notice” attitude. He sucked in his gut and loudly asked, “Seven salesmen and one woman make up the sales and marketing team for International Enterprises. Four of you are sales support. Joe, this is your team. What is wrong with this picture?”
An uncomfortable silence begged him to answer his own question.
Ten excruciating seconds later, he bellowed, “Not a one of you guys can sell. That’s what’s the matter!” His face crimson, he slammed his fist down on the conference table.
Joe Gillespie, the sales director, stood up. “Walt, I have to disagree with you. Mary Lou sold far beyond what either one of us predicted this year. You admitted that yourself when we calculated the year-end sales.”
Walt looked down his nose. “Who asked you, Gillespie? Are you saying we need more women on the sales force?” He let out a loud snicker. “This isn’t a bake sale, Gillespie. Think about it—we sell heavy equipment for oil drilling. It’s a man’s business.” He glared at Mary Lou.
Mary Lou felt her face get hot. What is wrong with him? He thought I’d be a “nice addition to the sales department” five years ago when he interviewed me. What? Was I not supposed to sell product? Every time I sell something, he makes money. Why can’t he be nice to me?
Joe sat back down. “We’ve met our quotas, and more.”
Walt set his fists on his hips. “You guys didn’t make your quotas.” Then he pointed at Mary Lou. “She did. I saw the individual sales reports, and she made up for what your guys missed. Your guys are not pulling their weight.” Walt glanced at the man sitting against the wall. “This will change.”
Walt glared at Mary Lou and shook his finger in her face. “And you—no more sleeping with clients.”
He did not just say that. Her shoulders tightened. Sleep with a client? Is that what he thinks it takes to close a deal? Shocked, she could only blink in reply.
Then Walt looked around the room at the men and laughed. “You guys need to do whatever it takes to close. Now, down to the reason for this little get-together. Top salesperson for 2012…” He put on his reading glasses and looked around the table. “Drum roll, please.”
Everyone tapped the desk until Walt held up his hand for them to stop. “The winner and still champion, Mary Lou Stots.”
Mary Lou stood up to receive the dark plaque Walt held out to her. Then he snatched it back before she could take it. “Mary Lou, stand up. Oh, you’re already standing.” He roared a laugh, and the others joined in, except for Joe.
Walt handed the plaque to Mary Lou in a grandiose gesture. She grasped it and held it out in front of her. She inspected the gold lettering on the polished walnut board. It read, International Enterprises, Salesman of the Year 2012. Under that, she read her name: Mary Lou Sluts.
Sluts? She blinked to clear her eyes and inspected the third line a second time. They misspelled my name. For crying out loud, did Walt do this on purpose? Heat crept into her cheeks.
Salesman of the year? Do I look like a man? She put on her best business smile and muttered, “Thank you.” She sat and placed the plaque face down in her lap.
Walt continued, “As you know, the prize for first in sales is a four-day cruise, so Mary Lou will be taking a luxurious cruise to the Bahamas. Everyone give her a hand.” His smile bordered somewhere between evil and conniving.
Later the same day
Denver, Colorado
A bit unnerved after the meeting and still smarting from the “no more sleeping with clients” and the “Sluts” error, Mary Lou sat in her office. She brought up her computer to look at her client messages. Happy cruising to me! I can’t wait to get out of here.
Mary Lou was about to shut down her computer when a message flashed up. It was from Joe, asking her to come to his office.
When she got there, the strange man from the sales meeting sat across from Joe.
Joe stood as she entered the room. “Mary Lou, I’d like to introduce our new salesman. This is Denny Adams.”
Denny stood. His handshake felt firm and sure.
She smiled. “Welcome to International Enterprises.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Denny’s slight Southern drawl sounded endearing and a little condescending. “You’re the number one in sales. Congratulations.”
“Oh, yes. I saw you at the meeting.”
Denny chuckled. “Walt just couldn’t wait for me to get on board. He asked me to stop by and observe the meeting. It was very interesting.”
Joe sat, and Mary Lou and Denny sat across from his desk. “Mary Lou, I wanted you to meet Denny right away because he’s eager to know more about what goes on here. You’re probably the best one to show him the ropes, since you’ve been here over five years.” He looked at Denny. “I started three years ago, and I’m still getting information from Mary Lou.”
Denny leaned back and looked Mary Lou up and down. “Next week’s going to be a ‘short’ week, pardon the pun.”
Mary Lou grimaced.
Denny continued, “Walt says the office will be shut down Monday for Martin Luther King Day. Maybe you could come in for a few hours Monday morning and help me get oriented.”
Joe’s forehead wrinkled. “Denny, the office is closed. No one will be here. I don’t think—”
“Walt said she’d be happy to help out,” Denny interrupted. “Now come on. She could come in Monday, at least for part of the day.”
Joe, still frowning, said, “That’s not—”
“Let her decide. What about it, Mary Lou. You’re a team player, aren’t you?”
I’m better than a team player. Mary Lou shrugged. “Sure, I can come in a few hours on Monday. I’ll have to leave by noon. I’m having dinner with family.”
Denny smiled at Joe and then looked back at her. “Sure. I didn’t know you were married.”
She felt the hair stand up on the back of her neck. “I am not married. I still have a life.” She tried to keep her tone even on the second sentence.
Denny slapped his knee. “All right, then. See you Monday at eight!”
Evening, the same day
Friday night, Mary Lou asked Eileen to meet her for an early dinner at Chili’s, and afterward they went shopping.
On Saturday, Mary Lou cleaned house, did more shopping, and cleaned house again. At eight thirty, she fell into bed, exhausted by the activities of the day. Before she fell asleep, she thought of Bobby and about what could have been. She missed him.
Sunday, January 20
Arvada,
