The Token Black by Karen Blayne

Oh by the way red tape first.

Be warned these short stories contain mature content or naughty bits and as such may corrupt you if you’re under 12, 16, 18, 21 or 25 depending where you live thus if they are not suitable for you put them back on the shelf and let them age for a year or two.

They were sort of scribbled for fun. They were first posted on asstr.org. If you’ve paid money for this book just be aware the author has not received any payment. In fact no one has permission to charge money for this book and copyright is retained by the author. Asstr.org accepts donations if you’re feeling rich or even if you’re not.

All copies must be of the complete document.

Luv Karen

 His voice mail light was blinking “Hi there Steve we have a political problem on one of the contracts, a pressure group has succeeded in getting a clause saying any company that doesn’t have any mangers who are female, or minority whatever will be excluded so find me at least one by Wednesday. Thanks.” The voice from on high has decreed, two days to find or hire a female manager, preferably from an ethnic minority. They needed the contract so he’d better find someone. He’d call HR to see if they had anyone on file but it would take far too long.

He decided to go home and sleep on it. He stopped at the supermarket to pick up a frozen pizza for his evening meal and there she was, working the till. Young, pretty, and most importantly black, he took a card out of his pocket and held it under the $50 he gave her. “I have a vacancy that pays a little more than shop work. My card is under the bill so slip it in your pocket later on then come and see me tomorrow morning.” She took the note and placed it directly in the till before smiling at him and passing him his change. “Have a nice day.” She started to scan the next customer’s goods.

Next morning she presented herself at 8 am. “So what’s the job?” “Office manager.” “Do you want to see my CV?” “Not really, just sign here and here.” “So what does an office manager do?” “That’s your first task, sorting out the duties of an office manager.” “Where do they sit?” “That’s another task for you to sort out. Tyler is on vacation for two weeks so you can use his desk until he’s back.” “Is this a job for a token black?” “You could say that.” “Name me one good reason why I should take it.” Steve told her the salary which he reckoned to be four times what she’d earn at the supermarket, “Oh and you get a month’s salary as a signing bonus if you can start tomorrow.” Tamila was tempted to tell him what he could do with his job but then thought better of it. “Do I get any staff?” “There’s budget for an assistant at half your pay if you can find someone, same deal start tomorrow a month’s signing bonus.” “I have someone in mind shall I get them to come in?” “No why, you’re the office manager you make the hire and fire decisions.”

“Why me?” “I need someone instantly, there isn’t really a need other than you need to exist, the only problem we really have at the moment is staff turnover and finding new engineers so having someone decorative around the office might help one or two stay and it costs us roughly $100,000 to find, hire, and train a replacement.” “Thank you for the compliment but that’s putting it bluntly I guess. OK why not, I can’t afford not to.”

“Charlotte you have a job starting in the morning?” “What you said? I do, doing what?” “Whatever I tell you my honeychild, I’s your new boss.” “Oh yeah and just how much is you going to pay me?” “Ohmygod is this for real? It’s not waitressing in a topless club is it? Momma would go plenty mad at that.” “No it’s in an office, start tomorrow and you get a month’s pay signing bonus. I’ll call for you in the morning around 7:30.” “Is there such a time? OK I guess.”

Tamila put her head round Steve’s door next morning. “Anything for me to do?” “Not really, I’ve emailed you the office budget so you can sort out the office supplies, travel and training courses, bye.” She wondered back to Tyler’s office and spoke to Charlotte. “What’s cooking babe?” “Right now nothing, I have to figure out what an office manager does to add value, where we are supposed to sit etc. We’re the token blacks if you like.” “Oh my, well this token black desires a white coffee and if I can find a socket in the lunch room I’m adding value right now by plugging in my little old slow pot for lunch.” They sat in the lunch room and drank their white coffee. “So tell me again that bit about it costs $100,000 to replace an engineer.” “We could add value there by keeping them happy.” “Well neither of us have the figure for plunging neck lines but I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

Tamila loaded up the spreadsheet with the office budgets in and tried to make some sense of them. Then she looked at the training and conferences that the engineers had been to over the last three years. The travel and accommodation costs were higher than the conferences. Charlotte had pulled out her mp3 player and had her eyes shut as she listened to Hip Hop. “Tamila?” Tamila looked up, “Yes what can I do for you?” “I’m Jenna, can you let anyone who needs to know that my daughter’s school has just rung to say she’s not well so I’m off to collect her.” Charlotte opened her eyes, “I could do that for you, I’ve looked after my sisters when they were sick often enough.” “Could you, I’d be more than grateful, my project is a bit behind at the moment. You know its years since I’ve been to a conference but these days with the family it’s so restricting.” Charlotte went off to play nursemaid and Tamila wondered about bringing a conference to Jenna.

She was still a bit distracted when she wondered into the lunch room and unplugged Charlotte’s slow pot and helped herself to Charlotte’s stew. “Hey that smells good.” He was young, good looking and Charlotte had made a generous amount of stew. “Would you like some?” She took pity on another engineer as well and took a slightly less generous helping than she had intended for herself. Well if Charlotte wasn’t there it seemed a pity to waste it.

Jenna popped in and emptied her plastic Tupperware box into a bowl before nuking it. She thought to start up a conversation “Jenna, if I could arrange a conference here what would you like to see?” “Well if you really want to know about my daydream I have some notes I’ve been gathering together.” That afternoon she read through the notes then later when Charlotte rang told her about the idea. “Not that we could do anything though I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Oh two young engineers descended on your slow pot stew and demolished it.” “Well we know what to do to keep them happy then. I’ll dig out my momma’s big old slow pot and prepare it for you to pick up tomorrow morning. Don’t worry it’s got its own insulated bag.” The next day she tried to make a photocopy but got intimidated by the machine. A passing engineer showed her how to scan the document with her phone then copy it to her lap top which allowed her to print it off by sending an email to the printer. It worked but she felt there should be a better way and she spent the day reading the photocopier manual practising double sided copies. Charlotte spent the day looking after Jenna’s daughter but when she came in to the office the following day she looked excited.

“Hey girl we’re going to meet the man this morning, Momma’s top boss. He’s like in charge of facilities management at the university which includes stuff like cleaners like momma and cousin Tiffany thinks her boss might be interested as well.”

“Well we are always interested in anything that brings in money out of term time. Now I need a definite commitment to be able to make a provisional booking or basically I need you to underwrite it so the University won’t make a loss. I suggest we sketch it in as an unconference for the moment, inexpensive and very popular, and if you get enough interest and speakers we can always upgrade that to a full conference later. Accommodation we can offer the new student residence at very competitive rates, en suites in all rooms and of course it’s all on site. Facilities, we have close links with the local culinary school so we can offer exceptional lunch time meals prepared and served by their students of a very high standard. I could probably arrange a hotel management student to take on the organising for you as their final year project. Numbers shall we start off with forty then work our way up. As an upper limit we can accommodate a thousand easily if you get that many.” “How much?” He quoted a figure that was just less than her total budget for everyone’s training for the year. She took a deep breath and agreed.

Charlotte guided her out of the office, “Have we got that much to spend?” “Yes if no one takes any other training.” “OhMyGod they’ll fire us.” “No they won’t we’re the token blacks remember they can’t fire us.” “Hey something positive about my colour at last, still Tiffany next.”

They climbed the seedy stairs to the second floor to be greeted by Tiffany who’d been watching out for them. “Guys just step this way and into something that will help you blend in.” They stepped into a locker lined changing room and Tiffany held out a skimpy set of white underwear to Tamila. “Charlotte had better wait in here but I want you to meet a couple of guys in the club so strip off and put these on.” Tamila did as she was bid, the knickers were just a spider’s web of strips that didn’t cover her bum at all and had a slit at the front that was edged with cream overlapping lace. She hosted the cream lace edged demi-bra up to cover her nipples but Tiffany pulled them down leaving her nipples exposed. “So where’s the rest of the outfit?” she asked. Tiffany giggled, “Don’t be a prude, this way no one will be looking at your face and you won’t get recognised again.” Tamila was quite certain no one would spare her face a second glance.

The two girls stepped out into the club and Tiffany stood behind an elderly guy whom she kissed on the back of his head then slipped her arms around him pressing her breasts on either side of his neck. “Crystal I’m out of cash.” “This one’s on the house, I want you to meet Tamila.” She took his hand and led him to the champagne room private dancing area and motioned Tamila to follow. Once there she leaned forward, bared her breast and guided her nipple between Ron’s lips. “I thought it was supposed to be no touch?” “Yes but if part of me accidentally touches him that’s allowed.” “Let me guess your nipple and his tonsils?” “How did you guess, anyway Ron here is a retired engineer who used to give presentations at conferences and things and I’m sure he’d like to do something for yours wouldn’t you Ron?” She removed her glistening breast from his mouth so he could agree. “Yes certainly I’m agreeable.” “How much do you want?” “Oh don’t worry about that I’ll pay him in thirty minute lap dances after the lunch time rush. Do you want to let him suckle your breast as well? He’s very good at it and has had lots of practise.” Ron moved his head so he was no longer suckling Tiffany’s breast. “You could talk to Bob as well.” “I’d forgotten about him but that’s a good idea. His favourite girl is Star right?” Ron nodded looking lustfully at Tiffany’s left breast. “Down boy, we’ll go and talk to Bob and Star first then I’ll come back for your thirty minutes.” She groped him as she made her escape.

“I don’t understand why you’re being so helpful?” “Summer’s quiet here without a good rainstorm, a conference in town, all those men away from home you never know your luck one or two might just end up here.” Tiffany said with a twinkle in her eye. They spoke to Star who relayed the news to Bob that he was presenting under the same deal as Ron before Tiffany knocked on the office door and introduced Joe. “Looks pretty enough, now take your clothes off and wiggle your butt for me.” “Joe she’s here about the conference I thought it would arise less comment than if she was wondering around in her street clothes.” “Oh the conference right, I’ll sponsor you to the tune of $5 per out of town attendee, we can just pay the expenses of an out of town presenter so it doesn’t show on the books and a few discreet free cover charge cards for you to include in the conference package, get Sam to agree to a week’s golf package before or after the conference and I’ll add in $10 for every one who takes it up.” “I hadn’t even thought of Sam I think I saw him earlier as well. He runs one of the local golf courses and is always complaining that they’re empty during the week.” “Are you sure you don’t fancy flaunting your body?” Joe enquired, “You should do quite well on a Friday night.” Tamila assured him it wasn’t in her immediate plans and they slipped away.

Sam was agreeable to a 5% discount on his normal prices but Tiffany said not to worry the girls would work on him in the afternoon. Whilst they were standing chatting to him Tamila felt a hand on her butt and when she turned she was asked if she would like to go to the champagne room. “Sorry she’s on the stage next but I’m available.” Star wiggled her hips suggestively and ran her hands over his body. Tamila scurried back to the changing room.

The following day she was in the washroom when she overheard two girls talking “But what can you do I need the extension on the contract. I mean it’s all very well for Haley to stand up to him but she didn’t get her contract renewed, I dread what my husband will say if he ever found out I was having to give head to Michael to keep my job.” “You’re lucky its only head at the moment, with me its racy underwear and twice a week on his desk.” Well at least she didn’t have to go to those lengths to keep her job.

When she got back to the office it was to find a bored student there. “Hi I’m Tracy and I understand you have an unconference for me to manage?” She didn’t sound very enthusiastic. “Well I have a couple of speakers now so I suppose it’s a normal engineering conference.” Tracy perked up. “That sounds better than six people sitting round a coffee table bitching about how bad life has been to them. What have you done so far?” Tamila found Jenna’s notes and handed them over. “So far we have twenty definites without accommodation if I can persuade them to go but the University would like forty at least and preferably requiring accommodation. I’ve some sort of tentative deal for a week’s golf at discounted rates, but that needs tiding up with the University for accommodation and a speaker sponsor for out of town speakers provided I get enough out of town attendees.” “Well that’s a start I’ll read through these notes and set up a web site and see if we can drum up some business. Have you thought about pricing? Offering a discount for early birds?” “Not really from Jenna’s notes engineering projects tend to overrun or get cancelled if they over run then no one goes anywhere, if they are cancelled its what can we do with all the engineers for a week?” “So break even rather than make a profit.” “Not cost too much on my budget more than anything else. I put up my entire annual budget up to underwrite this conference and I’m not absolutely certain it was the wisest thing to do.” “Oh that’s good then we’ll go low cost and that’s bound to be attractive in this recession, any advertising budget?” Tamila looked at her “There is nothing left in the budget.” “Oh word of mouth then. That’s good at least I know where we stand, I’ll get in touch with your two speakers and see if I can’t butter up a couple of speakers from the did you say engineering? Department I’m sure we must have some engineers or something somewhere at the university, if not the local college might have someone. Just leave it in my capable hands, it should write up nicely for my thesis.”

Tamila had a sense of impending doom but you never know. She had one success with the photocopier which now had simple instructions pasted above it on how to get two sided copies done. It wasn’t much but at least she felt she was saving a few trees, next the laser printer and two sided printing. Charlotte and herself stayed in the background, other than giving the young single engineers a friendly grope of their crotch and a kiss on the cheek when they arrived, listening and generally making themselves useful. Carrying round a fresh pot of coffee to the desks with a jug of milk to top coffee mugs up, taking receipts and filling out travel expense forms, ordering supplies so the office didn’t run out of essentials, feeding the hungry hoards at lunchtime raiding the entertainment budget to pay for supplies, escorting family members to the dentist, and other medical appointments. Steve had a few unsolicited CVs come across his desk from married female engineers which he hired unseen. “They were saying they needed another engineer with some special expertise or other who’s on Michael’s team.” “I suppose we could kidnap one.” “No seriously didn’t you manage to get that nice window office when the contractor left?” “Yes I thought we could share it.” “Oh a threesome I like that idea.” Charlotte did a little wiggle and looked over her shoulder as she said the words. “We could set it up for him just in case.” They set to work and tidied the office up, ordered a high back leather chair that many of the male engineers seemed to prefer just in case.

The following morning they hung around the elevator sipping their frozen freshly squeezed orange juice with extra added mango through straws, chatting until their chosen victim appeared when they squeezed into his elevator Charlotte in front of him and Tamila behind. Charlotte eased backwards with her hand behind her just gently brushing his crotch and Tamila ran her hands over his butt from behind. Eventually all the other occupants stepped out leaving just the three of them. The girls still pressed up against him. “If he’s hard does that mean he finds me attractive?” asked Charlotte, Tamila moved her hand round to confirm his hardness. “I think so, we could kidnap him and show him his new home.” Bemused he allowed himself to be led off on C division’s floor. Tamila opened the door to the window office “Do you like it? Try the chair, we got you the latest flat screen monitor and there’s a slice of fruit cake for you to try, Charlotte made it, we like to serve up some type of homemade cake for mid afternoon each day.” Charlotte quietly dialled Jenna on her mobile to get her to drop by. “Jenna needs some sort of specialist for her project oh here she is now she can explain it all to you.” Charlotte stood behind him and gave him a neck massage. “Been captured by our terrible twins have you? We could do with some of your expertise though we’ve hit a stumbling block just here.” She pulled out a sheaf of papers and moments later Charlotte shrugged her shoulders at Tamila, they were redundant as the two engineers started talking jargon and writing odd symbols on the big white board that all engineers offices seemed to be equipped with. “You don’t think its voodoo witchcraft with those funny symbols and things? Mamere was into all that.” Charlotte whispered crossing herself as she said it. They left to wash and refill coffee cups.

Tamila was reading the instruction manual on the photocopier again and looking through the menus. WLAN setup, she went through the steps then looked at her lap top to find a new printer, when she printed on it the photocopier gave a whirl and out spat her test message. Tracy popped in and wanted to talk about the ideas in the notes for the conference so she introduced her to Jenna and went off to decipher airline webs sites to see if there was a better and cheaper way of getting people to meetings.

In the elevator she noticed two contractors chatting, “So do we tell him that his pet project isn’t worth doing with the constraints or not?” “You’re a contractor on per diem. It will take Michael two years to figure out it isn’t going to work and another year whilst he dithers about what to do. Three years at what are they paying us per diem?” “Ah when you put it like that its simple really, client responsibility.” They stepped off smiling in perfect accord with each other. Tamila was shocked, were people really so unscrupulous?

“Michael’s offered Dylan a place on his elite team, the one that he has all the contractors working on.” “So?” “I’ve got the hots for him.” “How far would you go to keep him around? Blow job far?” Charlotte looked shocked, “Well yes but I can’t just walk up to him and give him a blow job now can I? I seem to lose my ability to say anything when I’m near him.” “Don’t take him coffee in his office this morning.” “But that’s the only time I get to see him.” Charlotte pleaded “What’s the phrase I keep hearing I’m a something or other trust me.” Charlotte looked dubious but eventually agreed.

“Dylan, Charlotte’s here to apologise for not bringing your coffee this morning.” “It doesn’t matter.” “Well I think it does and she should make it up to you. Charlotte give him a blow job to make up.” Dylan looked stunned for a moment which was all it took for Charlotte’s lips to find his rod, soon her tongue was making Dylan forget everything else until she’d swallowed his load. “Now whenever you have time to punish her again like that she’s at your disposal just call her.” “But I’m leaving next week.” “Oh well she’ll get off lightly then.” “You mean she’ll make herself available to me every day if I stay.” “Exactly we must maintain discipline in the office.” Dylan’s email requesting not to be transferred arrived in Steve’s office within the hour.

“I never thought we’d get away with it.” “Happy?” “Definitely, by the time he’s had a few blow jobs and I’ve made him some special meals to make up I think I’m in with a chance.”

Tamila was thinking about Michael and his treatment of everyone. His latest idea was that his pet project was so important that staff should be taken off other projects and reassigned to him. Something must be done, but how far was she prepared to go? She asked herself.

She got in early and set a couple of wireless cameras discreetly up in Michael’s office and her lap top to copy the recordings to disk. Midmorning she switched her smart phone onto voice record before entering the lion’s den. “Your post sir.” She had her back to the cameras and had undone two buttons of her blouse and unhooked her front opening bra to give him a good eyeful as she leant forward over his desk. “You’re the little black slut whose been snatching my engineers away from me. How dare you flaunt your body in my office.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her onto his lap thrusting his hand into her open blouse and grabbing a handful of breast. “I object to you fondling me in this way.” She said quietly but loudly enough to be heard for the recording. “Object don’t be daft, I’m going to have you on the desk you little slut, just like all the others, no one will take your word against mine anyway. I’ll just say you came in and offered yourself, that’s if I even admit anything took place.” “It’s rape.” “Like it rough do you, you little slut.” He ripped off her skirt which just happened to be the one wrap round skirt she owned that had its waistband held together with Velcro. He lifted her on to the desk and pulled her thong to one side and thrust his finger inside her. “All ready to go aren’t you.” He held her down with one hand and undid his slacks with the other before quickly plunging himself inside and reliving himself. Wham bam and not even a thank you mam, Tamila thought to herself. “Now get out of here you black slut.”

“Excuse me is Brittany available?” Brittany came out of the back office. “Can we talk somewhere?” Brittany showed Tamila into the interview room. “I’ve just been raped.” “Best get you to the hospital then to collect a DNA sample. Do you know who did it?” “Michael.” “Oh God don’t say another word let’s get you out of here first.” They took a sample and sealed it at the hospital. “Now are you sure you want to go through with this, he’s powerful and almost certain to deny everything. There weren’t any witnesses I assume.” Tamila lifted out her laptop and played the video recording. “I must have left my smart phone on dictation as well.” “Oh God OK, this will get rough I think the best thing to do is to get you and your friend in a safe place for a day or two. Let me call Steve.” She had a brief conversation then said “OK call home on my phone, tell them you’re safe but won’t be in contact for a week. I’ll get you to Steve’s and Charlotte will meet you there. Turn your phone off now. I’ll handle it from here with HR.” “You might want to talk to Maria and Whitney, two of his contractors, if they’ll talk.” Charlotte met her at Steve’s home. “What gives with the cloak and dagger? I got told to turn off my phone and we’re not to go outside or answer the phone or door.” “Michael raped me.” “He what? Hey girl you’ve been around long enough that no one rapes you by surprise. It wasn’t a surprise was it. Don’t say anything I don’t want to know.”

Brittany came round the next morning early before Steve left for the office. “Hi guys Michael kicked the door down of 86 rather than 68 your parent’s home last night and searching the place for that black slut as he called you. Unfortunately it was under surveillance as a suspected drug house and he was attacked with a baseball bat for his troubles. The surveillance team called for back up and went in and found him unconscious on the floor. They did find a quantity of cocaine including some in Michael’s pockets. One of the dealers said he was a supplier who wanted more money. Another said he sure was and if they were going down then he was going with them. The police are pissed off with him for messing up their surveillance operation so he’s behind bars now, on various charges including attempting to interfere with a witness. So I think its safe enough for you to go back into work.”

At work the office was full of speculation about what Michael had been doing in that part of town. The more immediate need was for someone to step in and replace Michael and since all the engineers were busy Tamila was asked to take over on a very temporary basis. Her first act was to interview Maria and Whitney and after offering them permanent jobs as technical writers she asked them about the mysterious pet project. The problem was one of the fundamental laws of physics and additionally another competing project would offer much the same benefits at lower cost which was why Michael was pressing everyone to get his project completed first so he’d get the recognition. Tamila talked to the other project leaders and reassigned the priorities so they could pick up staff from the pet project but leaving one junior engineer on the project so she could simply say it was progressing if any one asked. Then she had one of the technical writers write a review of the project in simple management terms.

She sent an email to Tracy saying she had another fifty engineers for the conference before quietly settling down to hire some of Charlotte’s friends and to introduce the same sort of things as she’d done in C division. The only difference was she was expected to make business decisions which she did by simply approving any suggestions attached to the requests that reached her.

After a month the voice from on high sounded out the project teams about what the requirements were for a new divisional manager but they all pleaded pressure of work and requested that the interim arrangements continue for the next few weeks when they felt certain they’d have more time to consider the problem. Privately most were overjoyed that they were no longer subjected to Michael’s rants and demands.

Tracy popped in two weeks before the conference was due to start. “Can we talk about money?” “How much do you want?” “I’m running a bit of a surplus on the conference actually and wanted to know what to do with the surplus funds.” “I thought the aim was to break even?” “Well it sort of grew a little bit. With the recession no one wants to spend money and the pricing on the University hall of residence meant our conference including accommodation was cheaper than all the others being done at five star hotels. Then a German Engineering company called and asked about the optional golf week, which Tiffany was it had haggled down to 60% off for a minimum of 60 people. Jenna’s notes said that sometimes a company will reward its engineers on completion of a project by sending them all to a conference or on training. They had fifty engineers so I gambled and told them the 60 rate which they signed up for. That gave me enough engineers to make it worthwhile having a vendor hall, which in turn sort of snowballed into offering training courses before and after the conference using University facilities of course. Well it saves on travel as does the Wednesday start so it’s cheaper for everyone plus the accommodation etc etc. Oh by the way I did the courses by hiring the trainer, it cost the same as six people but there is room for ten so I have a list of seven engineering courses including the ones that Jenna suggested that are being run before and after the conference if you can find me four people for each or I can sell them, I have a waiting list. Oh and what do I do about the sponsor who wants to pay for speakers, we’re running three tracks at the moment and I have all the speakers lined up.” “Get some more from somewhere expensive to travel from to balance the books, Africa perhaps?” “They must have some engineers there I’ll get right on to it. Track four developing countries.” Tracy wondered off happy and Tamila sent out an email asking for volunteers for courses.

Steve’s voice mail light was flashing. “Hi there Steve great work, our publicity department tells me we’ve got over three hundred column inches plus headlines on TV showing our corporate jet, a double-decker Airbus with HyBrook Engineering on the side plane bringing African engineers to some aid conference or other we’re running. The only thing is they keeping asking me dumb questions so they can get the message out. I didn’t even know you had a corporate jet down there. Anyway it’s happening down your neck of the woods so sort them out for me.” Steve was totally mystified so called Tamila “Know anything about a jumbo jet in corporate colours at the airport? Something to do with a conference and African engineers?” Tamila had a sinking feeling “Let me get back to you.” “Don’t bother just explain it all to our publicity department, thanks.” He hung up.

“Tracy tell me about a jumbo jet that’s just landed at the airport with Hybrook Engineering on the side.” “Oh that well you said get some engineers from Africa right.” “Yes.” “Well I couldn’t get any flights for them on the right days so I ended up talking to Dubai Airlines, they had a spare jumbo jet but they’re only allowed three flights a week which are always full. Something to do with flights to India save four hours if they don’t have to change in Europe anyway I did a deal with them, I chartered a plane for four Tuesdays to fly the engineers in.” Tamila heart stopped for a moment. “Let’s get this right you chartered a jumbo jet to bring in half a dozen engineers on different days from Africa?” “Well yes if you put it that way, but Dubai Airlines were really keen and they said they’d arrange to fill eight hundred and thirty of the empty seats with their tame travel agency which more than covered the cost of the charter which left twenty three seats for us. Apparently corporate jets don’t count for towards their three flights a week. So I did another deal with the aid agencies to let them have the spare seats for free. One engineer wanted to do one of the training courses in the week before so Dubai Airlines sponsored that, then two wanted to do a courses in the week after so that meant they could run a total of four return trips. They were so happy that they painted the logo on the side for free. Was that OK?” Tamila asked her to explain it all to the publicity department.

“Could you say a few opening words.” “Five minutes maximum?” “I think normally it’s some sort of inspirational speaker for two hours but Jenna’s notes seemed to imply the shorter the better.”

Tamila looked out on the sea of faces in front of her. “Hi guys I’m Tracy and I’m here to introduce Tamila, the person who made all this possible.” Tamila asked “How many do we have?” “A thousand in the main hall, and two hundred more in each of the two adjacent halls, plus 10,000+ virtual attendees who are watching over the internet.” Tamila stepped up to the microphone “Hi guys I knew we had eighty but apparently the numbers grew. If you have any problems with the quality of the coffee let me know and we’ll try to sort something out, that is of course unless you’re one of the virtual attendees it which case I fear its bring your own coffee, so you’re on your own. Anyway I hope you enjoy your conference and by the way it is very much your conference, and I hope you find it useful. Now I think it’s time to move onto the first speaker who Tracy tells me is presenting from Birmingham in England over our video conferencing link.”

She stepped back from the microphone and watched as the screens switched to a view of the first speaker. “I should have found out more about what you were doing shouldn’t I?” “Well giving me a free hand has been a lot of fun.” “It was only supposed to be a small conference, not the event of the year.” “Listen it will all work out fine. Even the African speakers have helped we’ve had lots of interest from the Aid Charities, Oh I gave the university forty free tickets for post grad students and lecturers to attend and some guy called Sam has invited you to attend some sort of dinner that the four golf clubs we’ve filled for two weeks are having to present the Hybrook Engineering golf trophy to the winning team. Dubai Airlines are running more corporate jet flights to bring the teams in from Europe and more flights so Hybrook Engineering’s sales people can meet up with some of the new contacts in Africa.”

“Wow that was so great working with you, really great experience. The University has already made me a job offer to organise a what do you call it engineering conference again next year so I hope we can work together on that. They were really please with the occupancy rate this year.”

“Good morning I’m here to give you your annual appraisal.” Tamila felt numb. “I’ve been looking over your record for the last year and I was surprised to see with the exception of one project most of the others are on time. Also your staff retention rate is remarkably high. So as a result after consulting with your project teams I’m making your temporary acting manager position permanent.” “Thank you but I think I owe it all to my staff.” “Well a good manager listens to their staff, anyway I have a game of golf to get to in Dubai so I’ll speak to you next year. Good bye.”

“Now as you know we are here today to look into Ms. Standing’s allegations that HyBrook has only paid lip service to the idea of equal opportunities for women and visible minorities.”

“I have explicit inside information that they took some one unqualified off the street and just gave her the title of office manager basically in charge of paper clips to appear to demonstrate they were compliant.” Tamila didn’t like the way this was going at all and she could tell from the body language from the voice and Steve that they weren’t that comfortable either, besides her Jenna indicated to the chairperson that she wished to speak. “Madam chair we are an engineering company and as such we place more emphasis on the quality of our engineers than anything else. We have three times the national average number of female engineers. On the minorities we don’t keep track of them however from memory I can name you three Chinese, two Russian, one native Indian, etc. I do hope you aren’t insinuating that Tamil here has slept her way to where she is today. Engineers are not renowned to be tolerant of poor managers and our personal view is she is a very capable manager.”

The voice spoke next “I certainly would agree that she is an excellent manager, she correctly identified a major project with insurmountable problems which saved us several million dollars. I have letters from various charities thanking us for letting them use our empty seats on corporate transport a policy that she instigated. Also she was the driving force behind a major engineering conference that we hope to continue in the future.”

Tamila spoke next. “Thank you for your support. I would like to mention that I do have a degree in Business Management and Human Resources and of those of us on the Dean’s list I was the only one to get a job within a year. Most of my reject letters including one from Ms. Standing’s organisation simply said I was over qualified.”

The Voice turned to Steve accusingly “Obviously a minor matter you forgot to mention to me?”

“Well thank you all for coming but I think that addresses the all concerns more than adequately.”