Thirty Eight

… so I won’t have time for you today George she said. Pips can be quite cold sometimes she is so matter of fact. Just because Simon is off on holiday is no reason to ignore me, do you think Nadine? I am very pleased you have become permanent by the way. I think Simon is very lucky to have people like you working for him with your sparkly shoes.


‘So if you can send out those emails and update the database from the spreadsheets Jason was working on….’
‘Yes I’ve got them. Did you sign the letter to the bank?’
‘It’s in the pile. If Erica phones tell her I received her proposal and I’ll deal with it when I get back’.
‘OK. Here are the cheques you need to sign’.
‘By the way I don’t want the sickbag to go into my room while I’m away. Is that clear?’
‘Yes’.
‘I’m serious Philippa. It looks unprofessional to have a dog wandering around aimlessly in the Director’s offices just because they’re not there. Any old Tom, Dick and Harry will think they can wander in next’.


She told me at one minute past nine this morning that she would have no time for me today and so I have entertained myself and generally made myself useful around the office in the way that only George knows how. Unfortunately not everyone is as appreciative as you Nadine. Simon does not like me coming down to reception but if I feel like taking time out of my busy day to have a chat with you then that is my business. And I do very much like to have a chat from time to time. Besides which Simon is in a very bad mood considering he is going to the Maldives tomorrow. And here comes Lisa. Good afternoon Lisa.
‘Hello George. I’ve come by to pick up Simon. Is he ready? I’m Lisa, Simon’s girlfriend. Have I seen you before or are you new?’
This is Nadine, Lisa. She joined us recently from the Working Girls agency.
‘I can’t keep up with the receptionists in this place. Can you call up to Simon and tell him I’m here to pick him up and I don’t want to wait half an hour. No hang on. I tell you what. Don’t call him. I’ll call him on my mobile and wait for the excuses and then tell him I’m in reception……..so
ssssh George’.


‘Good afternoon, Simon Lewis’s office……..oh hi Lisa…….yes, Simon’s here. It’s Lisa for you’.
‘For God’s sake….OK put her through…..Look, you can call me as often as you like but it isn’t going to get me out of here any quicker. We’re going through the files, there’s a lot of stuff to sort out/ ……. What? Are you? You’re winding me up………….. You’re just saying that because you know he’s always hanging around in reception….. What? No don’t be ridiculous. OK I believe you/ Lisa no! I don’t want to speak to Geo/’
Hello Simon. Lisa is down here waiting for you and she’s looking quite scary.
‘I don’t want to talk to you George. Put me back on to Lisa. Lisa?….. Lisa’s downstairs in reception. Did you know she was coming in? Lisa? OK wait down there, I’ll be down in ten minutes……… I don’t know. Talk to George’.
‘She didn’t tell me she was/’
‘For fuck’s sake. What the hell am I going to do with her on a beach for two weeks apart from argue?’


‘The first one was Lucy. She was sweet but he treated her like shit. Then there was Dawn and Jo and Caroline and he went out with a Danish girl for a while whose name I can’t remember - she was a little too evolved for him – and then there was Amy……’
Pips I thought I would use Simon’s office while he is on holiday.
‘Oh and he also had a fling with a much older woman’.
Simon’s chair is very comfortable….
‘So he’s tried pretty much everything. I don’t know why he still bothers with relationships. He never enjoys them’.
And I have a couple of projects I want to work on…
‘They always end badly – which is always her fault of course because it never even crosses his mind that it might be anything to do with him’.
And I don’t want to be disturbed because I will need to concentrate.
‘What is he looking for that he hasn’t already had?’