TNP 10 "Friendship At Lunch"

My time and life in working for the government during the Savings & Loan Crisis of 1990 with a beautiful woman who took care of absolutely everything for me in my employ. And I mean EVERYTHING.

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Want to read this in a different language ? Change the TO field to your own country and click the TRANSLATE button after going HERE THE NANCY PRINCIPLE My time in working for the government during the Savings & Loan Crisis of 1990 with a beautiful woman who took care of absolutely everything for me in my employ. And I mean EVERYTHING. © July 2013 Written by David Wicker Please do not reprint without permission CHAPTER 10 - FRIENDSHIP AT LUNCH * * * This chapter is Rated: EVERYONE A friend of mine said recently, "I try to find ways not to drink the kool-aid." and they were referring to business parties. While I was never served Kool-Aid at any business parties to my knowledge, the concept of sour drinks at work did bring back some more memories ... And this will be a shorter chapter reflecting on this and what I thought were inconsequential 'Aptitude' tests that Nancy gave me that I was supposed to fill out during my Friday lunches. While most of the other girls sat at the other tables in the lunchroom to gossip and giggle with each other, I sat closest to the coffee machine, away from the walls and closest to the exit. With the -incident- that occurred earlier with Barbara, I wanted an easy escape if something like that happened again and Nancy wasn't there to bail me out. I did trust one of the workers there though. She sat at my table, opposite of me, bringing a sack lunch. She had dark hair I remember, and I guess what could be described as a pretty pink face. Maybe it was the shade of rouge she used, but it was still subtle and nice. She had nice light green nail-polish on her delicate fingers as she quietly ate her corner sandwich and looked at a newspaper. And despite the fact I was the only man on that floor, she respected me by ignoring me, and I appreciated that. And a kind of quiet, odd friendship was formed in our continued silence to each other. I noticed she never really finished her lunch too. Every time I saw her she'd just pull out the corner sandwich from the bag, nibble on it slowly, and when she was done, pull out a paper napkin to wipe her mouth, then fold her paper bag from the top which still had stuff in it and leave. I never did find out what all else she had in there. One day, I finally muttered to her that I hated coffee, pointing to the machine behind me, and I wanted something different to drink. She set down her newspaper and looked thoughtful for a moment. Suddenly she crinkled the top of her paper bag closed it as if she was going to get up and change seats because I annoyed her, but instead she asked very nicely, "Would you like some juice, then ?" I replied eagerly, "Sure ! I'd love some, but where ?" She nodded, "Don't worry. I'll get it for you." and she picked up her bag to leave, I guess she thought I'd steal her dessert or something while she was gone. "I said how much is it ?" as she was nearly out of sight ? She laughed and said, "Don't worry about it, it's my treat." And was gone out the door. She came back a short time later with one of those opaque plastic jugs like you get from a dispenser. It was apple juice, and had one of those pop tops so you can reseal it but the drink itself seemed warm and sour, like the refrigerator dispenser it came out of wasn't working correctly. She then sat down opposite of me and gave me a nice smile, and I felt guilty if I didn't drink all of it cause I knew it was money out of her own pocket treating me, and I was too shy to complain about how bad it really tasted. I got to be friends with her too, her name was something fancy and remote, but she wanted me to call her Janee (with two e's is how she told me it was spelled, and I was to pronounce it, "Johnny"). She had a slight accent to her voice, too, like she was foreign, maybe Russian or Indian ? I wasn't certain. She asked what my name was too, and I told her. Finally I did ask Janee where the juice machine was so I could see the selection and she paused for a moment in thought and finally said, "That's on a different floor, David. I don't think you have clearance to get there. But don't worry about it. I'll get it for you each time." I asked what flavors they had and she said, "They have two. Apple juice and Orange juice." So I asked, "Could you get me an orange juice, please ?" It was funny though the way she reacted. She froze up for a moment as if deciding something, and finally said, "Okay," and then brought back an apple juice instead, apologizing saying, "I'm sorry. The machine is apparently messed up and gave me the wrong one. It does that sometimes." But then the next day she said, "It looks like the machine is broken and can only give out orange juice now." So I didn't have a choice of what flavor I wanted anymore. I smirked, orange juice was always more acidic and burned in my belly usually an hour before I had to go home, but she smiled at me, "The orange juice is better for you anyways, David. It has lots of Vitamin C." And ultimately, I agreed with her, deciding I liked the orange juice most of all as it seemed better able to handle the spoiling of the infernal machine. After a few days of this, Janee always had the orange juice sitting at my spot on the table when I arrived, which I thought was really kind of her to be so thoughtful. After 2 weeks of her treating me like this, I finally did tell her my juice tasted not really fresh and more warm and oily than anything else, like copper. She was very understanding and said, "Yeah, the machine's refrigeration is probably messed up too, I'll let management know about it, okay, hun ?" She offered, "I could bring a glass with ice from the break room, David. You could pour it in there to keep it cold and maybe make it taste better, would that help ?" I replied, "No, thanks. But I appreciate the offer." I already felt I was putting her through too much trouble to just go and get me a fruit juice each day before I arrived at lunch. But I was always polite and always did say thanks and she gave me this really neat smile when I finished it with my lunch, saying I needed the Vitamin C. And her pretty eyes shined beautifully like she really cared about me and wanted to make sure I was getting proper nutrition. She grew fond of my company too, and finally started to sit next to me during lunch and help me out with these weird tests that Nancy gave me those Fridays. At first it was simple math problems, then stuff like 3rd grade reading. I guess Nancy wanted to see if I had even a middle-grade education. But then later I guess after she realized I wasn't a total idiot, she asked these odd question, and always a set of 5, 'What would you do if ...' And I was expected to fill these out during my lunch break, and fortunately, only on Fridays. And I was counted off if I didn't write complete sentences and she would call me back to her office to explain how well or poorly I was doing on these tests. I remember one weird question, and I thought Nancy was being silly to me for asking, "What would you do if you wore a skirt to work ?" I showed it to Janee and she got excited at reading the question and told me to write in, "I would love it." I told her, "No ! I mean, maybe you would. But =I= can't write that. I need to be serious. I should write in, 'I would go home and change.'" I looked at Janee, "Nancy told me I need to answer all these questions to the best of my ability and be truthful about them." But Janee was insistent with a leer on her face, "Oh go on, David ! You know she's just being silly ! Look at these questions ! Really ! Do they look like they are serious ones to you ?" I finally gave in and laughed, Janee was so crazy sometimes giving me suggestions for these answers. I wrote in the answer she wanted and went on to the next one. Finally Janee got interested and wanted to help me answering all of them. But when I told her that Nancy said I have to fill these out on my own she said, "It's okay. Don't worry about it. She just wants to keep you busy. Don't sweat 'em, and I'll help ya if I can." and she gave me this beautiful smile of hers that always made me feel better inside when I was troubled about something. Her helping me and treating me to free juice went on at lunch for a good 3-weeks until Nancy found out by another employee telling her what was going on. Likely jealousy. Nancy called me into her office and put on her CROSS voice at me and exclaimed, "David ! You need to buy your own lunch, and that includes your own beverages. And you are definitely NOT supposed to get any help on these aptitude tests I'm giving you !" "You are supposed to fill those out entirely on your own. With no help from anyone !" I paused and asked meekly, "Are these questions really that important, ma'am ?" thinking about the silly answer Janee wanted me to put on the ones we did together. "Absolutely." Nancy said firmly. And then she asked angrily and challengingly, "Why. Are you having a problem with the questions ?" "No ma'am." I said quietly and looked down at the floor. Nancy softened her voice and asked, "Now who is it that's giving you free juice during lunch ?" So she knew about that too. I spoke quietly, "This girl I know who - she sits next to me. In the cafeteria. Why ?" Nancy exploded suddenly, "David ! Because we don't even HAVE a - " but then caught herself and said, "That is - it's against company policy for her to do so." and left it at that with no other explanation. I knew about Company Policy at this point. BOY did I ! Basically, if it's company policy, you do it, and don't ask questions, and usually there NEVER was a reason for it. And that was the point. And =IF= I questioned company policy, I was to get a timeout to sit in the bathroom and I hated that cause there was nothing to do in there except - well - sit and presumably think about what it was I did wrong for the next hour or so and listen to the plumbing. When Nancy realized I wasn't going to give the name of who it was that was treating me, she took me by my hand and we left her office and she marched me back to my desk with the other girls smiling at how I was getting dragged around by her like a kid. Finally, she sat me down hard in my own chair back at the cubicle and asked, "Now, WHO is it that is helping your with your aptitude tests ? Point to them." I quipped "OK." not wanting to argue, and reluctantly pointed my finger to Janee sitting a distance across from me where I worked. Nancy did that familiar, "Mmm hmm !" crisp sound again, as if she recognized her, and went to her and called to her "Janee ! I need to see you in my office, right now !" Janee sighed and stood up. And as both of them were walking to her office I heard Nancy say stop mid-step and say loudly to her, "Yes you would TOO do that to him !" angrily, as if contradicting something Janee was defending herself from some accusation. It was puzzling to me. After the 2nd day of not seeing Janee at lunch I finally went to ask Nancy in her office where she was, and she said looked up at me with an irritated look from her desk and finally answered bothered, "Oh, David. She got transferred to a different department, don't worry about it, sweetie. Now scoot." And I was excused from her office then. So since I couldn't get fruit juice for my lunch anymore, I started to make my own Kool-Aid, fruit punch at the house and brought it in a thermos with ice. And I have to admit, it was nice to have cold drinks for lunch again instead of that horrid lukewarm orange juice which always tasted off. And ultimately, I don't think I EVER got any of those, "What would you do if ..." questions right as Nancy always called me in her office Monday so we could go over my answers and she could tell me why my answer was wrong. AND it turned out she was quite serious about that weird one I thought earlier she was joking on. "For writing a silly answer to a serious question, " she said raising her voice on me, "You get one hour timeout to go and sit in your seat, and you know which one, for an hour and think about what you wrote here." So I sighed and headed to the men's room to sit in there for an hour. And of course, she sent someone to check and make sure that was actually where I was by knocking on the door - and ask if I was sitting, and oddly enough, yes I was, and where I was supposed to as well. And like my bathroom escort, I heard her marking down stuff on me outside the restroom door, confirming I was actually sitting on the toilet seat for an hour - I guess, contemplating all my sins. And once again with nothing better to do I listened to the stupid plumbing behind me and distant toilet flushes and echoed talking and gossiping from the women's restroom up the hallway, ultimately falling asleep from sheer boredom in there. After an hour of this, the door was knocked on loudly, and I was finally permitted to return to my desk. I then NEVER asked anyone else to help me on the aptitude tests she gave me. I guess the good news is I =NEVER= had to mess with other workers either because Nancy was so protective of me. If someone did give me a hard time, I went to Nancy and she'd be VERY crisp with me, to make sure I was telling the truth, and I always did, and she realized that pretty soon, I was basically incapable of lying, mostly due to my Father's strict upbringing. And then she would say STAY HERE and she went out to talk to them while I sat on the chair in her office. She would come back a few minutes later, ALWAYS tuck a whisp of her hair around her right ear (my left) and say, "David, you won't have to worry about them anymore. I told them, you're working for me." And she'd stand up, walk around me, shake my hand, say, "Thank you for coming to see me. This problem is now resolved." Then she'd open the door, and I'd walk out and she'd pat me on my back or swat my bottom with a magazine if I lingered and say, "Now SCOOT !" I wondered again if I should talk to her about Barbara, but I hesitated. The last time she was in Nancy's office, the other girls in there were all laughing about something she was telling them. No, that would be a good way to get fired as I knew Barbara would easily lie and deny the whole thing. It was kind of silly really, but the more time Nancy spent time telling me what to do, how to do it, and when to do it, it made my work that much easier at BBI and better equipped to fit in with the other women there. And it is from that the more fond I became of Nancy and the time I spent with her. But it wouldn't last, and something quite soon was going to change the course of my life forever ... END OF CHAPTER 10 Return back HOME   You are Earth Visitor #

Reviews

[Wall of Words]

That was a great chapter. Poor Janee, she seemed like a really nice person. Except for the juice... that wasn't the nicest thing. XD
As for Nancy, sure she took care of everything, but I would've been beyond annoyed if she treated me the way she treated you. The difference of personalities...
Great writing! Send me an RR for C11 please!!
Sylvia.

[dw817]

You certainly are enjoying these. :) That's fine. The next chapter is my final day - but then I detail my time in the ward and the doctors I meet there.

[Wall of Words]

I love stories, especially fantasy. But a small part of me revels in well-written stories that come from real events and memories. You have a great talent at taking a memory like this and telling it in exactly the right way o make the reader laugh or cry or tremble along with you, making it a very enjoyable read.
Cannot wait for the next chapter! XD
Sylvia.

[Pryde Foltz]

Another good one, David. I'll get to the next one soon.

[dw817]

Sure. It's already been a bit of a long day here. I'm gonna check out that movie you suggested, but after that, definitely get to bed early and be fresh tomorrow. :)

[Blissful Sin]

I think im enjoying these chapters more then I really need too! XD
I'm loving this book a lot!
Great work friend!

-Bliss

[Riding the Rainbow]

Ok..
I've to say that this is pure madness..she isolated you from the others..the hour in the bathroom??? O_O no words to explain what I'm feeling..

[dw817]

In many ways when I think back on it, they were conditioning me. Not to speak, not to ask questions, and basically do my work without a fuss. It's like putting your pet in the garage cause they made a mess or something. Very similar I thought.

And isolation is nothing new to me. Back in High School when the library was closed for remodeling, I just sat outside without doing anything. Kids came by to tease me, but I completely and totally zoned out and ignored them - so eventually I think they were a little frightened of me.

I know one asked if I would be returning to the library when it re-opens, and I said yes, I would. And when the library finished their remodeling, I did go back there, and usually I was alone.

I was alone all school year in SRC as well, just me and books - my good friends - the books. :) So while Nancy may have thought it was a terrible punishment or I don't know what she wanted me to think while I was sitting there - I just zoned out.

[Riding the Rainbow]

Being alone is a feeling I know very well..

[dw817]

I think it's how you handle and deal with it that can shape the future of your life tho. :7

[ThoughtsofShyann]

I thought it was awesome as usual keep it up!

[dw817]

Work ends the next chapter, then hell breaks loose, but - that is also something to write about in one's life ... :7

[ThoughtsofShyann]

:) are you changing your pic?

[Mark]

umm... did you ever figure out what the 'juice' was she gave you? Obviously it wasn't orange juice ...

The 'kool-aid' remark is an american metaphor... from the Jim Jones debacle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_the_Kool-Aid

Is that a real picture of Nancy that is always in these chapters?

[dw817]

No, it's a picture I found doing a Google Image search. I never found anything exactly like her, but the 'demeanor' she shows is spot on, that and the ending icon. She always seemed to be smiling and amused by my presence.

As for the juice - Chris told me later and - well, I guess the women working there just wanted to know how far they could go with my gullibility.

[Mark]

ya... wow. Such meanness!

[dw817]

Yep, but I tell ya something Mark. In a way, I'm glad - I mean, it could've been a whole lot worse. I could've been tricked into something very bad by bullies that would cause me to lose an arm or a leg literally, from a fight or worse.

And I'm very lucky and happy to have all my limbs and members - if - only a sour taste in my mouth from the whole experience. And ultimately, I don't fall for the same trick twice once I know what's going on. So it's knowledge and experience learned, always applied to a positive end.