afraid or you can seize the opportunity. Seize it, you
crazy bitch!
“They offered to make me shift manager.”
“And how does that make you feel?”
“Well at first I was really excited. I mean, it’s more hours
and better pay. I’ll get more respect from the regional managers and stuff. But
then I started to get scared.”
“Why?”
“Am I ready for this? It’s a lot more responsibility. The
shift manager is responsible for opening or closing the store, scheduling,
dealing with idiot employees and irate customers. So if you screw up it can
cost the store a lot of money.”
“Do you believe you’ll screw up?”
Leah was quiet for a moment. She looked down at the floor,
then at her toes, anywhere but Hale. He remained silent, waiting for an answer.
Finally Leah whispered, “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve never been able to really do anything.
Something good starts happening and then it gets screwed up. I screw it up.
Someone makes some decision and I don’t know about the change or whatever and I
just fuck things up. Any time I start making progress it just…I just…”
Leah found herself fighting tears once again.
“What makes you think that things that have happened in the
past are any guarantee of what will happen in the future? Or even an
indicator?”
“Well, they say history repeats itself.”
“We’re not talking about the downfall of civilizations.
We’re talking about your life. Societies may act the same. Individuals make
choices for themselves.”
“So how do I keep from screwing up?”
“First you need to keep building on your confidence.
Remember how you felt when you asserted yourself against the guy in the
bathroom? Valuing yourself and what you want is power. Use it. Second, you need
to overcome fear to get what you want.”
“Overcome fear. So I shouldn’t worry about what will happen
when some shmuck doesn’t show up for their shift?”
“That’s planning. Are you seriously afraid—I mean fearful—of
someone not showing up for work?”
“Well, no.”
“What then?”
“I’m afraid of not being accepted as a manager by the other
employees. I don’t want to fight with them. And I’m afraid of the
responsibility…the progress…the success.”
“Exactly. Remember what we said about the comfort zone.”
“Fuck it.” Leah smiled. Hale laughed.
“Part of that is overcoming fear. People are afraid of lots
of things. Some of those fears will stand in the way of having the life they
always wanted. Do you think you should give fear that kind of power?”
“No.”
“Is it unreasonable to give something that doesn’t really
exist power over your life?”
“Yes.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to tell Bob I’ll take the position.”
“And?”
“And I’m going to do the best job possible. Better than
anyone else could do it.”
Hale smiled. “That’s what I like to hear. You know,
confidence really looks good on you.”
Leah blushed.
“But we need to work on that blushing problem of yours.”
Hale’s comment only worsened her condition. Leah covered her
face.
“You can’t hide from someone when they want to flirt, Leah.”
Hale’s eyes suddenly filled with dark heat. “You either tell them to get bent
or you play along. Don’t you like banter?”
“Yes, I do.” Leah lowered her hands and tried to reduce the
heat in her cheeks with some deep breathing.
“Good. Then let’s try again. Confidence looks good on you,
Leah. Hot. Sexy.”
Leah cleared her throat. Trying not to blush was useless. “Thanks.
It took hard work.”
“It makes me want to tear your clothes off and fuck you hard
from behind.”
Leah’s heart fluttered in her chest and she suddenly was
faint from the rush of hormones surging into her bloodstream. In an instant she
went from embarrassed to aroused. The heat left her cheeks and traveled
straight south.
“Then why don’t you?”
Hale stood from his chair so quickly it startled
crazy bitch!
“They offered to make me shift manager.”
“And how does that make you feel?”
“Well at first I was really excited. I mean, it’s more hours
and better pay. I’ll get more respect from the regional managers and stuff. But
then I started to get scared.”
“Why?”
“Am I ready for this? It’s a lot more responsibility. The
shift manager is responsible for opening or closing the store, scheduling,
dealing with idiot employees and irate customers. So if you screw up it can
cost the store a lot of money.”
“Do you believe you’ll screw up?”
Leah was quiet for a moment. She looked down at the floor,
then at her toes, anywhere but Hale. He remained silent, waiting for an answer.
Finally Leah whispered, “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve never been able to really do anything.
Something good starts happening and then it gets screwed up. I screw it up.
Someone makes some decision and I don’t know about the change or whatever and I
just fuck things up. Any time I start making progress it just…I just…”
Leah found herself fighting tears once again.
“What makes you think that things that have happened in the
past are any guarantee of what will happen in the future? Or even an
indicator?”
“Well, they say history repeats itself.”
“We’re not talking about the downfall of civilizations.
We’re talking about your life. Societies may act the same. Individuals make
choices for themselves.”
“So how do I keep from screwing up?”
“First you need to keep building on your confidence.
Remember how you felt when you asserted yourself against the guy in the
bathroom? Valuing yourself and what you want is power. Use it. Second, you need
to overcome fear to get what you want.”
“Overcome fear. So I shouldn’t worry about what will happen
when some shmuck doesn’t show up for their shift?”
“That’s planning. Are you seriously afraid—I mean fearful—of
someone not showing up for work?”
“Well, no.”
“What then?”
“I’m afraid of not being accepted as a manager by the other
employees. I don’t want to fight with them. And I’m afraid of the
responsibility…the progress…the success.”
“Exactly. Remember what we said about the comfort zone.”
“Fuck it.” Leah smiled. Hale laughed.
“Part of that is overcoming fear. People are afraid of lots
of things. Some of those fears will stand in the way of having the life they
always wanted. Do you think you should give fear that kind of power?”
“No.”
“Is it unreasonable to give something that doesn’t really
exist power over your life?”
“Yes.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to tell Bob I’ll take the position.”
“And?”
“And I’m going to do the best job possible. Better than
anyone else could do it.”
Hale smiled. “That’s what I like to hear. You know,
confidence really looks good on you.”
Leah blushed.
“But we need to work on that blushing problem of yours.”
Hale’s comment only worsened her condition. Leah covered her
face.
“You can’t hide from someone when they want to flirt, Leah.”
Hale’s eyes suddenly filled with dark heat. “You either tell them to get bent
or you play along. Don’t you like banter?”
“Yes, I do.” Leah lowered her hands and tried to reduce the
heat in her cheeks with some deep breathing.
“Good. Then let’s try again. Confidence looks good on you,
Leah. Hot. Sexy.”
Leah cleared her throat. Trying not to blush was useless. “Thanks.
It took hard work.”
“It makes me want to tear your clothes off and fuck you hard
from behind.”
Leah’s heart fluttered in her chest and she suddenly was
faint from the rush of hormones surging into her bloodstream. In an instant she
went from embarrassed to aroused. The heat left her cheeks and traveled
straight south.
“Then why don’t you?”
Hale stood from his chair so quickly it startled
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