Up & Out - Ariella Papa [49]
“It’s interesting that you would bring that up, Rebecca, since Esme is the program with the most discrepancies.”
“What?” I think I might stutter.
“I don’t think this is the forum for all of the issues there are with Esme.” What issues? “But I will say to all of you that it’s going to be Armageddon if we aren’t all buttoned up.”
Arma-fucking-geddon? I don’t know what to say, but at that moment, Janice slams her hand onto the table and gets up and walks out. I feel myself begin to shake.
“I have one more issue I want to discuss with you,” Delores yammers on. “Summer is here, and with it come summer Fridays. I know you were allowed to leave at one o’clock last year, but Indiana Mutual says the weekend starts at three o’clock. Although, I’m sure you are all quite responsible about finishing your work and therefore we probably won’t ever get to leave at that time.” She giggles, reverting back to giddiness, as if a ruined summer was something to joke about. She manages a sweet “thanks, everybody” and sends us on our way.
I stop by Janice’s cube on the way back to my office. John is already there.
“Are you okay?”
“This sucks, Rebecca. Do you know that they are doing layoffs? Have you seen Claire lately? People at the adult networks have been laid off at random. These people have no idea how to run a network, and yet we have to listen to them. How dare she say that shit about Esme? Fuck her! And if I were you, I’d start getting my résumé together. That woman is clearly threatened by you.”
I look at John and he is looking down at one of his three computers. I feel a mutiny coming on and I don’t know what to do.
“I think you’re overreacting,” I say to Janice, although I really don’t believe it.
“The woman doesn’t even know my name. She sent an e-mail to the entire Esme group and put someone else’s first name on my last name. John forwarded it to me. You weren’t copied. She wants us to lose the glasses.” What?
“Wait. What?”
“That’s right. No more glasses. I thought that was Esme’s trademark.”
Ten minutes (and one cigarette) later, I make the now-notorious walk down the hall to Delores’s office. She has her shoes off and one of the plush gophers on her head. What the hell is going on?
“Rebecca, I was just going to send you an e-mail.” She is back on the cheerful, “smile while I screw you” trip.
“Really.” I am in no mood for small talk. “I didn’t appreciate your comments in the meeting.”
“Yes, well, I know it was the forum for my grievances, but you seem to have trouble grasping protocol.”
“Protocol? The last thing we need is more forms. This isn’t a fucking bank, this is supposed to be a creative environment.”
“I’m not sure if you are the right person to be managing a team,” she says, obviously trying not to let her mouth turn up in a smile.
“Well, I’m not sure you should be managing anything.” I have gone too far, but instead of being upset Delores looks smug.
“The outburst from Janice was really unprofessional.”
“People are getting emotional.”
“Do you know what this channel is about?” Is this a trick question? I think of the slogan we use on-air. We are Explore! Family, after all.
“Family. We Are Family.” She seems downright orgasmic at my answer.
“No, money. We are about money, and if you and your team—” she says team like she says Memorial Day, with disdain “—can’t handle that you might want to think about getting a new job.”
“Why, because I disagree with you?” Because I don’t think you have any idea what you’re talking about? I want to say but don’t.
“No, because you’re wrong.” I hold her eye as she says this.
“What is this about Esme losing her glasses?”
“Glasses don’t work. They aren’t cool. They aren’t sexy.”
“She’s not supposed to be sexy, she’s an animated twelve-year-old. And yes, they are cool.”
“Glasses don’t sell advertising space,” she says. She is taking a tone with me, as if someone has already authorized her to talk down to me.
“Advertise glasses.”
“It’s not that easy. This is the decision.”
“It’s my