Post by jelikah on Aug 12, 2006 17:26:32 GMT -5
thanks for the reviews! now on with the story!
Chapter 2:
How could I screw up so badly?
I was now sitting in a taxi on my way to JFK Airport.
I worked for is now down the drain.
I needed to get away. Needed to forget everything. The past twelve hours we’re pretty much a blur yet hard to forget.
****************************************************
Steve and a bunch of people from work went out to a bar down in the village to celebrate my promotion. Being that I never had the life of an average teenager and college student, I was pretty much a light weight drinker. I don’t even remember how I got home that night. But it was the event of this morning that I wish wasn’t so memorable. I woke up to the sound of my cell phone. It was Steve and I answered it with my head buried in pillows. I made a mental note to myself never to drink again.
“Uhhrgm...Hello?”
“DEL, WHERE ARE YOU?”
“Home. I’m not feeling so hot.”
“YOU NEED TO BE HERE!” as he replied angrily.
“Look I know I’m late, but I think I can afford a sick day, Steve. I’m an editor now.”
“If you don’t get yourself here now, you might not have a job at all!”
“Excuse me? What are you talking about?”
“Delia…Tom and Katie .The pictures of their daughter. Ring a bell? Tom was yelling saying that Addiction wasn’t worthy of having his daughter’s pictures in our magazine. Mark is furious. This is the angriest I’ve seen him. He and the board of execs have been in a meeting since seven this morning.”
I looked at the clock. It was now noon.
Oh My God! I’m dead.
“Delia? Are you there? Listen to me. I know this is something you don’t want to deal with but, you need to be here. Mark and the board need to meet with you. It’s not looking so good, Del. The best thing you can do is just come in, get it over with, and leave with your head held high, ok babe. Del? DEL! Hello?!”
“I’m fired…aren’t I?”
There was a long silence on his end of the phone. He should’ve ended it there.
“Look Del, the important thing is-“
“AM I FIRED, STEVEN?! JUST ANSWER THE d**n QUESTION!”
“ As of now, Nadine will be replacing you. But I’m going to work something out. Just come to the office. I’ll have the Michael come get you. ”
At this point I’m pretty sure my heart’s stopped. I’m not one to be emotional; I’ve put myself into my work to avoid stuff like that. But for the first time in a while, tears began to fall down my face.
“I’m sorry…I can’t….I need to leave.”
“No! Del Listen .You ne-”
I hung up and wept. I was embarrassed and ashamed. I had lost the job I’ve sacrificed my life for. The news of my huge disaster would circle around the media community. I’d never be able to get a job in the business ever again. That’s when I decided I needed to get out. I took a tote bag, grabbed whatever I could and headed out the door.
****************************************************
I walked into JFK and headed to the nearest check in booth at the airport.
“Hello Miss, How can I help you today?”
“I need the earliest flight out of New York this afternoon. I’ll take anything.”
With the way I resembled a mad woman fresh out of the looney bin, she didn’t ask any questions.
“The next one leaving New York is to Colorado Springs.”
“I’ll take it.”
**************************************************
Colorado Springs? What was in Colorado? Where is Colorado? It seems every step I’ve taken has led me for the worse. Maybe I should’ve just gone to the office. Maybe it would’ve been fine.
But I was lying to myself. I wouldn’t have handled walking in with everyone staring at me. While some would’ve shown pity, I knew most we’re rooting for me to fail. I looked at my Blackberry before I boarded my flight. Seventy missed calls. Most from Mark, Steve, and my mother. Oh god my mother. She was a familiar face to in New York Society. To my mother, status was everything. She built herself up from nothing and became a big time lawyer. She always pushed me to her expectations, which were usually higher than mine. By now, she would’ve heard how her daughter managed to f**k up big time. If I had the balls to answer her call back, I would’ve heard how she was more embarrassed to show her face in the city than I was. But what I did was all behind me. No turning back.
****************************************************
So what do I do now?
I landed in Colorado Springs. Not being familiar with the area, I called up a limousine service to take me to a place to stay. When my driver arrived, I gave a huge sigh of relief knowing I was far far away from New York.
“Where to Miss?”
“Actually, I’m not really sure. Just drive until I find some place I like.”
We drove for maybe half an hour. I enjoyed the scenery. While I loved the city, I never saw any place that was so clear. Instead of skyscrapers and a Starbucks on every corner, there were mountains and blue skies. That’s when I noticed it. A building near a huge, serene lake. I read the sigh out side that said: Spa and Fitness Center, It had been a while since I relaxed and did something for myself. So I told my driver to drop me off here. I walked into a small lobby. On one side was a gym behind a glass wall and opposite it was an Olympic size pool. Looking around me, I could see that these people we’re fit and in great shape.
Wow. They must do miracles to people at this place.
That’s when I heard my blackberry ring. It was a message from Steve.
“I went to your apt. You weren’t there. Where are you? Call back at my office.”
I decided I’d call back just to tell him of my where abouts. But as soon as I hit the call button, the device died. I sighed to myself. Nobody’s giving me a break today. I turned around to find a pay phone when I collided into someone.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” It was a young girl, maybe a year younger than me. She had light brown wavy hair and was wearing a gym shirt and track pants.
“No it’s ok. Listen, do you know where I can find a phone. I need to tell someone from my office that I’m here in Colorado.”
“Oh sure. There’s one in the upstairs office. I’ll give you a tour of the place on our way up.”
Tour? Hmm well I guess it makes sense. I could’ve found everything myself here, but it must be their hospitality here that I’m not used to seeing in New York.
“It’s a good thing you came now. Usually during the winter season, it gets pretty hectic here. There are people coming in and out of this place. I’m Jess by the way.” She held her hand out to me and I shook it in return.
“Delia Kane.”
“So any way, the staff here’s real friendly and the team here is excellent. Great group of people.”
Working as friends? Team? Cute. Not like back home. It's every person for themself at Addiction.
“So where you from?”
“New York. I live in Manhattan.”
“Wow. A city girl, huh. Usually people that come here from New York are from the Lake Placid area. I guess they like this facility better”
Besides the five boroughs of the city, Jersey, and Long Island, I didn’t know of any other destinations outside the tri-state area. I’ve been on different continents and big cities, but I had no clue as to where Lake Placid was.
Well maybe when I go back to the city, I can take a trip up to their spa. Since it’s closer.
As we made our way up the stairs, we were greeted by a man around his early fifties wearing a track suit himself.
“Hey Dave. This is Delia Kane. Dave’s head of the place here. I was just showing her around; she had to use the phone to call back her office. But since you’re here anyway, I guess I leave her to you. Enjoy your stay here Delia. See you later Coach.”
“Miss Kane, there’s a phone in my office. We can discuss your stay while you’re here.”
I stepped into Dave’s office. Inside was a huge mahogany desk, with a laptop and various pictures around it. I looked closer at some of them as I sat down. One was with Derek Jeter. Another was with the William Sisters.
“Wow. You have quite a few celebrities that come here,” referring to the pictures.
“Ha-ha. Oh them. Yes, they like to come here when they have off. I don’t know why, I’d gladly switch with them to be at either Yankee Stadium or Wimbledon.”
“But this facility is amazing. As I drove in here, I felt like I needed to be here.”
“Well thank you! But let’s talk about you. So I’m guessing you’ve become smitten with the place. But basically while you’re here at the spa and fitness building, you’ll get an apartment suite just like we give to the athletes that come here…”
Gosh! A suite? Maybe someone famous stayed at the one I’ll be staying at.
“…food and use of the spa and work out rooms are free for you to use. We’ll provide you with a uniform as well…”
Uniform? Hmm, oh well. I didn’t bring that many clothes with me anyway…
“It all sounds great!”
“Great! I’m glad the agency sent someone enthusiastic about the job…”
Agency….Job?
“Our last assistant team manager wasn’t getting along with the team. It was on such a short notice when she quit and left the Olympic Training Center. I’m so glad to have found a replacement so quickly.”
Team Manager? Olympic Training Center? Oh Crap, he thinks I’m here for a job. I’ll just tell him I made a mistake and thought this was a resort spa and we’ll laugh about it. He’ll understand.Yeah!
“Umm sorry sir, I don’t mean to seem rude but-”
“Oh you’re not being rude. Of course you must be concerned about what we're paying you. Well here is our starting offer.”
He pushed a folder towards me. I opened it to read the contract inside.
Oh my god! I didn’t even make that much when I started out at Addiction! I am jobless…
“I know it’s not the usual wage for most assistants. But since you came to our call on such short notice, we thought it’d be nice to throw in a bonus as well. Just to say ‘thanks’ for coming to our rescue. But basically you’re job here is to tend to the athletes, fixing equipment, locker room maintenance, dorm cleaning and check ups. Making sure everything is good in their quarters. So what do you say? Will you join our team?”
I had to be kidding myself. I don’t clean. That was my housekeeper’s job. I was always working and way too busy to take care of my apartment and basically, myself.
Well guess what kiddo. You’re not working now. Might as well, nobody’s missing you back home. You’re hardly live in your apartment anyway.
“Do you have a pen?”
How hard can it be?
Yes I know you're all waiting for Apolo. His opening scene is next, it will be up tonight. give me some feed back!
Chapter 2:
How could I screw up so badly?
I was now sitting in a taxi on my way to JFK Airport.
I worked for is now down the drain.
I needed to get away. Needed to forget everything. The past twelve hours we’re pretty much a blur yet hard to forget.
****************************************************
Steve and a bunch of people from work went out to a bar down in the village to celebrate my promotion. Being that I never had the life of an average teenager and college student, I was pretty much a light weight drinker. I don’t even remember how I got home that night. But it was the event of this morning that I wish wasn’t so memorable. I woke up to the sound of my cell phone. It was Steve and I answered it with my head buried in pillows. I made a mental note to myself never to drink again.
“Uhhrgm...Hello?”
“DEL, WHERE ARE YOU?”
“Home. I’m not feeling so hot.”
“YOU NEED TO BE HERE!” as he replied angrily.
“Look I know I’m late, but I think I can afford a sick day, Steve. I’m an editor now.”
“If you don’t get yourself here now, you might not have a job at all!”
“Excuse me? What are you talking about?”
“Delia…Tom and Katie .The pictures of their daughter. Ring a bell? Tom was yelling saying that Addiction wasn’t worthy of having his daughter’s pictures in our magazine. Mark is furious. This is the angriest I’ve seen him. He and the board of execs have been in a meeting since seven this morning.”
I looked at the clock. It was now noon.
Oh My God! I’m dead.
“Delia? Are you there? Listen to me. I know this is something you don’t want to deal with but, you need to be here. Mark and the board need to meet with you. It’s not looking so good, Del. The best thing you can do is just come in, get it over with, and leave with your head held high, ok babe. Del? DEL! Hello?!”
“I’m fired…aren’t I?”
There was a long silence on his end of the phone. He should’ve ended it there.
“Look Del, the important thing is-“
“AM I FIRED, STEVEN?! JUST ANSWER THE d**n QUESTION!”
“ As of now, Nadine will be replacing you. But I’m going to work something out. Just come to the office. I’ll have the Michael come get you. ”
At this point I’m pretty sure my heart’s stopped. I’m not one to be emotional; I’ve put myself into my work to avoid stuff like that. But for the first time in a while, tears began to fall down my face.
“I’m sorry…I can’t….I need to leave.”
“No! Del Listen .You ne-”
I hung up and wept. I was embarrassed and ashamed. I had lost the job I’ve sacrificed my life for. The news of my huge disaster would circle around the media community. I’d never be able to get a job in the business ever again. That’s when I decided I needed to get out. I took a tote bag, grabbed whatever I could and headed out the door.
****************************************************
I walked into JFK and headed to the nearest check in booth at the airport.
“Hello Miss, How can I help you today?”
“I need the earliest flight out of New York this afternoon. I’ll take anything.”
With the way I resembled a mad woman fresh out of the looney bin, she didn’t ask any questions.
“The next one leaving New York is to Colorado Springs.”
“I’ll take it.”
**************************************************
Colorado Springs? What was in Colorado? Where is Colorado? It seems every step I’ve taken has led me for the worse. Maybe I should’ve just gone to the office. Maybe it would’ve been fine.
But I was lying to myself. I wouldn’t have handled walking in with everyone staring at me. While some would’ve shown pity, I knew most we’re rooting for me to fail. I looked at my Blackberry before I boarded my flight. Seventy missed calls. Most from Mark, Steve, and my mother. Oh god my mother. She was a familiar face to in New York Society. To my mother, status was everything. She built herself up from nothing and became a big time lawyer. She always pushed me to her expectations, which were usually higher than mine. By now, she would’ve heard how her daughter managed to f**k up big time. If I had the balls to answer her call back, I would’ve heard how she was more embarrassed to show her face in the city than I was. But what I did was all behind me. No turning back.
****************************************************
So what do I do now?
I landed in Colorado Springs. Not being familiar with the area, I called up a limousine service to take me to a place to stay. When my driver arrived, I gave a huge sigh of relief knowing I was far far away from New York.
“Where to Miss?”
“Actually, I’m not really sure. Just drive until I find some place I like.”
We drove for maybe half an hour. I enjoyed the scenery. While I loved the city, I never saw any place that was so clear. Instead of skyscrapers and a Starbucks on every corner, there were mountains and blue skies. That’s when I noticed it. A building near a huge, serene lake. I read the sigh out side that said: Spa and Fitness Center, It had been a while since I relaxed and did something for myself. So I told my driver to drop me off here. I walked into a small lobby. On one side was a gym behind a glass wall and opposite it was an Olympic size pool. Looking around me, I could see that these people we’re fit and in great shape.
Wow. They must do miracles to people at this place.
That’s when I heard my blackberry ring. It was a message from Steve.
“I went to your apt. You weren’t there. Where are you? Call back at my office.”
I decided I’d call back just to tell him of my where abouts. But as soon as I hit the call button, the device died. I sighed to myself. Nobody’s giving me a break today. I turned around to find a pay phone when I collided into someone.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” It was a young girl, maybe a year younger than me. She had light brown wavy hair and was wearing a gym shirt and track pants.
“No it’s ok. Listen, do you know where I can find a phone. I need to tell someone from my office that I’m here in Colorado.”
“Oh sure. There’s one in the upstairs office. I’ll give you a tour of the place on our way up.”
Tour? Hmm well I guess it makes sense. I could’ve found everything myself here, but it must be their hospitality here that I’m not used to seeing in New York.
“It’s a good thing you came now. Usually during the winter season, it gets pretty hectic here. There are people coming in and out of this place. I’m Jess by the way.” She held her hand out to me and I shook it in return.
“Delia Kane.”
“So any way, the staff here’s real friendly and the team here is excellent. Great group of people.”
Working as friends? Team? Cute. Not like back home. It's every person for themself at Addiction.
“So where you from?”
“New York. I live in Manhattan.”
“Wow. A city girl, huh. Usually people that come here from New York are from the Lake Placid area. I guess they like this facility better”
Besides the five boroughs of the city, Jersey, and Long Island, I didn’t know of any other destinations outside the tri-state area. I’ve been on different continents and big cities, but I had no clue as to where Lake Placid was.
Well maybe when I go back to the city, I can take a trip up to their spa. Since it’s closer.
As we made our way up the stairs, we were greeted by a man around his early fifties wearing a track suit himself.
“Hey Dave. This is Delia Kane. Dave’s head of the place here. I was just showing her around; she had to use the phone to call back her office. But since you’re here anyway, I guess I leave her to you. Enjoy your stay here Delia. See you later Coach.”
“Miss Kane, there’s a phone in my office. We can discuss your stay while you’re here.”
I stepped into Dave’s office. Inside was a huge mahogany desk, with a laptop and various pictures around it. I looked closer at some of them as I sat down. One was with Derek Jeter. Another was with the William Sisters.
“Wow. You have quite a few celebrities that come here,” referring to the pictures.
“Ha-ha. Oh them. Yes, they like to come here when they have off. I don’t know why, I’d gladly switch with them to be at either Yankee Stadium or Wimbledon.”
“But this facility is amazing. As I drove in here, I felt like I needed to be here.”
“Well thank you! But let’s talk about you. So I’m guessing you’ve become smitten with the place. But basically while you’re here at the spa and fitness building, you’ll get an apartment suite just like we give to the athletes that come here…”
Gosh! A suite? Maybe someone famous stayed at the one I’ll be staying at.
“…food and use of the spa and work out rooms are free for you to use. We’ll provide you with a uniform as well…”
Uniform? Hmm, oh well. I didn’t bring that many clothes with me anyway…
“It all sounds great!”
“Great! I’m glad the agency sent someone enthusiastic about the job…”
Agency….Job?
“Our last assistant team manager wasn’t getting along with the team. It was on such a short notice when she quit and left the Olympic Training Center. I’m so glad to have found a replacement so quickly.”
Team Manager? Olympic Training Center? Oh Crap, he thinks I’m here for a job. I’ll just tell him I made a mistake and thought this was a resort spa and we’ll laugh about it. He’ll understand.Yeah!
“Umm sorry sir, I don’t mean to seem rude but-”
“Oh you’re not being rude. Of course you must be concerned about what we're paying you. Well here is our starting offer.”
He pushed a folder towards me. I opened it to read the contract inside.
Oh my god! I didn’t even make that much when I started out at Addiction! I am jobless…
“I know it’s not the usual wage for most assistants. But since you came to our call on such short notice, we thought it’d be nice to throw in a bonus as well. Just to say ‘thanks’ for coming to our rescue. But basically you’re job here is to tend to the athletes, fixing equipment, locker room maintenance, dorm cleaning and check ups. Making sure everything is good in their quarters. So what do you say? Will you join our team?”
I had to be kidding myself. I don’t clean. That was my housekeeper’s job. I was always working and way too busy to take care of my apartment and basically, myself.
Well guess what kiddo. You’re not working now. Might as well, nobody’s missing you back home. You’re hardly live in your apartment anyway.
“Do you have a pen?”
How hard can it be?
Yes I know you're all waiting for Apolo. His opening scene is next, it will be up tonight. give me some feed back!
