Wake Up, Bangkok! (Completed)

Chapter 3

*** Please check to see if you have read the last update. Wattpad notifications don't work half the time. So you may have missed it.
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Wake up, Bangkok! (jingle)

Caller 14: My mother-in-law is the biggest *beep* in Bangkok. Nothing I do is ever good enough for her son, or her grandchildren. According to her, the only thing I've done right is give birth. She is a *beeping* narcissist. She thinks everything she does is better than me. There's always something wrong with whatever I cook, clean, or teach my kids. I'm really thinking about divorcing my husband just so I don't have to see her *beeping* face again.

"Wow. I'm sorry you have to deal with that. Maybe try some distance instead if it's possible. Well, that's all for today. Thanks for tuning in. Same time, same place tomorrow. Have a nice day. I'll leave you with Gam Wichayanee and Twopee Southside's ไม่มีเธอ ไม่ตาย." Singto said as he was a little lost for words.

(Song at top.)

The topic of monster mother-in-laws is the furthest thing from his knowledge. This was a topic his co-host Pat picked, but she suddenly went into labor last night. So, he had no choice but to host today's show on his own. It's the longest three hours ever. It's not that he can't handle the show on his own, cause he has on occasions when Pat went on vacation. However, on those occasions he had more time to prepare for the show. He chose topics that he can relate to, and engage with the callers.

Singto looked up to see the 'On Air' light was off, and Fiat gives him the okay signal. He was relieved for just about three seconds before he noticed someone standing behind Fiat. It was the last person he wanted to see. Especially after the past longest three hours in his life. That person gave him a smirk, and crooked his finger at him.

Singto had no choice. Sighing loudly, he quickly picks up all of his belongings, and stepped outside of the studio room 3C. The man waiting for him outside was the station's devil.

"Good morning, Tay. Did you need me for something?" Singto asked his immaculately dressed to impress boss. Tay Vihokratana is his name. He is a charmer to those above him, but he usually didn't spare a glance at those below him.

"Good morning Sing. Let's have a talk in my office. I'm glad I caught you before you were gone for the day."

Singto sat down across from Tay in his sleek, modern and chilly office. His office is seriously freezing cold. The air conditioner is probably at 15C or something. This probably confirms everyone's speculation of Tay being a blood sucking vampire. Singto sits patiently waiting for Tay as he clicks his computer a few times, and then pulls out a black folder.

Tay opens the folder, and leans back in his white leather chair. "Sing, you know how important you are to us, don't you? You know you are the star of the station, right? Everyone calls you Charming Singto. People of all ages adore you...."

All Singto heard was that he's the cash cow. Tay's praises never come easy or cheap. There's got to be some kind of catch here. He just needs to smile and nod his head till Tay gets to his point. How many products is he supposed to promote this time? He swears, he is not singing any jingles this time.

"Sing, it's time we made some changes. Sing?" Tay snapped his fingers in Singto's face.

"Uh, change. Yes, change. What kind of change are we talking about?" Singto doesn't like what he is hearing. The last time Tay praised him this much, and mentioned change, he had to host the show at the beach under the scorching sun in nothing but his swim shorts. Then he had to pose half-naked like that with VIP ticket holders.

"Look, I wasn't planning to do this so soon. But Pat's baby arrived early, so now things have moved up."

"What things have moved up? Pat's baby is only about two weeks early. What kind of plan are you talking about?" Singto frowned. He knows nothing about any plans.

"The thing is, the ratings have been dropping for the past year. And all things point to Pat as the weakest link. The topics she chooses are too boring these days. They're not exciting enough. She used to be fun, energetic, and sexy. Now, all she talks about is family and babies. Our listeners are switching stations. Other shows are talking sex, money, and celebrities. Our listeners want to get up in the morning excited for the day. They don't want to talk about how to get a tough stain out, or how to prepare a quick meal. If the show continues like this, we will lose our sponsors. It's time for a change, and now that Pat is on maternity leave, it's the best time to experiment. I want to pair you up with another host."

"Tay, our show has always been wholesome and family friendly. And we do talk about those similar topics. We talk about love, budget, and idols. Also, Pat will be back in a couple of months. Three tops. I can manage the show on my own while she is on leave." Singto can tell it's pretty much a lost cause already, but he still has to give it a try. Tay has that determined look in his eyes, and it sounds like this plan has been in motion for a while. They were probably all just waiting for Pat to go on her maternity leave.

"Sing, I'm not saying that Pat is out and there's no telling that she will really return at all. I'm just saying we need to save the show. We can't afford to have our ratings dropping any lower. If we don't, there might not even be a show for her to come back to." Tay stared hard at Singto, trying to get his message across. This is a courtesy announcement, and not a negotiation. It's a decision that has already been approved by upper management.

Singto was flabbergasted. Is that a threat? Is Tay threatening to cancel their show? Despite the dropped ratings, it's still the number one morning show in Bangkok, probably even the whole Thailand.

"So, what's the plan then? What kind of experiment do you want to do? And for how long?" Maybe a temporary guest host isn't too bad. Singto is even willing to sit under the sun again if it means the show can be saved, and Pat can keep her job.

"That's the spirit. Have you met Krist Perawat? The love guru from our late night show?" Tay asked, tilting his head with a little smirk.

Singto thinks for a second. He has seen Krist's poster outside along the hallways like the many other DJs that lined the walls, but he can't recall actually meeting the guy. Him being a morning host, and the other being a late night host made it almost impossible to run into each other. They practically slept while the other worked. Then suddenly he remembered something.

"Is Krist the guy that's always sleeping during the quarterly meetings? You know, the guy that snored really loud one time?" Singto thinks that was Krist, but he hasn't exactly been introduced to the man.

"Yes! That's Krist. The poor man was probably too tired since those meetings usually take place during his bedtime hours. Anyway, the point is, people love him. He completely dominates the late night airwaves. I think you two would make a great team for the morning show." Tay said excitedly.

"Then what about his show? Who is going to host that? Who is going to dominate the late night airwaves then?" Singto tries really hard to not roll his eyes at his boss's face. He doesn't like the sound of all this. It looks like Tay has it all planned out already. So, what is going to happen to Pat?

"Dominating the late night airwaves is good, but we don't have a lot of sponsors during that time slot. So, it's not a big loss even if the ratings go down for the late night slot. I can easily find a rookie to fill that spot. Maybe that new kid Win that's been covering the late night news. Give some fresh blood a chance. So, don't worry about it."

It really didn't sound like Singto had much of a choice. He wasn't even given an option.

"So, when will he start?" Singto asked defeatedly.

"Tomorrow!"

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AN: Sweets, this is my third update for the week. Yay! I've decided to make this story short. So, hopefully I can finish this one quicker. Btw, check out the attached song up top. It's good.

So, Charming Singto is going to meet Sexy Krist next. Fun times. 😜

Love you lots,
Lana ❤️