I Want To Dream Now

Chapter 7

He breathes again, again, and again. His swings his head up. I need to ooze confidence. I need to get this promotion. Robin swipes the sweat off his forehead quickly.

"Mr Hayes?" 

It is Mr Spielburg. His voice is lighter then usual, a little less condescending.  Robin steps consciously into the office, until he realizes then his confidence is lacking. Completely and utterly.

"You seem nervous Hayes. Coffee?"

Robin shakes his head politely. "No thank you sir."

"That baby arrive yet?"

"Uh," Robin mutters, hovering uncomfortably around the desk. His heavy, brisk breathing reocccurs. Can I please sit down... "No. Not for another while yet."

"Boy or girl, or are you and Nina one of those couples that delight in surprises?"

Robin laughs gently. He gets the odd urge then to sit down, untold. "Unfortunately, yes. We're one of those couples."

Mr Spielberg breaks out into a deep, raspy laugh. "I was the same with my first child. But then, I didn't give a rat's tail about the rest of my 6 kids. The excitement totally wears off, or I suppose it did for me."

Robin laughs back, more as an act of politeness than anything. He hardly ever finds his boss funny. He knows that Mr Spielberg certainly has his good days, presumingly when the wife is away from the house on a spa-break in the country with her friends, or on holidays in a hot, foreign country. His wife doesn't work though. 

Robin's met her once or twice at celebration events or Christmas parties, he doesn't quite recall where. He never found her cruel, or annoying, perhaps a bit bubbly if anything. She lives completely off her husband's money though but Robin guesses that suits him. 

"How is Marianne?"

His boss nods his head drowsily. "Yeah, well. She's in the States this weekend on a shopping holiday. Stocking up for Christmas."

Robin hides his smirk.

"Anyway, Hayes, lets get back to business. Take a seat--oh, never mind. You wanted to talk to me about promotion."

Robin nods. "Yes."

"OK, well, figures have risen over the last few weeks, apparently due to the fantastic sales weve had. We're up 10% which is something I've never quite seen before, in all of the high-retail stores I've managed."

"So, a promotion could really happen?"

Mr Spielberg grins, "Without a doubt. Maybe not here however, but certainly in other stores nationwide, and also world-wide. You would need to sit various aptitude tests, interviews and of course then, you'd have to do some training."

"Anything," Robin says.

"Great," he says with a grin, "Hayes you've surprised me today. So enthusiastic. Do keep it up, and you'll be flying."

"Thanks sir, so so much," Robin tells him, completely in awe. "I really can't thank you enough."

"Oh, I know the pressures with having a first kid, and your wife up your nose to get a job, well a proper job. You get me., yes?"

Robin nods, hiding a cold glare. A proper job? This is the best he can do, given the circumstances.

Then he lets out a large yawn, clicks into his laptop, types something quickly. "Hayes, before you go, you need to know our clothing store will be getting brand new stock in next Mon."

"OK?"

"OK, so I need to organize a photo-shoot."

"A...photo-shoot? As in...models? And cameras?"

He laughs again, this time spitting a little. "Indeed. That's what a photo-shoot involves. Your job is to co-ordinate it. The press will be here, taking photos for various fashion mags. I think XPOSE will also be here. So, find some models, preferably ones not in last season's publication. Fresh faces. Then bring the models to Green Palace, on Henry Street, make an advert in the radio or call up the press etc, and set a time. It has to be done Monday though, no later."

"Female models, or male models?"

"Female," he confirms.

"OK. What about the pay?"

"I'll print you those details now."

Robin grits his teeth, more with nervousness. "I've never done this before...are you sure you want me to do it?"

And that's where Mr Spielberg smiles fades away into a sneer. "If you want a promotion, then prove to me you can do this."