jogged, he whistled and thought over his itinerary. I’ll do my early morning workout, check in at the office, pick up my stuff, and then just walk out those doors.
An attractive woman in a skimpy jogging outfit appeared behind him on the left wall. She ran up, passed him, then turned and smiled, a smile both encouraging and flirtatious. “You’re doing great. Keep it up!”
Theodore smiled back at the holographic image, even though a second later he felt silly. His wristwatch buzzed — 7:50 A.M.
“I’m done,” he said. The machine-room obeyed the comment. In tandem, the woman disappeared, and the walls and road slowed to a stop. A door, invisible in the moving landscape, became visible again and Theodore opened it into the rest of the gym.
After showering and changing, he returned to his cubicle. His desk now held only his computer, a framed Glamour-Girl holograph of Tiffany, and a school holograph of Zera. Theodore picked up Tiffany’s picture. I hope this works, he thought, gazing at the image, because I can’t come back here. I’ve got to leave without saying anything. He looked at Zera’s picture. I hope this is going to work out for you, too, kid.
From over his cubicle wall, Theodore spied the top of Harv Headstrom’s shiny head. He watched it bob down the corridor, approaching his office. Probably making his third trip to the coffee bar this morning, or his third trip to the bathroom . I hope he doesn’t stop to say hi.
Harv peered over the five -foot-six-inch-tall cubicle wall, his caterpillar eyebrows hovering over bright brown eyes. “Hey Theo, how’s it going?”
Theodore put the picture down and for the first time in a long time he smiled at Harv. “It’s going great .”
Harv’s caterpillars reared up. “Yeah?”
Theodore nodded.
“Well, cool, it’s about time!” Harv went around to the door of Theodore’s office. “Wow, you really cleaned off your desk, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it not buried.”
“Uh . . . it was due,” Theodore said flatly. He didn’t want to encourage Harv to stick around.
“I was just heading down for a cup of joe, thought I’d say hi. See you at the meeting before lunch.”
Oh, no you won’t, Theodore thought. Instead he said, “Later, Harv.”
Burger Depot had turned out to be a huge hit, just as expected. Americo had opened five new restaurants since the grand opening, with ten more scheduled by the end of next year. And still, Theodore had received no recognition from Bob Cadger. He’d tried to talk to him, and had his appointment “rescheduled” numerous times. After a while, Theodore gave up.
He opened his briefcase. So long Biotech Multinational, he said to himself as he began to play over in his mind last night’s dinner at Chez Escargot .
* * *
He and Tiffany had shared a candlelight dinner in the darkened, richly-decorated dining room just hours after Theodore got the news. Tiffany was surprised at the invitation to dinner and on their arrival at the restaurant purred, “What’s the occasion, Theodore? I’m on pins and needles! Tell me!”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
He waited until after dessert. Behind his glasses, Theodore’s eyes shone as he pulled out from his breast pocket two airline tickets to Los Angeles. He laid them on the table and announced, “Tiffany, it’s happened.”
Tiffany picked up the tickets, then looked at Theodore. A hint of confusion, then disappointment, flickered in her eyes, as if she were expecting something else. “What . . . what’s happened?”
“Somebody finally recognizes my worth. My potential.” Theodore brought out his ever-present pocket computer. “I’ve received an offer from Void Chemical. You’ve heard me talk about them. We’ve been in contact almost since the time of the Burger Depot opening. They’re bigger than Biotech. Way bigger.” He started punching in numbers. “Tiffany, they want me as president of their Biotechnology Division, and —
An attractive woman in a skimpy jogging outfit appeared behind him on the left wall. She ran up, passed him, then turned and smiled, a smile both encouraging and flirtatious. “You’re doing great. Keep it up!”
Theodore smiled back at the holographic image, even though a second later he felt silly. His wristwatch buzzed — 7:50 A.M.
“I’m done,” he said. The machine-room obeyed the comment. In tandem, the woman disappeared, and the walls and road slowed to a stop. A door, invisible in the moving landscape, became visible again and Theodore opened it into the rest of the gym.
After showering and changing, he returned to his cubicle. His desk now held only his computer, a framed Glamour-Girl holograph of Tiffany, and a school holograph of Zera. Theodore picked up Tiffany’s picture. I hope this works, he thought, gazing at the image, because I can’t come back here. I’ve got to leave without saying anything. He looked at Zera’s picture. I hope this is going to work out for you, too, kid.
From over his cubicle wall, Theodore spied the top of Harv Headstrom’s shiny head. He watched it bob down the corridor, approaching his office. Probably making his third trip to the coffee bar this morning, or his third trip to the bathroom . I hope he doesn’t stop to say hi.
Harv peered over the five -foot-six-inch-tall cubicle wall, his caterpillar eyebrows hovering over bright brown eyes. “Hey Theo, how’s it going?”
Theodore put the picture down and for the first time in a long time he smiled at Harv. “It’s going great .”
Harv’s caterpillars reared up. “Yeah?”
Theodore nodded.
“Well, cool, it’s about time!” Harv went around to the door of Theodore’s office. “Wow, you really cleaned off your desk, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it not buried.”
“Uh . . . it was due,” Theodore said flatly. He didn’t want to encourage Harv to stick around.
“I was just heading down for a cup of joe, thought I’d say hi. See you at the meeting before lunch.”
Oh, no you won’t, Theodore thought. Instead he said, “Later, Harv.”
Burger Depot had turned out to be a huge hit, just as expected. Americo had opened five new restaurants since the grand opening, with ten more scheduled by the end of next year. And still, Theodore had received no recognition from Bob Cadger. He’d tried to talk to him, and had his appointment “rescheduled” numerous times. After a while, Theodore gave up.
He opened his briefcase. So long Biotech Multinational, he said to himself as he began to play over in his mind last night’s dinner at Chez Escargot .
* * *
He and Tiffany had shared a candlelight dinner in the darkened, richly-decorated dining room just hours after Theodore got the news. Tiffany was surprised at the invitation to dinner and on their arrival at the restaurant purred, “What’s the occasion, Theodore? I’m on pins and needles! Tell me!”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
He waited until after dessert. Behind his glasses, Theodore’s eyes shone as he pulled out from his breast pocket two airline tickets to Los Angeles. He laid them on the table and announced, “Tiffany, it’s happened.”
Tiffany picked up the tickets, then looked at Theodore. A hint of confusion, then disappointment, flickered in her eyes, as if she were expecting something else. “What . . . what’s happened?”
“Somebody finally recognizes my worth. My potential.” Theodore brought out his ever-present pocket computer. “I’ve received an offer from Void Chemical. You’ve heard me talk about them. We’ve been in contact almost since the time of the Burger Depot opening. They’re bigger than Biotech. Way bigger.” He started punching in numbers. “Tiffany, they want me as president of their Biotechnology Division, and —
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