FICTION: A Little Ditzy in the Front Office by KJ Hannah Greenberg

“Mr. Wallace, you do have an appointment. Mr. Mitchell will be with you shortly. Ever visited Beckenbeck, Cook and Darwin before?

“No? But we’re the leading cabinet makers. This filing case to my right, for example… Oh, excuse me.

“Yes. No sir. Five appointments.

“Sorry. Mr. Wallace, our Beckenbeck, Cook and Darwin cabinets are special. Special looks. Special features. Mine’s predented, for instance. No need to kick it when the boss acts like an idiot.

“Absolutely! For my company anniversary. No raise, but this was better. My desk’s got a premium feature; installed with cigarette ash already in its drawer. No more need to pretend I dump ‘em elsewhere.

“You could order the trash compacter model. All of your Gal Friday’s files will fit, guaranteed!

“Not here for a cabinet? Not for a desk? A light stand, maybe? Not for Mr. Mitchell?  You’re not Mr. Wallace?

“Competition? No Mr. Competition listed on my schedule.

“Suit yourself. Have a nice day.

“Mr. Mitchell! Coffee? That was not your ten o’clock. He liked the model with the phonebook application, though. I told ‘em  he could pick either the yellow pages or the double suburban white pages if he really wanted the fourth leg to balance.”