Taming My Boss

AX

sludge water as the cab sped by me, then surged toward th

ue for water damage. An early winter blizzard blankets the ground; you get to pull out your brand new Bloomingdales trench coat to combat the cold in style.

o. The guy standing next to me gawked appreciatively, but his eyes narrowed as they met mine-he knew my game. Under the guise of scanning further up the s

kbroker, I climbed into the cab. "Financia

tle more than a smile, I spe

duated with honors, Princeton University. Masters in Business from Harvard. Two years president of the Women'

y sights even higher. There was one financial investment firm with a reputation even more prist

ckw

mpany.'Not 'The Black

further explanation. When it came to the financial community

able. Left to make my name with something bigger, better. Even if it did mean s

. I was overqualifie

p to the driver. "Could you

d threw up on the curb. The cabbie watched me with shrewd eyes as I pa

I said weakl

"You auditioning for an internship

automatically. But my heart fell in spite of myse

st minute swerve many times now

nd I considered the possible implications. "Wait-many of us, like,

so I could be the first one in the door, b

tatively to the right. "Avoid Lexington at all costs! T

te my frantic rush, I paused inside the cab for a second, staring up toward the clouds. Suddenly, my prestigious educat

going

raightened my blouse with trembling hands. It wo

d gave me a comedic thumb

ank

g to do with the storm clouds piling overhead. It was the people. The collective buzzing vibrations of a group of people just like me-chomping on the bit to get inside and cl

tened my blouse again, squared my shoulder

ie had filled me with a false sense of dread. There wasn't a single person in the waiting room. I exhaled with quiet relief

ave an appointment to meet

ve me a returning smile before glancing at

tle. It was often times no exaggeration when people sai

at." She nodded at a few suede chairs hidden below copies of Forbes and Time. "Ms. Macer g

before glancing at the clock. "Actually,

, fourth door

nk y

could see the makings of an empire. The financial foundations-grunt work, and coffee runs-that held up the weighty structure above. This was where I would have to pay my dues. It was on these ground

into my internship. Last week, I'd celebrated my twenty

d out my new professional-colored lipstick and began to carefully apply. I'd just finished a cursory sweep when a heard a muffled sob from inside one of the stalls. My hand froze in

of action. While averting my eyes in what I took to be a sympathetic ge

mascara. We accidently locked eyes in the mirror and she g

o the counter, gathering up

inued hastily as if needing to prove hers

and I offered her a weak s

"I was groomed for this job, out in California. Just moved here last week. The CEO

tly now. Was this weeping little waif actually my

," she whispered.

be in this girl's shoes. You didn't get transferred in at the request of the CEO without having a background

her watery smile. "

I was expecting. Not an an

expect you to understand. Not a young girl like you, fresh off your i

bled half-heart

tition. But I don't care about the numbers." She dabbed again at her eyes. "And n

y from men named Jeff

reflection to disagree. "I can fly back to California this afternoon and everything will go back to the way it was before. But this..." Her eyes flickered up to the cei

toward the door. I don't know what exactly made me do it-probably just blatant

"I mean...are you at least going to tell them what's going on? I've heard t

she glanced around. "What's one missing cog, right? Consider my defection payback for those years wasted at grad school. B

covered her name) walked out of the lobby and jumped in a cab for the airport. It was the moment when my entire lif

m still shaking my head. To give up the dream...it was unthinkable! And then to gi

receptionist asked me, looking up from her

how many of us rookie automatons she saw on a weekly basis. Twenty? Forty? D

uddenly slammed open, and a harr

ng to set up a conference call at four o'clock on Friday, or if they were trying to order four more copies of the prints that Jamie sent over on Saturday. The translator is out sick.

eyes were on me. I stood quickly and offered out a resp

ut me off. "Ms. Ma

t me with wide eyes, magnified even wider under her glasses. The receptioni

w years slaving in the mines. I understood the importance of hard work-I placed a premium on integrity (even if saying those two things made

the door. In the door of a company full of rabid employees who would pounce on this opportunity if given it themselves. My mind fla

wed inside me and I shoo

'm your

whisked away. Up past the

ar one. All the way up to the seventieth floor. That's right, ladies and gentle

y questionable introduction, and although I watched the ascendin

ner and the Louisiana Purchase. Yes-we count that." She shot me a look as the doors opened and she gestured down a hall. "You and your team are going to be crunching the numbers, cold hard facts. You'll be writing the bulk of the merger

w a walking file cabinet, trying desperately to balance the small library she'd handed me while

am is scattered around this floor. There's a staff meeting every morning at eight

lay directly across from two thick leather chairs. There was also a sofa pushed up against the walls for what I assumed would be many over-nighters. The obligatory potted plant sat neatly trimmed in the corner, and tasteful, forgetful art hung on the walls. But

ar

round. Macer was star

fice? It's probably not as f

-it's all fine. I'll get started familiarizing myself

like to have you do. Only now-we don't have the time. This thing came down the pipe a full seven days earl

scanning quickly around the office as I trie

nt of me and my stom

lackwood. Th

led over a stiff suit that I was sure cost more than my first and second apartments combined. Avintage Rolex p

" he barked as

eting." Her voice was still hoarse as hushed as conversations began to pick back up around us.

You're not going to make me look stupid, are you? I smiled with that sa

, "because we're in for a hell of a ride. But we

had when I got out of the cab and stood on the curb, looking up at the building. Talk ab

er back made me

e you just going to