Hidden Boss

Hidden Boss

Author's notes: Since I started writing, I've had several hundred comments. This is one that stuck in my mind. "Realism Suspended and enjoyment embraced" It was so simple, yet so positive!

It made me wonder why all the readers couldn't adopt a similar attitude. If you don't like a story, back out. Click it off. Why do some feel the need to hurl insults because something isn't to their taste?

**********

Beth, my PA, buzzed me. "Mr. Franklin wants you in his office at 11AM."

Franklin? That was unexpected. Even though I was VP of Employee Relations, he didn't talk with me often. A call from him was usually a 'you fucked up' kind of forewarning often followed by a personal escort out of the building clutching a cheap cardboard box.

I looked at my watch, fifteen minutes. "Okay, Beth, let them know I'll be there."

I set my work aside and sat back to mentally review everything we were working on. I couldn't think of anything negative. Things had been going well for the last little while.

Well, there was only one way I was going to find out. Speaking of which, it was time to move.

Walking past Beth's desk, I whispered, "Can you pack up all my stuff in a box?"

She giggled. "Get serious you doofus. Nobody's firing you; they love the job you do."

"No nasty rumours then?"

"Nope, but you better get your keister moving, or that might change. Don't keep HIM waiting."

I clasped my palms together like I was praying, then crossed myself and headed out leaving Beth laughing behind me. A lack of rumours was a good sign. The PA's often knew things long before the 'dearly about to be departed' found out.

Franklin's PA, Jacinta, motioned me to a chair and clicked on her intercom. "Chris is here, sir."

A minute later, two of the other Vice Presidents, Donaldson and Hepburn, walked in. Mr. Franklin had announced his intention to retire in the next year, and those two had the inside track for his job. For my money, I hoped it would be Hepburn that got the nod. Donaldson had a reputation for never having met a dirty trick he didn't like. Hepburn was a straight shooter. He was the kind of leader you could count on.

Jacinta announced them while they sat and made themselves comfortable, staring at me, obviously wondering why I would be there.

The room got tense when two security guards walked in right after and sat without being told. Donaldson and Hepburn gawked at me, concluding I was about to get fired, and they'd been invited to witness my humiliation. The why of it escaped me; I couldn't think of a thing I'd done wrong. But every corporation has a day when it's actions don't necessarily make sense to the people involved.

Jacinta looked up and announced, "Mr. Donaldson, you can go in now."

It was quiet inside Franklin's office for a couple of minutes. Then voices got loud, culminated by Donaldson's furious exit from the office, slamming the door. The two security guards immediately stood and followed him out.

Hepburn and I stared at each other in shocked surprise, then a grin lit his face as realization set in. With Donaldson gone, he was the only contender for Franklin's job. Then the expression on his face shifted subtly, giving me a suspicious look. If he was the heir apparent, what was I doing there? I didn't need any angst between us, so I mouthed, "Congratulations," to him. That placated him, and he nodded his thanks.

"You can both go in now, gentlemen," Jacinta announced, unperturbed by the events.

Inside, Franklin waved us over to his coffee prep area and told us to help ourselves before sitting on his couches. This was his warm and friendly approach, not his 'you fucked up' reception. Stirring my coffee, I sat back and relaxed. Whatever was coming couldn't be that bad.

He went straight to the point. "I wanted you two here for two reasons. First, I wanted witnesses about what just happened to Donaldson. If there are any rumours to be started, I want them to be accurate. While I respect the need for sharp business practises sometimes, Donaldson exceeded every parameter I had. Too many underhanded shenanigans. Putting him in charge would have lost us our best staff in the long run and impaired the company. He needed to go, and my only regret is I didn't do it sooner. You two of all the managers on this floor would understand that best. Make sure the information circulating is accurate. I want it clear we won't tolerate a repeat of his behaviour."

He paused to take a sip of his coffee.

Wow, just wow! That he would include me in on an inner circle matter was a real coup for me. I'd make sure Becky got the goods. That would get it out faster than standing and making a public announcement.

Hepburn and I both nodded our heads. We understood it would get done.

Franklin went on, "Number two is an opportunity for you, Chris. We've been offered a chance to participate in a TV show called Hidden Boss. I like the idea. You spend more time out of the office in the field than anyone; I think this would be right up your alley. You're charismatic with people and good looking. Perfect for TV. It could take up to three months. My impression of your PA, Becky, is that she's perfectly capable of running your department these days. Is that accurate?"

I nodded agreement. "Yes sir. I'm gone a lot, and as you point out, she's perfectly capable. If I had to leave my position for any reason, she'd be my recommendation for taking my place. I've also seen that Hidden Boss show on TV. I like it. It would be an excellent advertisement for us as a company. I'm totally on board to do it."

"That's great," he responded.

He gave Hepburn some instructions, "Larry, we'll put Becky in charge of Employee Relations temporarily. Make sure her pay is commensurate with the new responsibility. Also, circulate a notice so nobody gives her any grief. I also expect you to back her up if she runs into a problem she can't handle. I doubt she will; she strikes me as a smart young lady. I also need you to be prepared to support Chris with any problems he may encounter. Make sure there are no hiccups in our backing for him. This is important. I really want this to go well. Oh, obviously, we have to keep this under our hats. We can't have it getting out to the store employees. Just Becky, Jacinta and the three of us and will know what's going on. Maybe include on Becky's notice that Chris is working on a major project for the company and will be gone for three months."

Hepburn nodded. "I'll get right on it, sir."

Franklin rubbed his hands together gleefully. "I'm looking forward to seeing this come together, gentlemen. It'll be hitting right around Christmas. We want it to be good. If any ideas come out of this to benefit our employees, implementing it for Christmas would be a bonus."

We both nodded our understanding.

Franklin steepled his fingers, looking thoughtful. "On another note, Chris, we want you to have a good look around that location. Something's wrong there. Weekly receipts are all over the place. Times they are super busy, and times you could shoot a cannon through the place. I'd like to know why. Location? Management? Staff? I'd like an answer and a solution if possible."

"I can do that, sir."

"Thank you. The producer will be phoning you later today. They want you starting Monday, there's some training required before you step in front of the camera. Please get Becky ready for her new role."

The meeting broke up; I wandered back to my office, somewhat stunned. Me, a movie star! Amused at that thought, I figured I should spend some time practising my autograph. No doubt, legions of fans awaited me in the future. That was good for a belly laugh. Arriving back, I waved Becky into my office to give her the news.

**********

It turns out that working in front of the camera isn't as simple as standing there grinning like a dumb-ass fool. No sir! No dumb-ass fools need to apply.

You have to lose the habit of looking at the camera every time something happens. Like it's going to give you a clue as to how you just did. You know, cameraman faints on the floor absolutely overcome with amazement at your talent. It's a natural reflex that actors work hard to overcome.

This show had no working script; it was all off the cuff. What we did got recorded live.

You need to clearly enunciate your words; slang is not an acceptable word choice. A local expression might not be understood elsewhere in the country. You have to lose the habit of cursing if something goes wrong. Bang your leg, you say ouch, not mother fu...! You try not to turn your back on the camera. If you can help it, don't talk without being visible to the camera. Creepy, disembodied voices are a no-no. The cameraman helps, but you have to help him too. There was a lot more, but those were the main issues.

Then there was the makeup. Although simplified, it still took me an hour to accomplish. A professional could do it in fifteen minutes, but they wouldn't be at my side every day. I had to learn to do it myself.

The producer pronounced himself satisfied with me three weeks later. The following Monday, the first day in October, I arrived in Chicago to start work at one of our stores. The store had been completely re-wired with multiple cameras and microphones under the guise of updating the security system. The Director and his staff could sit outside in a van and control everything. No one would know they were there. Outdoors, a cameraman might follow. But that could bring unwanted public attention, especially around the store. For outside, I had a hidden camera built into a button on my shirt, and there were cameras in the parking lot.

**********

I checked into my hotel and made my appearance first thing Monday morning.

The manager's name was Caroline. When I first heard her name, it made me uneasy, but I quickly dismissed it as highly unlikely. When she appeared, my breath hitched, and my heart plummeted into my stomach as realization set in.

She was beyond gorgeous. Petite, maybe five foot two, a nice set of breasts and a taut little ass that had my fingers itching to sink into. Soft brown eyes with brunette hair, she was an exquisite package. I had to make a real effort to rein my eyes in. It wouldn't pay to offend her first day.

I kicked my ass; I should have checked further when I heard the name. We had a history. Or rather, I had a history with her. Not that I'd ever known her last name, so checking wouldn't have helped unless I could find a picture. If she recognized me, I was so screwed.

She asked me a few questions about my background. When I confessed I'd worked my way through high school and university working for the company, she grudgingly let me out on the front line to serve. She watched my first few drinks. Although I was rusty, the customer's foamy initials were a little rough; she could see I knew what I was doing.

"If you need any help with the new products, just ask one of the others," she said, walking away.

I couldn't help myself; I stood there, eyes riveted on those tight little cheeks twitching away from me.

She turned suddenly, catching me staring at her ass. One eyebrow rose inquisitively.

Shit! So busted! The first hour on the job yet. And, although she didn't know it, we had just been immortalized for TV. Franklin would not be amused by a harassment charge the first day. Rather than ducking away embarrassed, I pantomimed a face plant into the palm of my hand, shaking my head, acknowledging my stupidity. That turned the tide. She laughed out loud and walked away, still chuckling.

Now I just needed to bribe the Director to make sure that didn't appear on the show. I could imagine the laughter and comments going on in his trailer.

Smooth move, Chris!

The day went fast. I spent my breaks talking to the other staff. They all wanted to know what I was doing there. I gave them my prepared story. The truth was I already had both my Bachelors and Masters Degrees. The made-up part was wanting to spend the next while pursuing my Ph.D. I added I couldn't think of a finer company to be working for than the one that got me through high school and university already. That made sense to everyone; many of them were there for precisely the same reasons. When I was asked which university I was attending, I just said I'd be starting at the University of Chicago next September, right after summer. Working now to save money was my immediate goal.

I caught Caroline staring at me several times during the day. I hoped she was over my mistake, but I also wondered if there was more to it. I'd spent lots of time in employee meetings and seminars over the years. Then there was that other issue. I could only hope she didn't see through my disguise.

At the end of my shift, she came up to me. "I'll let the personnel people know what a great choice they made hiring you, Chris. You've done well today."

Time to be humble, I hung my head. "Thank you. I'm sorry about that display this morning."

"It's okay. You made me laugh; that goes a long way to say sorry. Besides, it does a girl's ego good to know someone finds her attractive."

I wanted nothing more than to ask her out for dinner. I didn't dare. I was already skating too close to the line. Franklin would boot my ass from one side of the office to the other and then fire me if I fucked this up. Nope, I needed to keep my distance. My heart ached to explain something to her but now wasn't the time or place. Maybe it would never be the time or place. She'd be angry. She had every reason to be.

How to get past that was my dilemma.

The next week went by, and things were going well. I was back into the swing of things filling orders and joshing with the customers. Some were starting to seek me out now when they came in. I hadn't made any significant mistakes.

Caroline hadn't figured out who I was yet. Not that she wasn't interested. I saw her stop numerous times and stare at me with that inquisitive look on her face. It wasn't something she did with the others. The Director agreed. She was intensely curious about me. We could only hope things hung together long enough to get through the content he needed.

He explained he was looking for something different this time. Usually, they followed the company executive for a week while they stumbled through actually looking after customers, finding out just how difficult some of those front line jobs were. In this case, I had already spent years working for the company in the same role. I wasn't giving them the screw-up factor they wanted.

Instead, he wanted to focus more on the staff's personal lives. Many of the episodes had run into bleeding heart stories about the workers; furthermore, those episodes had done better than average. The old 'if it bleeds, it leads' mentality. So far, I hadn't been able to find anything. It appeared we had a happy lot working there, or they hadn't reached the point of confidence in me to share their sorrow.

The drama, when it finally arrived, came from an unexpected direction.

Caroline invited me into her office for a short review of my performance to date.

"I really like what you're doing, Chris. You handle yourself well; also, the customers seem to like you. Staff are giving me positive feedback on you too. Congrats."

"Thank you."

'I have to ask, though, Chris, have we met before? There's just something about you...?" Her voice trailed off.

My eyes had been wandering around her office, trying not to stare at her beauty. I could get lost in her eyes if I wasn't careful.

Pinned on her bulletin board was a familiar picture. The company put out a corporate magazine. Being the VP of Employee Relations, my image had appeared many times. There I was, front and centre, with a dart through my right eye. My face looked like a pincushion I'd been stabbed so many times. I shuddered. That told me all I needed to know about her feelings. She knew who I was in real life and had never bothered to call. Instead, her anger was out there for all to see.

I hated to lie but had no choice. I decided on a little white lie diversion, "I don't think so. I've never lived in Chicago before signing up for the university here."

She didn't seem convinced but let it pass.

The second event came shortly after.

The middle of Oct arrived along with one of Chicago's infamous autumn heatwaves. Unexpected this late in the fall season, but not unknown in the past. The temperature hit close to ninety degrees outside, almost breaking a record. Inside, the store sweltered, reaching temperatures of over one hundred degrees. Even with the doors open, it was impossible to work. Our customers had vanished completely.

Caroline put up closed signs, so the staff headed outside to sit under some trees and relax till it cooled down. A Frisbee appeared along with a baseball and mitts. The team had been expecting this. Me, not so much!

I had to ask, "Is there something wrong with the air conditioning?"

"Only that there isn't any," she said bitterly.

"Head office allows that?" I asked in a shocked voice. WTF? This wasn't normal.

"I've written to Head Office about that and the heating so many times I've lost count," Caroline shared. "The heating isn't adequate, either. In Wintertime we have to wear our jackets and gloves to work. You ever tried to do those cute little foam initials with gloves on? The customers around here are used to it and don't bother coming during heat waves or extreme cold."

I wandered away, shaking my head. No wonder business was up and down. How could this be happening? I had my suspicions. Sitting apart from the rest, I made a call to Becky and explained what was going on. I needed all the paperwork on the location faxed to my hotel for tonight.

Back at the hotel, I had room service while I leafed through the correspondence. Sure enough, Caroline had written multiple times about the problem. I found a capital expenditure authorization to install a new heating and cooling plant to fix the problem.

The problem in a nutshell... Donaldson! He'd nixed the work order.

The bastard had deferred it to make his capital cost budget come in under budget. The work had never been done. He'd chosen to make himself look good on the capital expenditure side. Leaving the staff looking awful on the revenue side. Like I said. The man never met a sneaky trick he didn't like. Everybody here was suffering for it.

I looked at my watch. Not quite six-thirty. On the executive floor, there'd be a good chance of still reaching people. I called Becky, and she answered. Two minutes later, Franklin and Hepburn were on a conference line.

"I've found the problem here, sir. The manager and the staff are awesome. The store lacks air conditioning, so with the recent Chicago heatwave, the temperatures inside exceeded one hundred degrees. The manager had to shut down till things cooled back down. Apparently, in the winter, the heating is inadequate to keep the store warm. Then the opposite occurs. They're trying to work in jackets and gloves. The customers are aware of the problems and stay away in droves during inclement weather. More importantly, the manager, Caroline, has written numerous reports on the problem. The company authorized a capital expenditure to install a better heating and cooling plant, but Donaldson cancelled it to make his capital budgets look better. It was never done."

I heard Franklin mutter something under his breath. I'd never heard him curse before; I suspected I just had.

"We'll take care of it, Chris."

Sure enough, two days later, trucks arrived. A worker was standing at the front counter, holding out a work order for Caroline's inspection.

With a big smile, she waved her copy at me. "Look at that," she crowed, "We just talked about this and...!"