Angel Avenida

Dedicated to my dad for Father's Day! :)

5:25 p.m. Only five minutes left until work is over. Parker Bell stares at his watch as the seconds move by slowly. He's stuck in a particularly boring meeting about advertising for the publishing company he's working for. As one of the managers drones on about different techniques and target audience demographics, Parker daydreams about finally getting a promotion. Despite already being an assistant for five years, he's still optimistic about his future in publishing and hopes one day to become a senior editor.

In order to fulfill his goals, he has been putting in extra hours and going above and beyond in his duties. He's tried to hint at his boss, Martha Reyes, about his desire to move up in his position, but she's been dismissive. He knows that she has been busy editing their latest novel, a 1,983-page manuscript, and believes that his hard work will soon pay off.

The presentation finishes, and everyone quickly gets out of their chairs. Since it's a Friday, Parker and his coworkers are eager to go home and relax. He's also anxious to watch the basketball game since his favorite team, the Lakers, are playing tonight. Before he can leave however Mrs. Reyes calls after him.

"Mr. Bell! Can I speak with you for a moment?"

Surprised and apprehensive, he nods and slowly walks forward.

"First, I want to thank you for the hard work you've been putting in here," she begins. "Compared to your peers, you've been spending far more hours at work, and I'm really impressed by your performance."

Parker's heart skips a beat at her words. This is the first time Mrs. Reyes has acknowledged and praised him for his contribution to the company.

"Second, due to your excellent performance, I would like to offer you a higher position as a senior editor. You're a highly valuable asset here, and it's important that your position is representative of the quality of your work."

For a moment, Mrs. Reyes leaves him speechless. This is the opportunity that he has been dreaming of since he first got hired. Now that the moment has come, he feels overjoyed and ecstatic. He's so happy that he feels the sudden urge to scream and run around like a young child on their birthday. However, he contains his composure and maintains a professional tone.

"Mrs. Reyes, I'm extremely gratified by your kind decision to offer me a position as a senior editor. It's truly an honor to contribute-

"Parker! Wake up!"

He's fallen asleep during the meeting and almost all of his co-workers have left except for one: Thomas "Tommy" Hill. Even though Tommy and Parker are co-workers, their relationship more closely resembles a close friendship. Within the first few years of working together, they became best friends.

Looking up, Parker lets out a groan.

"You've got to be kidding me! Are you telling me I'm not a senior editor?"

Tommy stares at Parker incredulously.

"Senior editor? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Ugh, never mind. There's no way I'll be promoted now," Parker groans. "Let's just get out here." As he gets up, he adds, "Thanks for looking out for me."

"Hey, that's what best friends are for Parker." Tommy gives him a playful slap on the back. "I wouldn't mind a free drink though."

"Okay, fine," Parker laughs. "One drink on me."

                                                                                         ~ ~ ~

At the bar, Parker orders a whiskey, and Tommy asks for a tequila sunrise. Their waitress, a blonde woman in her mid-thirties, flashes a smile and mixes the tequila and orange juice together in a confident and elaborate manner. Within minutes, she finishes their drinks, and Parker leaves her a huge tip. He takes a few sips of his whiskey and diverts his eyes to the T.V. screen a few feet away. The Lakers basketball game is on, and they're winning by three points. As he leans back on the stool, Tommy hollers,