Created by Diane Brown, Buena Beach is an online soap opera, giving up all the juicy details of some of the hottest guys and gals of Buena Beach, a small town in Southern California. Check back everyday for a new episode here on HelloBeautiful.com.
Diane
My weekend rocked. Jonathan treated me to dinner, joined me for a chick-flick, gave me a 90-minute massage, and got me all pumped up. Yes, I’m taking action this morning. As soon as Danny gets in (any minute now), I’m going to walk into his office and tell him that I want that Coordinator position and, dammit, he’d be an idiot not to hire me.
Jonathan also bought me a brand new you-just-gotta-promote-me blouse along with some I’m-just-fantastic lip gloss and a I’m-perfect-for-the-job blush. It’s almost as if he wants the job more than I do – which would be a lot because I really want this position.
As I’m typing up my first memo for the day with my I-promise-I-won’t-screw-up-like-Calvin French-tipped nails, Mario arrives, wired.
Noticing Danny’s closed door, he drops his armloads of stuff on my desk. “What, he’s not even here yet? He has me come in early to prepare for the new Coordinator and he can’t even get here early himself?”
“New Coordinator? What new Coordinator?”
“He’s so full of it. He’s the one who fired Calvin, he should be the one who trains his replacement.”
Replacement? Already? But he only interviewed three girls.
This really can’t be real. He didn’t even give me a chance.
Then, in comes Danny with two steaming cups of coffee from the Buena Beach café. “Good morning. Oh, great, Mario. You got my message. Here, let’s go into my office and we’ll go over some things, my ideas for Veronica.” And then he has the nerve to turn to me and say, “Diane, would you mind showing Veronica the ropes? She should be here in about fifteen minutes. You can bring her to my office once you’ve shown her around and she’s completed her packet. I left it on her desk.”
Her desk? She already has a desk? “Of course.”
—–
Hah! She’s late, walking in at exactly 8:02. Who arrives to work late on day one? When I started, I got in twenty minutes before I was supposed to. No one else was here yet so I just ended up waiting in the lobby, but I made my point.
Well, to my benefit, there is a three-month probation period for the City. If she happens to be released from her servitude before then, I’ll be much more forthright about my interest in the position. For now, I’ll have to be polite and professional. Besides, I’m sure Jonathan will have an idea or two up his sleeve on how to deal with this new predicament.
“Hello, again. Veronica, right?”
She’s in some ridiculous Chanel knock-off that she probably bought this weekend from Santee Alley. “That’s right. And you’re…Diane?”
“Good memory. Come on. You can leave your things here at my desk.”
She sets down her purse and jacket, and follows me.
“Cute bag,” I tell her, being sincere.
“Thanks.”
“It looks so real. You’ll have to hook me up with your vendor.”
She doesn’t reply. Just what I thought. An owner of genuine Prada would defend it. “So this is the copy area. Although you’re a Coordinator, you won’t have an assistant because you’re at level one, like Christian. So that means you have to make your own copies.” She doesn’t bat an eye.
Fine. “Here’s the lounge. Coffee club is $2 a month. One of our staff co-owns a café, so he brings some in every day. He insists on not making us pay, but we use the money for cups and stirrers and things like that.”
“I don’t drink coffee.”
“That’s what they all say. Wait until you’re here for a month.”
Next we head to the staff cubicles. “You’ll meet Sandy later. She’s Mario’s assistant. Do yourself a favor and talk to her as little as possible. The girl has a master’s degree in gossip.” Okay, I shouldn’t sell-out my girl like that. But what choice do I have? – I can’t risk this Veronica chick developing a friendship with Sandy. Then again, maybe if they hit it off as homies, I could get the right kind of dirt from Sandy to send Veronica packing. Whatever – I’ll figure it out as I go.
“And this is your desk. Make yourself comfortable, then let me know what supplies you need. There’s a moratorium right now on most supplies, but we have some stuff in the back.”
“Thanks, Diana.”
“Diane.”
“Oh. My bad. Let me grab my things from your desk, and I’ll get settled in.”
This has to end soon. Who does she think she is? I swear, she wasn’t listening to half the things I said. I bet within the hour, she’ll be asking me what the copy code is or when to turn in her time card. “By the way, if you’re going to be running late again like you were this morning, feel free to call my line and I’ll give Danny the message.”
“Oh. But I wasn’t late.”
“Actually, you were. I glanced at the clock when you came in, and it was 8:03. No big deal…it was your first day and all – ”
“You were looking at the clock right up there, over the door?”
I nod.
“That clock is five minutes fast. See,” she points to her wrist. “This watch’s time is based on the atomic clock in Fort Collins, Colorado. It’s always precise.”
“Well…” I’m not really sure what to say. “Make sure you call Danny if you’re running late. Or sick.”
“No problem. Thanks again, Diana.”
“Diane,” I stress through my teeth. I think she’s doing that on purpose. I don’t know if I’ve ever disliked anyone so quickly.
Sitting down in front of my computer, I feel like throwing it. How could Danny hire such a tramp?
My e-mail box is overflowing. I start at the bottom, this one from my mom entitled, “An Office Prayer”.
I guess that’s a hint. Okay. I’ll give the girl a chance.
But, just one.
