Living In Entropy – L.I.E. – 02.03 – I’m About 2 Break


            Alice was sitting in the board room.  They had all been called in for a meeting on this early Monday morning. Alice was bored she hated meetings with a displeasure she couldn’t put her finger on.  She thought them silly actually why meet about what you are writing they are going to read about it in the next issue anyway. 

            “Hello everyone thank you for coming today.”  Eli Sanders said from the head of the table he was the owner of LA Magazine.  Alice grabbed the pad in front of her, and began to doodle aimlessly making little hearts and circles.  Scribbling names and making boxes, oh yeah, she was bored.

            “I have the distinct pleasure of introducing everyone to our new Chief Editor in charge, Maura Connor.”  Alice blinked and looked up to see a tall auburn haired woman flowing down to just touch her shoulder blades.  She saw that she was wearing glasses that hid her green eyes rather well.  She had an easy look, very casual slacks and a pressed white shirt but no jacket. 

            “Hello.”  Alice said with a ***** tone and then she realized it was aloud and she waved her fingers lazily and sank down into her chair from the embarrassment.  Alice, you are not in Milk or Radar, you are at work pull in your hormones woman.

            “Thank you.”  Maura said and Alice blushed brightly and Maura smiled and winked at her sending Alice sinking even further down into the chair. 

            “I’d like to start off by saying I already adore the direction this magazine has been heading.  Cutting edge hot stories snappy and timely and sometimes even over the top.”  At this, she looked directly at the hiding Alice and Alice grabbed her pencil and began to doodle again.  “I do want more from each of you along those same lines.  I want the off the wall, totally new, and diverse ideas.  We will be having weekly ‘jam’ sessions as I like to call them, and if you don’t attend, your articles don’t appear in the next issue.  It is my one firm rule.”  She smiled again and Eli clapped his hands and called the meeting to an end. 

            Several people went over to Maura and shook her hand, and she nodded but kept a careful eye on the woman who’d said ‘Hello’ like she’d been in a bar and had been tagged as fresh meat.

            Maura motioned for Alice to go over to her and Alice did rather sheepishly.  Her dark eyes not able to meet Maura’s as she approached.  Maura took a sip from the water bottle she was holding and waited until the room was clear.

            “You might be who?  Other than someone whose mouth works on autopilot?”  Her tone was a bit cooler than before and Alice shuffled from foot to foot, this woman held her career in her hands.  Don’t be a dumb ***** Alice, be cool and confident, you can do this.

            “Alice Pieszecki.”  She said simply Maura’s eyes met hers and she tried to smile, but found that she couldn’t.  Why had she blurted that out earlier?  She wasn’t at Milk with the girls, or at the Planet checking out women or guys.  She was at work for goodness sakes, what had gotten into her?

            “The chart woman.  Excellent you are the one I was looking forward to meeting.  I am expecting great things from you Alice.”  She said and turned and walked away from Alice, who was cursing herself.