The Promotion

That will be three-seventy-five Frank, did you enjoy the lunch?"

"Yea Sam it was good, here ya go, one, two, three, and I have three quarters in my pocket." "Paid in full, yea the lunch was good." "Look, I gotta go, I'll be late getting back to the office."

"Hey Frank, say hi to the missus for me, you should bring her in once in a while, why I haven't seen her in a month of Sunday's."

"Sam, I gotta go, I will and I'll probably see you for lunch tomorrow, have a good afternoon, I'm late."

Pulling open the heavy wood frame glass door a small bell fastened to the top announces his departure, with everything else on his mind, the wife, his son and work Frank has come to look forward to that little departure note in his life, just one of those things that if it wasn't there it would be sorely missed. Like the chirping of the bird every morning he hears as he leaves his house.

Great, Frank thinks to himself, what time is it, afraid to look at his watch he is sure he is late, a ten minute walk back to the office can seem like an eternity if I'm late. Holding up his wrist he casts a worried look at his watch. Ah, not bad, if I run I'll be walking in just as the clock strikes one.

Arriving at the double front doors of the department store where he works as an accountant he looks over his shoulder and sees by the clock on the church steeple across the street it is one o'clock the church bell strikes one and he steps inside the store. Safe, I'm in, I made it he thinks to himself.

Stepping inside Frank is hit with a barrage from one of the girls behind the perfume counter. "Frank, Lisa called, said not to forget that Frank Jr. has cub scouts tonight right after supper and Mr. Lionel wants to see you in his office right away." "Thanks Jennifer I'm on my way and I didn't forget Frank Jr." "Better hurry, Mr. Lionel did not sound happy." "Okay Jennifer I'm on my way, give me a break."

Two flights of stairs to climb and by the time I get to the top I'll probably have a collapsed lung and whizzing like an old horse. I wonder what the old man wants, what have I done now, or what have I forgotten to do?

Standing there, facing the highly polished oak door with Mr. William H. Lionel, President stenciled in black roman letters my hands start to sweat, my heart pounds a little harder than when running up the stairs. A twinge of guilt passes through my mind what might have I done? Raising a shaking hand I knock lightly on the door awaiting an invitation.

"Who is it?" a graveled voice booms out. "Frank, sir, Frank....." "Yea Frank, get in here I want to talk to you." "Yes sir, right away."

Turning the knob and pushing open the door I suddenly notice the weight, it's always been there, the weight, I guess I never noticed, I guess that being nervous might have something to do with it. As I enter the office I see Mr. Lionel perched behind the mammoth black walnut desk. "You want to see me sir?" I say as timidly as possible taking the defensive. "Sit down Frank, I have a business matter to discuss with you, most important." As I begin to sit I notice a slight smile on Mr. Lionel's lips or could that my blood pressure is distorting my vision. "Frank I know that you have been here for almost ten years and I feel you deserve a promotion, senior accountant, how does that sound?" "Why, that's great." I heard myself utter, not understanding what I thought was so great. Still guilt ridden, I am slowly coming around to the fact that I have just been made senior accountant.

"Let me explain Frank, your duties, you see business has been good lately, no it has been great and I feel that with the increased business I better plan ahead and hire more staff. The first place I think we will need help is in accounting, so I am putting on another person and I feel you can handle the responsibility of managing your new job and an underling. Sound good to you? Oh by the way, there will be a little bonus for you, a raise! Okay Frank, you can get back to your office and prepare for your new tasks and your new helper, he will be here next Monday, gives you three days to get things going. And by the way, congratulation and good luck."

As I begin to get out of the chair, still in a state of shock, I think to myself, WOW, the big time I've finally made it. "Thank you sir, thank you very much, I won't let you down sir, I promise." As I leave the office he replies, "You better not Frank, I'm counting on you." That gravelly voice follows me out the door. Walking back to my office my feet firmly planted back on earth and my mind here and now I can't get over the promotion. Accounting, greets me as I stand at the door of my office. Hmm, I wonder if I can have my name on my door. Frank Logan, senior accountant, Frank visualizes the letters painted on the door, has a nice ring to it. On the other side of the door the phone wakes Frank from his momentary fantasy.

He blinks his eyes, as if just waking up instinctively turns the door knob and pushes the door open without a thought to his actions and steps rapidly to his desk. "Yes, hello, Frank Logan, how can I help you?" "Frank, this is Jennifer, did you call your wife and let her know that you got the message?" "Jennifer? Oh yes Jennifer." Still lost in the fog of the promotion and the door fantasy Frank remembers the phone message. Seems that a lot has happened since he returned to work from lunch. "Yes Jennifer, thank you for the reminder though, I'll call right away, thank you." "You okay Frank, you sound a little distant?" "No, I'm fine, every things great, I'll fill you in later," Frank answers absentmindedly.

Sitting at his desk Frank once again drifts back to the events of the day, the promotion. Looking at his desk, now growing smaller and smaller in his mind while visualizing the desk down the hall, I wonder if I can get a bigger desk, he thinks to himself. Yea a bigger desk, a vision of authority, that's me. My new underling should not see me sitting behind this little desk, this thing does not exude authority. The phone abruptly brings him back to the real world again, boy it's hard to concentrate today, Frank thinks to himself rather impatiently.

Bringing the receiver to his face, "yes, Frank Logan here, how can I help you?" "Frank, Mr. Lionel here, how do the receipts from yesterday look, did you get time to look at them yet?" With his empty hand Frank begins to scuffle papers on his desk. "Ah, not completely done sir, shortly sir, I'll have them done and on your desk before the end of the day sir." "Okay I will be looking forward to them." The receiver goes dead in Franks ear before he realizes it. I better get back to work, a little nervous shake in his hand as he replaces the receiver in its cradle. Looking at the phone, he just remembered Jennifer's message, call Lisa. Looking at the mountain of unfinished paperwork sitting on his desk and thinking a quick phone call won't hurt, I'll make it brief.

"Hello, Lisa, hey guess what, you're talking to the new senior accountant, isn't that great?" Silence follows, as he listens to the receiver, "Lisa, are you there?" "Yes, you caught me off guard for a moment, why that is great!" "Look dear I have a ton of work to do so I'll explain everything tonight, and yes I know, take Frank Jr. to cub scouts tonight, gotta go, love ya see you tonight." As he returns the receiver he hears Lisa's confused good-by. Receipts on Mr. Lionel's desk before the end of the day, I better tackle this mountain then, otherwise I may be looking at a demotion instead of a promotion.

The end of the day comes to quickly and thankfully the work was completed as promised. Just another day when I got here, this morning and now leaving tonight I feel like a new man, he thinks to himself. Senior accountant, sounds impressive, maybe in the future, who knows the sky's the limit. Walking home, this day could not be better, no matter what happens now, nothing can spoil my day.

My walk home, usually just another task of the day, I notice the stores seem brighter, the commuters are friendlier and the whole affair is brighter, just a perfect day. Before I know it I'm walking through the front door my head still in the clouds when I'm met with utter chaos. My wife, the car, the cub scout meeting being canceled at the last minute, pandemonium! My loving family, in my eyes, meet me at the front door, pandemonium
"Dad" little Frank begins the foray, "they canceled my meeting." Lisa vying for my attention chimes in, "Dear, we just have to do something with the car, please." "Dad" I hear over the calamity of the car diatribe from Lisa. "The cub scout meeting, what'll we do?" "Frank Jr." Lisa again tries to rule the forum "let me talk to your father." "Okay, okay let me come in before I try to solve all these dilemma's." "Sorry dear, it's just been one of those days." Lisa reminds me. Hanging up my coat and making my way to the kitchen, "what's for supper dear, I can't solve such vexing problems on an empty stomach. With my families upending day my promotion slips my mind. "Oh Frank, I'm sorry, congratulations on your new job, with the car and all I completely forgot about it."

Seated comfortably at the table Lisa serves my supper, "Ah, thank you dear, looks good." I smile and cast a glance at Frank Jr. sitting across the table from me. "Looks good, right son." "Dad, the cub scout meeting, please." My answer sublimated. "Son," I answer in total exhaustion "if the meeting was canceled there's nothing I can do, it's not the end of the world, they'll be other meetings, I'll call and get it straightened out, okay?" Frank Jr. and I served, Lisa joins us at the table with her fare in hand.

"Now dear, tell me all about you're new job, senior accountant I believe you told me earlier on the phone." "Well," my excitement somewhat diminished by my families problems of day, "with the increased business at the store Mr. Lionel is increasing staff and promoting me to senior accountant, I'll be in direct charge of another person." My back stiffens as I throw out my chest in pride. Lisa and Frank Jr. do not seem to feel the same enthusiasm that I do but I am met with smiles just the same. "And again dear, congratulations, we'll have to do something special Friday night, go out to eat perhaps?" Lisa shoots a look at our son, "Frank dear, congratulate your father." "Congratulations dad, now what about my meeting, remember?" My sons narrow mindedness comes through again. "After supper, I promise to get to the bottom of it, okay, I promise." My standard answer to most of my sons problems. "The car, dear?" Lisa reminds me. "After supper, dear." I give her a reassuring smile.

Supper over I make my way to the living room and the evening paper followed closely behind by a nagging Frank Jr. "Dad, the call remember?" "I'll do it right now son." My path diverted toward the phone. A quick phone call made and the mystery is solved, an illness in the family, Frank Jr. pacified, somewhat. Back on my path to the living room and my own entertainment the evening newspaper. I notice the kitchen light extinguish and Lisa exiting. Her path and her car problem lead straight toward me and my solace. Seating herself on the divan next to me diverting my attention from the paper she repeats her earlier request, what can be done about the car? "Dear," she starts timidly, "can we do something about the car either get it repaired or, I was thinking while doing the dishes, maybe with your promotion in mind, get a new one?" I feel a storm coming.

I think to myself, I know the only suitable answer, with my leaked information of my new job a new car is in my near future. My temporary answer, one that will buy me a little time is agreeing to the needed repairs. "Take the car in tomorrow dear, tell them to repair it and then we will go car shopping, I don't want to try to trade in the car while it's in need of repair, brings down the trade in value." My answers to Lisa need to be more sophisticated to satisfy her demands. The agreement made, all is well and now I can revel in my glory, conquering the day, returning to the paper I again feel lord of the manor, all the dragons slain.