Right before the week was over, but well before the next month had started, Mr. Arlington was calling Ms. Stuart into his office.
‘Yes. I need Ms. Stuart in here pronto. What’s that? Yes. Elizabeth. Okay, I’ll let her in.’ He put his finger back on the button and Elizabeth Stuart walked in and sat down.
‘Okay.’ He let out a big breath. ‘You talked to George Harper on the 26th floor this week, correct?’ He waited.
‘Yes sir.’ She replied.
‘And what did you think? I’ve been worried about how you would receive the information.’
‘Well, yes sir. He told me you guys are spying on your employees purchasing patterns. And though that’s kind of disturbing, I have been mulling it over in my mind.’
‘Oh.’ He paused and put his fingers together tapping the finger tips on both hands, about to reply. ‘But what did you think of Mr. Harper?’
‘Well, he seemed unconventional. It was as if his reality were a bit, -farfetched.’ She confided.
‘I am going to be honest with you. Did he take pride in being on the 26th floor- wait, don’t answer that. I know the answer. He did and he does. Between you and me, he’s an idiot. But a likeable one. And as far as Harper’s go, he still is as much as a half-decent or exceptional person to carry that name. So he’s not a bad guy. But listen, I put him on the 26th floor to make him feel as though he were a big shot. And he plays the part well. But he’s not pulling the weight, if you get what I am saying.’
Elizabeth leaned forward, ‘How do you mean sir?’
‘Well, he’s a title worker. He earned the title to be in charge of a number of pretty efficient and proficient workers, and he promotes hard work with his deadlines, but he doesn’t do anything extra. He kind of just works within his comfort zone and is settled in. You have proven to be of more value because of the lack of limitations and work resume you uphold. But you don’t need to be put on a super high floor to know your worth. In other words, you’re not an idiot.’ He tapped his foot, then rested.
‘Thanks? But what’s the gimmick? Why are we such a huge corporation? Why are we in charge of all of these workers? And he had mentioned that you had made a huge spending expenditure in 17′. What was it? And why are you out of the woodworks? You still stay only in this office it seems, and yet there is a large amount of weight in currency that you’re in charge of.’
He laughed quietly into his hands. ‘You really don’t know what my big purchase was last year?’ He sheepishly questioned, furrowing his brow.
‘Well, no. George had said that you made one last year and another one in 07′.’ She retreated.
‘Well, this company wasn’t here last year, was it?’
‘No- oh. It was the company.’
‘Precisely. And as far as spying on our staff and providing a blueprint for the other workers insights into where the economy is going.. you do know what is happening, right?’
‘No. What is happening?’ She said to him straight.
‘Well, like other big cities, we are facing an exodus. Californians are leaving. Moving out, exiting. Same in New York, Chicago, Georgia, anywhere where the economy has reached maximum output. They have been winning for too long. We have been winning for too long. They are taking their jobs, their ideas, their families, and moving, setting up their franchise and building in less populated states. Meanwhile, there is a crisis in other regards. Back around the 1950’s, our military was backed up by a quarter of the population, mainly men. One out of four, and a high percentage of those from years 18-44 were enlisted. Now we don’t even have one in ten. Closer to one in twelve. The idea of marriage rates have gone down. Our neutral family is diminishing. Raising our kids is getting more difficult. Higher rates of fighting for acceptance and peace when people in other countries are fighting for their lives. Watering down our ideals when fires are springing up left and right. Rumors of the booming economic states wanting to secede, while militarily, they might gain backing, due to high population, but everything is teetering. Does this make sense?’
‘To be honest sir,’ She spoke up. ‘No, it does not. I disagree. I think people are just trying to make it. I think our communities are strong and the country is fine and the dream, whatever mine or anybody else’s is, is very much alive and kicking.’
‘These people working for our company.’ He started again, ‘They work on analytics and computers all day. Becoming soft and sensitive to people’s needs. Do you think they are raising families and kids for the higher percentage of military to rise or hoping they get big corporate jobs?’
She spoke up again, ‘Well, they’re just hoping the best for their-‘
‘Just anwser the question.’ He interrupted.
‘Probably not a high percentage.’ She agreed.
‘Well.’ He sat back. ‘That’s where I come in, in my job and watching day by day, this and about two hundred other things that are vital toward this company and where the money is going.’
‘Where is the money going? ‘ She asked, almost gasping in shock.
He looked her up and down, biting his knuckle crunched up in a fist and then ran his hand through his thick greying black hair. ‘I am just surprised you’re not wondering what my big expenditure in 07′ was.’ He stood up. ‘This meeting is over. Get back to work. You’re doing a great job.’
She got up and started walking toward the door before he spoke again.
‘Oh, and Ms. Stuart?’
‘Yes, sir?’
‘Why aren’t you married? You know, you would understand military, country, and politics more if you had that same dynamic fight everyday at home.’
‘Well, Mr. Arlington. I should ask you the same thing. And why did you decide to come back, regardless of where you’ve been the last ten years.’ She smiled, very soothingly.
‘Well, turns out that these people in the tech industry, their sensitivity is measured, and their strength is tenfold what we could have imagined. Plus, I had to get people together in the way I know how to run business. As far as marriage, I have done fine on my own. And have yet to find somebody to convince me otherwise. One cannot be only a lover and not a fighter. As the saying begs the differ. What will come of this company? I am not sure. But this time, everybody’s watching.’
Mystery
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