to keep me on. The problem is that they want to keep me on in a different capacity than I want to be kept on. Did I tell you I’m almost done with an MBA from Columbia? I want to go a different direction. I don’t just want to do birthday parties. I want to do catering, true catering. And they wouldn’t agree to expand. I mean, The Party People. The name would still work, but they didn’t think they could handle the expansion. I am going to school for this. I could handle it, but they wouldn’t even discuss it. So…I gave them my notice…and they gave me a bustier.” She sighed. “The party this afternoon promises to be worse. It’s a Circus Circus themed party. And I will be the clown responsible for making balloon animals.”
“And when you say that you’re the clown, it isn’t a figure of speech? You are going to be an actual clown?” He covered his mouth as he tried to hide the laughter that was clearly welling up inside of him at the moment.
Sighing, she responded. “Laugh it up, big guy. Yes. The costume is horrendous. Oh, and the wig. Let’s not forget the nose! On the bright side, we’ll be indoors. If it were spring, summer, or even earlier in the fall, we would have been in a circus tent. I’ve been this route before. Is it any wonder that I want to stick to catering? I want to pull my hair into a bun and thrown on a chef’s jacket, or a business suit. I don’t want to do all this themed crap. I think the Memoirs of a Geisha party was probably the worst. Socks and those crazy wooden sandals. Hot heavy wig with makeup positively caked on my face. No speaking. No smiling…”
Her phone rang. “Sorry. It’s my mother. Since the party is only hours from now, I need to answer. She may need me to pick something up.” With that she strode from the room while answering the phone.
Though she was only gone a few minutes, Adam was used to thinking on his feet. He was used to formulating plans. It was pretty much his thing. He could see how much it meant to her that she no longer dress up for these birthday parties. He could see how much she wanted to go her own way, despite having the chance to enjoy the family business if she was only willing to lower her standards. Instead, she was determined and driven to do her own thing. She was pretty special. Lucky for her, he could help. Luckier for him, he could bargain like his life depended on it, because in this instance it really kind of did.
She was smiling and looked more relaxed when she walked back into the room. She was light on her feet, practically floating on air. Her hair, which had moments before been up in a ponytail, was now hanging in big bouncy curls past her shoulders. Something had definitely changed.
“The party is canceled! The kid has the flu!” She was all but giddy as she spoke. Then it was as if she realized how bad that sounded. “Um, I’m not happy the kid is sick, but now I might not have to do the party at all! I may never have to be a clown again!” She sighed happily as she sank back down in the seat. Her relief was evident. Her happiness was contagious. He just smiled looking at her.
“Great! Now you have all the time in the world to tell me about your catering dreams.” He crossed his hands behind his head and prepared to listen.
“I swear you are just trying to trick me into staying longer. And seriously, I don’t have time. This cancellation was a gift. I must use this time wisely. Gotta go!” She stood, grabbed her bag, and started to walk away.
“What if we make a deal?” He called after her. “What if I give you a free ad campaign for helping me this week?” And he waited. The Davenport Agency carried a lot of weight. If word began circulating that he was endorsing and working with a new catering company, he knew she was bound to be wildly successful as long as she didn’t suck. The people who would hire her, well, they were his people. They had money. They held parties all the time. No
“And when you say that you’re the clown, it isn’t a figure of speech? You are going to be an actual clown?” He covered his mouth as he tried to hide the laughter that was clearly welling up inside of him at the moment.
Sighing, she responded. “Laugh it up, big guy. Yes. The costume is horrendous. Oh, and the wig. Let’s not forget the nose! On the bright side, we’ll be indoors. If it were spring, summer, or even earlier in the fall, we would have been in a circus tent. I’ve been this route before. Is it any wonder that I want to stick to catering? I want to pull my hair into a bun and thrown on a chef’s jacket, or a business suit. I don’t want to do all this themed crap. I think the Memoirs of a Geisha party was probably the worst. Socks and those crazy wooden sandals. Hot heavy wig with makeup positively caked on my face. No speaking. No smiling…”
Her phone rang. “Sorry. It’s my mother. Since the party is only hours from now, I need to answer. She may need me to pick something up.” With that she strode from the room while answering the phone.
Though she was only gone a few minutes, Adam was used to thinking on his feet. He was used to formulating plans. It was pretty much his thing. He could see how much it meant to her that she no longer dress up for these birthday parties. He could see how much she wanted to go her own way, despite having the chance to enjoy the family business if she was only willing to lower her standards. Instead, she was determined and driven to do her own thing. She was pretty special. Lucky for her, he could help. Luckier for him, he could bargain like his life depended on it, because in this instance it really kind of did.
She was smiling and looked more relaxed when she walked back into the room. She was light on her feet, practically floating on air. Her hair, which had moments before been up in a ponytail, was now hanging in big bouncy curls past her shoulders. Something had definitely changed.
“The party is canceled! The kid has the flu!” She was all but giddy as she spoke. Then it was as if she realized how bad that sounded. “Um, I’m not happy the kid is sick, but now I might not have to do the party at all! I may never have to be a clown again!” She sighed happily as she sank back down in the seat. Her relief was evident. Her happiness was contagious. He just smiled looking at her.
“Great! Now you have all the time in the world to tell me about your catering dreams.” He crossed his hands behind his head and prepared to listen.
“I swear you are just trying to trick me into staying longer. And seriously, I don’t have time. This cancellation was a gift. I must use this time wisely. Gotta go!” She stood, grabbed her bag, and started to walk away.
“What if we make a deal?” He called after her. “What if I give you a free ad campaign for helping me this week?” And he waited. The Davenport Agency carried a lot of weight. If word began circulating that he was endorsing and working with a new catering company, he knew she was bound to be wildly successful as long as she didn’t suck. The people who would hire her, well, they were his people. They had money. They held parties all the time. No
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