they met.

"Sit down, Yohanna. I'll try to make this as painless as possible." He did not seem to be as pleasant as in her previous visits.

"As you know, this is your probationary period evaluation. There are three possibilities that can come from this meeting: 1) Hopefully, you and I can both agree on your continued employment with a 5% pay increase over what you are making now. 2) You can tell me that you have decided that this is not the job you thought it was and tender your resignation. 3) Finally, I can decide that you are not the right person for the job after all and send you home with a two-week severance paycheck. Do you understand the possibilities?"

Yohanna was getting really scared. "Yes, sir."

"Now, tell me your opinion of how well you have performed your duties here these past three months."

She took a deep breath. "I think I learned the job fairly quickly without making too many mistakes. The other girls have been very helpful in showing me easier and better ways to do things and just adjusting to the routine here. They have told me to 'go with the flow' and I think I am. It took me a while to get my own personal system I needed to get organized, but I feel I have that now. You sir, personally, have been extremely generous to me and my husband. I don't think... No, I know we couldn't have had the smooth start to our marriage without your kind help."

"Do you think I was right about the improved wardrobe?"

"Yes. I wasn't sure at first. I was not used to wearing such revealing clothes, but after I got used to wearing the clothes and the comments from the male customers, I realize that I'm indebted to you again. I have never been complimented so much before."

"And do you believe in paying back your debts?"

Yohanna was worried that she had waited too late to tell Mr. Ramer how much she intended to pay back the loan. "Yes, I've been meaning to talk to you about the loan. You see... "