Room with a View

Chapter 1 - Kickoff

Announcement

"And the winner of the employee's profit sharing draw for the one week, all expense paid vacation is Miller Hunt from Inventory Records! Congratulations, Miller, please come to the human resources office and see Mrs. Lowney for your prize."

"Hunt, you lucky son-of-a-bitch! How much you want for it?"

The tinny announcement was still echoing in Miller's head as the harsh slap stung his shoulders. Had he heard correctly? His name was drawn for the EPS prize – a week all expenses paid? He suddenly felt the crowd of co-workers gathering about and jostling him, teasing and congratulating; some pleased for him, some envious of him.

"C'mon, Hunt; I'll give you week's pay."

"I already make more than you, Howard," Miller laughed, wrapping his arms about his stocky friend.

"Where's it to?" Somebody blurted.

"Don't know but anywhere is better than here with you lot." More laughter and back slapping as he broke away from the group and jogged eagerly up to the company offices.

Chapter 1 - Kickoff

Mrs. Lowney looked up from her desk as Miller bounced into her office and managed a congratulatory smile as she held up the company envelope containing his prize and all the necessary information.

"You can read all this at home, Miller. There's still the rest of the afternoon to finish up." He accepted it with an abbreviated bow and grinned like a fool. "You should be very grateful, Miller, Mr. Haines and Step Lively Shoe Manufacturing is always looking out for the well being of their employees." The pink rimmed glasses tipped down the nose and a pair of pale blue eyes underlined her emphatically delivered corporate commercial.

Miller said thanks and backed quickly out of the office, his tongue firmly between his teeth. Haines calculated it would be considerably cheaper for the company to provide a free holiday for one rather than increases and bonuses for all. The highly touted profit sharing plan suggesting joint investment in the success of the company meant more for everyone even if the rewards were unevenly distributed.

In the washroom he nervously tore open the envelope and took out the brochure and his eyes and mouth opened in tandem. Windy Palms, a sprawling yet intimate resort on a knuckle of land called the Vigia Peninsula. Jutting into Olas Bay, an arm of the Pacific Ocean, about a third of the way down the Mexican coast in the vicinity of the city of Mazatlán. He read greedily about the Spanish conquistadors and their silver mines, about the film made there, Treasure of the Sierra Madre with Humphrey Bogart. Miller excitedly pictured himself lounging in a local cantina, feet and legs in dusty boots and chinos, outstretched while he sucked on a bottle of cerveza and let the brim of his bush hat shade his eyes.

The washroom door opened and Miller froze. Outside his stall he heard the familiar sounds of male ablutions and held his breath almost to the point of bursting until the person left. He stuffed the brochure back in the envelope, catching a last glimpse of a bathing suit clad couple with perfect skin, hair and teeth, both fit and trim and having the time of their lives skipping along the shore of an impossibly blue sea. He tapped the envelope and nodded; this would be the new Miller Hunt.

Back in his department, the last hours of work were endless. Co-workers harassed him the entire time with good humoured taunts and blatant innuendo. He answered the expected barrage of questions, feeling the resentment, which seemed to outweigh the congratulations after revealing the destination. When quitting time came, he was cheered out of the building with demands for post cards and souvenirs and lots of pictures.