On Purpose

~3~

I wait for my boss to come in. He wants me to design a logo for his friend, but I don't want to. Last time I worked with his friend, he hated everything I did. I let another co-worker handle him and they ended up quitting.
As I spun in a circle in my chair behind my desk, I let my pensive mind envisage about what I'd wanna eat when I get home. I took a note to stop by my dad's house and make sure he has everything he needed.
As I waited, the door to my office suddenly opened without a knock. I immediately stopped spinning and sat up, adjusting my tie and ensuring that I appeared more mature than I did moments before the door opened.
Then my boss of three years walked in. He was really tall, like three feet taller than me. He had no hair, completely bald. His nose was too big for his face. His beard was perfectly trimmed, outlining his big lips.
He cleared his throat and looked at me, blinked even, like I was the one who called him in here and he was waiting for me to say something.
"Oliver, I need to tell you something."Upon hearing those words, I carefully considered every possible response, but one stood out above the rest: "You're fired."
I pushed that thought out of my head and folded my hands on my desk.
"I'm listening." He didn't bother to sit down, which meant he was ripping a band-aid off, a band-aid I didn't want to even think about.
"You know that guy I told you about? Mark Willmore?" I reclined in my seat, restraining a sigh of relief.
"The one who tried to buy this place?" I asked him, remembering vividly seeing my own boss laugh that day, which is rare for everyone who works here.
"Yeah, he bought that dumbass pizza place down on Edgewood." I tried to hold back laughter. "Really? What's he gonna do with pizza?"
I added another note to make my way over there to get pizza for my break.
"Get money I guess. The man who owns it, has worked there for seventeen years."
Now that got my attention.
"Are you serious? And Mark just up and took it from him?" My voice took on a nervous tone; if Mark Willmore could take that, what could he do with us?
"That's what I'm telling you. I know I have full control over my company, but Jesus, the guy plays dirty."
I looked away and at a picture of me and my dad. I was on his back, I was at least seven or eight. He laughed and so did I, we looked happy. I don't remember putting that photo up there. My dad always told me to burn it. He said it reminds him of when he was good looking, when he showed off that smile that got women weak in the knees. It benefits me, 'cause I'd always reply and say, "Now look at cha, you're turning to dust."
I looked at my boss and slid my hands under the desk and began to fiddle with my fingers.
"What's your next move?"
"Nothing right now, just keep working, and most importantly, make me money. We won't feed into any of his games, then soon as he does some shit I dislike, I'll just sue his ass." I raised an eyebrow, was he really gonna sue Mark for that? But I shrugged and let my boss do what he does best; get money from people and succeed every time, no matter how extraneous it is.
"Oh, just so you know, that man, Phill Carpenter, has been trying to contact you. While I'm not your assistant or anything, I told him your schedule was full. And that guy you talked about was here last week talking about his design for his app." I told him.
He rubbed his eyes with frustration.
"I told him to talk to Lexus about that shit. He asks for too much."
"I don't think he does, all he wants was-" "I know what he wanted, Oliver, a whole bunch of nothing. His app isn't even worth it. His logo-that I helped him with personally-was a hit, this ass crack is asking for more." I would've asked him to elaborate on what he could possibly want more of, but he'd be in my office all day talking about it. I also wanted to talk about him choosing Lexus for this client. She usually makes the client do all the work anyway.
"Anyway, how's your work coming along?"
I was waiting for him to check in on me and my progress that my heart jumped for joy when he did.
I turned my computer around for him to look at.
"My client's name is Stacey Green, she's making her own bakery down on Daryl Carter parkway" "Didn't they just knock down a Target from there?" He takes his eyes off of the screen and looks at me with his arms cross. Not with an attitude, mainly business like, I had to get my game face on to match his energy.
"Yeah, I was gonna help make her new logo, since that's my job." I was in for treat when he laughed.
"What's the logo, a muffin?" I would've glared at him if he wasn't my boss.
"No, it was gonna have a cartoon woman waving while holding a muffin." His laugh grew louder which made me sink deeper into my chair.
"Good luck with that." He said and uncrossed his arms.
"She must can afford it, how much are you charging?" He asked.
"Hourly." I answered.
"I knew it." He ran his fingers over his suit jacket and sighed when he lowered his arms.
"Good luck with that." He turned, but stopped at my door, he turned around to look at me.
"You work the hardest out of everyone, I'll tell you that much, Oliver." He opens the door and leaves. My heart felt warm and my muscles were tight. I checked my watch. My break starts in about ten minutes. I'll just call Stacey and go over her design in five.
I stood up and grabbed my jacket off the back of my chair and made my way out of the building, a small cup of coffee to go won't hurt.