Headquarters

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‘It’s so unfair,’ Orry said looking glum, ‘I’ve been at the Hard Rock Café now for 18 months and I’ve never once won Employee of the Month. Martha’s won it twice, Linda was only there six weeks and she won it, Dave won it and he’s a lazy arse, but me? I’ve never won it.’

‘Why not? What are you doing wrong?’ Adam said.

‘Nothing,’ Orry said defensively, ‘I work hard, I smile, I’ve even perfected my American accent. But my boss hates me, I think it’s cos Madeline likes me not him and he’s jealous. She’s won it three times.’

‘Why do you want to be Employee of the Month anyway?’ Adam said.

‘Well it’s nice isn’t it? You know recognition?’

‘Isn’t it just something everyone wins?’

‘Well yes, but that makes it even more odd that I haven’t.’

Adam nodded, he was thinking. ‘Okay,’ he said, ‘I’ve got it. When are you working next?’

‘Tomorrow night, why?’

“You’ll see, I‘ll come in with Gina, make sure you are serving us, but make like you don’t know us, okay?’

‘Don’t get me sacked,’ Orry looked worried.

‘Trust me Orry,’ Adam said with a wink. Orry had a bad feeling about this.

‘Was everything okay?’ Orry said to his very smart looking customers. He’d never seen Adam in a suit before and Gina looked more delicious than the burgers.

‘Yes, but could we have a word with the manager, please?’ Orry’s mouth dropped open, but Adam gave him a slight nod of encouragement. Orry went into the back and found his boss.

‘Freddie, one of my customers wants to see you.’ He said nervously.

Freddie looked Orry up and down in a what have you done this time kind of way.

‘Can I help you?’ Freddie said to the smart looking couple.

‘Yes, my colleague and I are over from head office,’ Adam said, his face as straight as an arrow. Orry watched his boss straighten up a little but couldn’t hear what his friend was saying.

‘From London?’ Freddie said.

‘No out of Orlando,’ Adam said, he’d done his homework. He watched Orry’s boss’s face change. ‘Anyway my colleague and I were very impressed with the work of our waiter this evening, one of the best we’ve come across.’

‘Yes he’s one of our best.’ Freddie said.

‘He must own the Employee of the Month award,’ Adam said, still maintaining a straight face.

‘Um,’ Freddie was wrong footed. ‘I don’t think he’s won it for a while.’

‘Well, I’ll be checking in to see if he’s won it this month.’ Adam said, calm authority in his voice.

‘Well … yes.’ Freddie said cursing the little runt Orry.

‘I’ll get these’ Orry said to Adam, ‘Employee of the month bonus. What did you say to him?’

‘Probably best you never find out.’ Adam smiled taking a swig of beer that this friend had bought him.

This story has a part two which got messed up by blogger. So here it is. 
For audio click here

Adam was lollygagging around the mall waiting for Gina to finish shopping. She was deciding between two dresses and Adam had left her to it; there was only so much indecisiveness he could take. He loved Gina dearly, but if he could change one thing about her, it would be her inability to buy a new dress without having a near nervous breakdown. 

He smiled at the thought of her in her underwear in the changing rooms, holding up the two dresses, biting her bottom lip. Nah come to think of it, he wouldn’t change her for the world. 

‘Back in Europe again?’ Adam was shaken from his thought by a voice and a figure standing in front of him. He looked at the stranger blankly.

‘I think you’ve got the wrong bloke, mate. I’m always in Europe.’

‘I thought you were based in Orlando?’ the stranger said.

‘Orlando? What are you talking about?’ 

‘Um, head office? Hard Rock Café?’

Adam suddenly remembered who this person was. It was Orry’s boss? Adam decided to brazen it out.

‘No idea what you’re talking about mate, think you must have me mixed up with someone else.’

The stranger looked confused. ‘Wow you look just like someone who works in my head office.’

‘Really?’ Adam said with a look that said I really don’t care. Freddie was looking confused but Adam got the impression he was buying the story. 

Adam looked around and saw Gina coming towards him, a big bag in her hand that suggest that she’d bought both the dresses. Adam could immediately see the problem. Freddie might be daft enough to buy one doppelganger but not two. What were the odds of two people hanging round together in Orlando being the spitting images of two people who hung around together here? Adam was madly trying to tell Gina to fuck off with his eyes, but she was having none of it. 

‘Hi, bought them both.’ Then she looked at the stranger, ‘Hi’ she said in a voice that said I don’t know you, but I’ve seen you somewhere and you are talking to Adam so, you must be one of his friends so I’ll be friendly.

Freddie looked at Gina, then looked back to Adam. Adam could see his brain working. Then Freddie turned on his heel and left without saying another word. 

‘Orry!’ Freddie yelled as soon as he arrived back to work. ‘A word!’