The Falling Man

Chapter 10

Ethel POV

I am currently on my way to a very important meeting. Me and Frances messed up big time. On our liquor license it says our pub can only be open 11:30am-3:00pm and 6:30pm-11:00pm. Have we been following that rule? No. No we haven't. We figured if we didn't follow that, who would know? Surely, the customers wouldn't rat. So we've been opening at 12:00pm and staying open until around 12:00am on the weekends. Not shutting down from 3:00pm to 6:30 pm and not closing at 11:00pm. Well somebody found out and we got our liquor liscense revoked. Which means we can't serve alcohol, which means we can't make money. So, I am on my way to try to fix that.

I realize as I look down at my pocket watch I am running a lot later than I thought I was to the scheduled meeting time. So, I start running. When I arrive to the office I'm dripping in sweat from the thick coat I have on. I hurriedly rush in. I approach the front desk, "Hi, I'm Ethel Switzer and I am here for a meeting." I am quickly ushered into a office. I take a seat in the chair, opposite of the man sitting at his desk and hurriedly take my coat off; I can feel my hair sticking to my face. I try to catch my breath quickly. I'm sure if Frances was here she would be getting a right kick out of this whole situation.

The man finally looks up at me. He's shocked to see a woman in front of him. It's hard for some men to wrap their heads around a woman being successful other than in the kitchen and in the bedroom. I'm shocked that he's shocked considering I had my name down for the meeting and I don't know many men named Ethel. The man looks to be in his 40s with balding hair. He's quite lanky and rat looking. "Alright...Thank you for coming in today. We really appreciate you taking the time to review your liquor liscense with us for your pub, The Irish Pig?" I'm very over exaggeratingly smiling at this man as he says this to me. "It's not a problem." I respond to him. "I've read over your forms." The man states, I respond with "Thank you." "It's quite funny." He says. I can't help but look at him somewhat shocked, "Oh" I nod and quickly change back into a smile for this dumb twat. "Okay. I don't really understand what's funny but.." I trail off still keeping the smile on my face. "As you are probably aware, there aren't many or any really women-led pubs." He says. "I'm quite used to the sexual harassment yes." Still keeping the smile on my face but slowly losing my cool. I remind myself I need this. I just need to let him say whatever he wants and hold my tongue. "Sexual harassment? Yes." He replies. Weird answer but okay.

I am still gaining my breath from the sprint I had to endure on the way here, I'm cursing myself for wearing the thickest long sleeve dress I own. The man notices I'm slightly struggling and asks, "Are you alright?" "Oh, yes. I'm sorry, I just ran all the way here and I'm just a bit hot." I say in between somewhat pants "Though, I really am happy.." He interrupts me before I can finish my sentence with "Water?" I reply with "No, thank you. I'm fine." While shaking my head. "Actually, yes. Water would be lovely. If I could.." I change my answer deciding water actually does sound quite appealing at the moment. "Okay." He replies but makes no move to get me water before continuing, "There are a couple of issues, that we need to talk about and one or two improvements that I'm going to need to see in your business. It says here that you opened the pub with your business partner in.." As he is saying this last bit I pull the end of my dress up to my knees. I feel like a water fall on every inch of my body and this was the only way I saw fit to cool myself down. I nod along to what he is saying. I then realize as he's staring at my legs how this could be deemed inappropriate. I push the dress back down quickly and look at him almost scared. He looks back up to my eyes and says, "Okay." He pauses before continuing, "I am sorry that kind of work won't get you very far here with me." "Oh, no. I am sorry." I laugh at him hoping we can just get back to the meeting. "This dress is very thick." I reply referring back to when I was saying I was hot earlier in the meeting. "Yes, okay." He says in a manner like he does not believe me. "No. I'm being serious. Genuine misunderstanding." I reply with an over exaggerated smile back on my face. "I can see, in theory, why you might think that.." He says before I interrupt him. "No. I am being serious, I wasn't trying to. I was hot." "I take this kind of meeting very seriously.." he says before I interrupt him again, "No, I'm not trying to fuck you. Look at yourself." I say laughing. He squints his eyes at me. I realize what I said. Fuck! I'm fucked! There's a long pause of an awkward stare off. "Okay." The man replies before continuing with, "Please leave." I start to panic. "Um..No, you don't understand. I need this. I need this liscense." I beg to him. "Please just leave." He replies. I stare at him dumbfounded for a moment before rising from my seat. I can't believe how terribly this has all gone. I grab my coat and bag. Before looking at the man and saying "Cunt." Fuck it! I'm already this deep and not getting a liscense anyways. "Whore." The man replies. "Fuck you." I turn around and say before walking out of the office.