~ A day at the workplace ~ EchoMonroe & By Bi Blitz

[By Bi Blitz]

The retirement party for was nice. Nine years she had worked under him as his personal secretary. Helen was a sweet older lady and was one of the few people who stuck by Joseph from the moment he started Measly Myers and didn't take advantage of him. She was always so helpful with his day to day needs in regards to work and how much of it he took on. After she announced her retirement Joseph was happy for her and made sure to he would lavish her with several expensive gifts as she was one of the most loyal employees that he had ever and it would be difficult to fill her shoes. Buying her a week long cruise to Hawaii as well as a genuine pearl necklace was no issue, even after she tried denying the gifts citing that it was grossly unneeded. However Joseph had none of it "You're worth every penny Helen, I wouldn't be where I am now without you" he spoke as his lips quirked just slightly into a rare but friendly smile for her. All the other employees bid their farewells and Joseph decided to extend today's paid break for all employees by an hour just to commemorate Helen's departure. Joseph himself might have been a calculating business man but he also acknowledged that keeping workers happy was the key to a successful business and little treats like this were what kept morale high.

-One week later-

Joseph glared down at the list of candidates, each and every one of them so grossly under qualified and the man was beginning to lose his patience very quickly. Most were hotshot know it all's who were fresh out of college and thought that they were the best at what they did. The other half were women and some men who thought that they could flirt their way into the position, even having the gall proposition him right there in his office. Joseph was having none of it as his ice blue gaze traveled down to the last name on the list, he'd already dismissed all the other fools so what was one more? With that he pressed on the intercom system "Erik Lafayette, you may enter" his voice would be heard throughout the mostly empty building, he had this meeting on a Saturday when only the janitorial staff were in cleaning. A group of almost thirty candidates and not one was suited for the position. Joseph would then pull up some papers regarding the others resume and background, an Ivy League college graduate. Seen that before but he seemed to work for another company before his? Well now his interest was piqued just a bit, not the first time he'd seen someone with prior work experience but it was as a secretary which dared to give Joseph a bit of hope for the final candidate.

(OOC: )

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EchoMonroe

 

[EchoMonroe]

Here we stand or here we fall
History won't care at all
Make the bed, light the light
Lady Mercy won't be home tonight

※Erik Lafayette※

Erik had spent weeks searching for a new job ever since he was let go from his last one. He was still rather bothered to find his former employer could be so petty as to fire him after ending a relationship. Many of the places he applied turned him down for one reason or another. He'd been though several interviews only to never hear back or be flat out turned down. Once he'd heard back from the toy company about actually making it to an interview he was relieved. He'd done his best to dig up all he could online about the toy company and it's owner though it was limited. He'd spent days preparing and now that he was actually here he had honestly expected to be more nervous. He fiddled with his phone while he waited and deliberately ignored several messages from his sister about coming back to visit. He watched several others leave looking more than disappointed and was beginning to wonder how tough this guy actually was to impress. He heard his name called and put his phone on silent before making his way into the office. He could hear his mother's voice in his head as he walked into the office. Head up, shoulders back. A proper gentleman should never slouch ma petite. If you look confident they will believe you are. He greeted the other with a smile as he held out his hand. "Mister Meyers it's a pleasure to meet you sir," he greeted the other male hoping he didn't sound to much like a sycophant.

You don't waste no time at all
Don't hear the bell but you answer the call
It comes to you as to us all
Yeah, we're just waiting for the hammer to fall, yeah

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By Bi Blitz

 

[By Bi Blitz]

Joseph would continue to go through each of the papers that was before him while he waited for the other man to make his way in. A small part of him knew that he shouldn't be so unfairly harsh on the final candidate just because of his poor mood but the man was at his wits end. If he didn't find a secretary who could handle the job as well as Helen or even just a bit less so then he'd have no choice but to hire someone with no experience which would hurt his company for the long term. Missed calls, unappointed meetings, messages that wouldn't reach him. The thought was a nightmare for the business man. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself down but irritation didn't just go away like that and as soon as the door opened and the final candidate arrived his icy glare sized the other man up instinctively. A confident stride and he carried himself with some degree of respect, that much he could appreciate. But next came another important step, the handshake. Joseph didn't return the smile as he respectfully stood up and shook hands with Erik "Likewise" basic flattery, everyone did it and he was no different otherwise. However Erik did have a good handshake, firm but without actually trying too hard. All good signs so far, a firm handshake meant genuine confidence and someone who was worth giving the time of day, hiring one o one. The CEO would motion to a nearby leather armchair in front of his desk as Joseph sat back down in his own and sat there silently for a solid minute, looking through papers. Another test for the other man, would he fidget uncomfortably? Interrupt his reading by posing a stupid question? Maybe sit there ramrod straight trying to appear calm? He made sure to size Erik up from the corner of his eye before finally putting his papers down and laced his fingers together before resting his chin on top of his hands.

He'd eye the other man down for an extra few seconds "So Mr. Lafayette. It says here you graduated from an Ivy League College, correct?" once answered he would nod his head "So with this degree along with what was submitted, some digging through your resume says here that you worked for a prior company before being fired. Would you please share with me why you were fired?" Joseph hoped that the other man wouldn't play him for the fool and try to pass it off as the company's fault for his firing, he'd dismiss Erik right then and there if he tried pulling that card. All the while Joseph's intense gaze rested solely on Erik as if nothing else in the room was there. It might have been staring but Joseph wanted to make sure he wasn't hiring someone feint of heart who could crack under such simple scenarios.

(OOC: )

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EchoMonroe

 

[EchoMonroe]

Here we stand or here we fall
History won't care at all
Make the bed, light the light
Lady Mercy won't be home tonight

※Erik Lafayette※

Now Erik was no fool and he was very aware of when he was being put through some kind of test. Living in an aristocratic French family that was something he'd had to learn early just to survive. So when Joseph firmly shook his hand and sat back down in complete silence with out saying another word he knew it was some form of test. He sat back in the leather chair and waited for the other man to speak. All the little lessons his mother had taught him came in handy for these situations. Don't fidget lest you look nervous, sit straight but not too straight, stay silent until spoken to. He hated that he'd grown up in high society but couldn't deny that it had certainly been helpful in his life. He waited patiently until the other male spoke to him asking about his school. He responded with a simple "yes sir" before the man was on to asking about his former employment. He felt his jaw clench at the question that he'd been hoping he could avoid. There was a lingering thought he could make something up on the spot but he banished the idea as soon as he had it. He took a deep breath and resisted the urge to sigh. Just get it over with. At least he seems like the type to turn down the job outright. "My employer let me go after I ended our personal relationship," he answered honestly. He was aware of how that looked, he whole sleeping with ones boss concept. He hadn't done it to try an advance in the company, he'd had feelings for the man.

You don't waste no time at all
Don't hear the bell but you answer the call
It comes to you as to us all
Yeah, we're just waiting for the hammer to fall, yeah

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By Bi Blitz

 

[By Bi Blitz]

Now this was truly fascinating to see, Erik was taking the silence like a natural. He didn't look stiff, uncomfortable, hell he didn't even fidget just a little bit in what was purposely an uncomfortable silence. Most of the other candidates would end up suffering badly in this part of the interview alone which made when he finally did begin to question difficult for them. Yet there Erik was, sitting back in the chair as if he were sitting in his home. Even if he didn't get hired in the position of his personal secretary Joseph definitely would consider this man for another possible position in his company even if he failed this round of questions. Call it a gut instinct but Joseph's brain was telling him he might have someone worth their salt if how he carried himself was any indication. Once the CEO began his rounds of questioning the obvious question about his college was a simple one, a simple answer which leads into a more complicated one. Normally he would follow up that question with the usual "Why would be work as my secretary?" however the attention to his previous employer caught his attention. He had made previous dealings with the man simply as another connection just in case he decided to branch out his company, which he did want to do in the distance future. Once he posed the question his discerning gaze easily noted the sudden stress the other man was under. This was it, he'd try and pass the blame off or stutter out some lie and he'd dismiss him right there. However the answer he got knocked the wind out of Joesph's sails as his frosty gaze finally broke and all irritation vanished for a moment, his eyebrows shooting upwards as simple surprise took over his features. A small noise escaped his throat as he processed the answer he was given. That was not what he expected at all, normally such an outlandish claim should be taken with a grain of salt, however no man would make such an admission unless it was wholly truthful. Finally Joseph collected himself and closed his eyes while raising his fist up to his mouth and let out a small cough to finalize his thoughts before opening his mouth "...I see..." there was no judgement of any kind in his tone, simply contemplation "Thinking on it, I'm not so surprised. The man always did strike me as unprofessional and even a bit sleazy..." normally it was also unprofessional to speak so openly about others but the CEO was never one to not voice his thoughts, no matter how controversial they may be.

Finally once Joseph shifted through one more paper and speed read it he would look back up at Erik "So you were fired due to interpersonal issues, therefore you weren't fired because of your abilities then" it wasn't a question but a statement, now that he finished looking over each of the other man's papers he definitely had the potential to fill the spot "Alright Mr. Lafayette, so far I've been impressed with how you handle yourself and you're forward honesty. If you receive the job there will be many things placed on your shoulders" he stated as Joseph reached down into his desk and produced a small pamphlet from a stack he had put together just for this position. However this was the first he handed out, nobody else even made it this far in their interview. He flipped through a couple paged before placing it down and sliding it towards the end of the desk towards Erik "Inside you will find the company rules, what you're job entails, other work that may fall to you, as well as the possibility of having to do more menial tasks around my office. I'll give you couple minutes to read through it if you need. Feel free to ask any questions, nothing is off limits" with that Joseph leaned back into his chair posh swivel chair and turned towards the large windows behind him and stared out into the bustling area. The pamphlet held many, many tasks that Erik would possibly receive if he obtained the job. Honestly though at least half were tasks that Joseph usually attended to himself, many of which regarded making sure notices reached all staff as well as making specific calls to important people among other things. Many of it all was stuff that a secretary could do but Joseph was paranoid that something would go wrong unless he did it all himself and since Helen retired, the only other person he trusted then all that fell onto himself. Of course there was the usual scheduling, setting up appointments, taking calls for him, and other tasks that they did but those were all he was willing the other to do if he got the job "Any questions so far?" he spoke without looking at him but watching him through the reflection in the glass.

(OOC: )

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EchoMonroe

 

[EchoMonroe]

Here we stand or here we fall
History won't care at all
Make the bed, light the light
Lady Mercy won't be home tonight

※Erik Lafayette※

Erik watched the look of surprise cross the other male's face at his answer and waited patiently for what he felt was the inevitable. He was convinced that he was going to be told to leave and be seen as another "goal digger" as his last interviewer had called it. He didn't need the money, even though he didn't speak to his family he still had a credit card linked directly to their bank account which he knew he'd never be cut off from. They'd still continued to fund his brother after he wrapped his third Porshe around a tree after all. He wasn't looking for employment for money but he had a point to prove. He wasn't some spoiled rich boy who couldn't stand on his own two feet (even if his parents did see him that way), he was more than capable of making it on his own. He'd managed to make it through school and his first job with out having to call his parents to have them manipulate things in his favor. No, he could do this on his own. It took him a moment to fully process he other man's words as he was sure he was about to be dismissed but that was apparently not the case. To hear his ex, for lack of a better word, called sleazy and unprofessional by someone else besides himself was an interesting experience to say the least.

Wonderful thing about growing up in high society is that it teaches a child to have complete control over their outward emotions which is probably the only reason Erik's face wasn't as shocked as he felt. The praise about being impressed with how he handled himself was something he'd heard time and time again though he never tired of hearing it. He'd seen countless others crumble when it came to being tested by an employer yet he had always found a way to go above an beyond. He listened closely as Joseph spoke and slid him a pamphlet that apparently would go over what the position would entail. He flipped through and read over it though most of it was about the same as his last job had been. If he was being honest with himself he wound up doing his work plus the work of several other including his boss/ex. If it wasn't for him that companies taxes would have never gotten paid on time, payroll would have been late along with countless other things. He still couldn't fathom how the person in charge of such a large company could be so lazy. "No sir," he answered when prompted ", everything seems well within my capabilities." There was a part of his brain that made the joke "When would you like me to start?" but shoved it down. Jokes were a fifty fifty chance to be received well and he was not willing to risk that when things seemed to be moving in his favor.

You don't waste no time at all
Don't hear the bell but you answer the call
It comes to you as to us all
Yeah, we're just waiting for the hammer to fall, yeah

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By Bi Blitz

 

[By Bi Blitz]

As Joseph sat there in his chair he could say that this did certainly seem to be a case of "Saving the best for last" if he'd ever seen it in action. Erik just did not seem to let anything phase him which was something that the CEO very much appreciated in someone who'd be working so closely with him. Someone who was tough and able to take the pressure was something that could not be understated, things could get hectic at times and not everyone was cut out for the job. That being said he knew that there would have to be some training to undergo tomorrow so that he could get familiar with everything and a lot of names and numbers for the other man to memorize. Needless to say though that if his showing today said anything then there shouldn't be a problem, his college degree plus his ability that was shown gave him that much confidence. Although he did admit that it was rather amusing when he said that it was all within his capabilities, was he just trying to impress him? Or was he saying that because it was true? With how Erik's former employer was then Joseph was more inclined to believe the latter, of course he made no outward comment this time. Instead he sat there for a moment as he considered the normal process, inform him he was hired and give him a week to prepare. But of course that was not something Joseph would be able to do, up until this point he's been setting all of his own appointments and meetings, taking all the calls, and answering each small question each department had. It was irritating since it detracted from his other duties so he couldn't wait much longer. With that thought finalized into his head Joseph would swivel around in his chair and stared at Erik for a moment before nodding his head "Very well Mr. Lafayette, you're hired." he stood up from his chair and put his hand out for the other to shake "You'll be starting Monday morning at seven am sharp, there I will begin your training and you" finally a tiniest smirk cracked the corner of his otherwise ever present frown. After the handshake he would reach into another desk drawer and pulled out a know how booklet of the company and different facts and things needed to be known at the workplace as well as how each different division functions and their part in it all "Welcome aboard to Measly Myers. Keep this with you and study it until you can recite it page for page without even looking, part of your job will be to answer questions you receive from both your fellow employee's as well of outside sources" he explained for a moment before nodding his head and sending the other man off. Even on a Saturday Joseph's work was never done and there was still much to do for the workaholic CEO.

-Monday Morning-

Joseph would of course be the first person in the building besides the omnipresent members of the janitorial staff. It would be another hour or so until the others all began to start their day of work but right now Joseph would have to begin typing out each and every contact ordered from most important to least important. As well as the names of each department's head officer, of course there were some things that could only be taught on the job but still Joseph wanted to make the transition as smooth and bump free for the new guy. It was better to go over bumps slowly rather than try and rush over them and risk damaging the company for it. Of course he didn't have too much to worry about, the other man seemed to have a good head on his shoulders for the most part. Once he was finished printing out most of the papers Joseph would receive a few early calls that he'd have to deal with himself before the other man arrived in his office.

(OOC: )

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EchoMonroe

 

[EchoMonroe]

Here we stand or here we fall
History won't care at all
Make the bed, light the light
Lady Mercy won't be home tonight

※Erik Lafayette※

Erik stood and returned the handshake as he was welcomed to his new job. "I look forward to working with you sir," he replied before taking his leave. He actually managed to make it completely out of the building and to his car before bursting into an excited fit of laughter. I got the job! His happiness was short lived after seeing another fifteen texts from his sister. That night he sat on his couch with his cat in his lap going over the booklet he'd been handed that day. That's also where he found himself Monday morning when his phone alarm went off signalling he needed to wake up to get ready for work. He quickly breezed through the motions of preparing himself before making his way to his new job.

It seemed today though his luck had other plans as his sister called him as soon as he stepped into the building. Not today Yvette! He resigned himself to the fate of picking up or deal with her trying to call him all day. He quickly snatched up the phone to tell her he didn't have time to talk only to be bombarded over by a wave of dramatics only a sister could pull off. He continued making his way through the building to where he was needed while trying to speak to her. It didn't do much good as all she wanted to do was go on and on about him working a job "below his standing". She made the horrid remark that she wondered if he'd be sleeping with this boss too just as he was getting close to Joseph's office. It was then he realized he wasn't going to continue the conversation with her. He snapped a series of insults and curses at her in rapid fire French perhaps a bit too loudly before hanging up and turning his phone off. That was bound to piss her off but he had more important things to worry about. He knocked on the door to Joseph's office and pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to alleviate himself of the irritation he felt brewing from his unfortunate start.

You don't waste no time at all
Don't hear the bell but you answer the call
It comes to you as to us all
Yeah, we're just waiting for the hammer to fall, yeah

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By Bi Blitz

 

[By Bi Blitz]

Joseph would be writing up reports in his office as he would then also pick up his phone that began to ring "Joseph Myers speaking" he would nod his head a small bit as he continued typing up. It seemed that distributions oversees were booming, having american made toys be imported was apparently very trending at the moment "Yes...excellent..get on that right away...no...we're to make sure that we get products imported as soon as possible" at that moment Joseph would hear some rather loud and fast spoken...French? He couldn't quite grasp what was spoken, the CEO could speak Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese but French was something he was still just starting to learn. Being bilingual has helped him in so many different circumstances and it seemed like that might be the case in his own company as well. He would hear a knock on his door and Joseph covered the receiver for a moment as he glanced from the computer "Come in" he would then go back to his conversation and apparently the person on the other line began to argue with Joseph, causing his icy blue eyes to narrow at nothing in particular "Did I ask for your opinion?" he instead waited for the uncomfortable no before continuing "Then I'm glad we're at an understanding, make it happen. That's an order" he spoke as his tone became resolute and firm, leaving no room for argument before hanging up the phone. Joseph let out a sigh before finally acknowledging Erik completely "Welcome Mr. Lafayette. Several minutes early, you'll fit in just fine if you keep it up" with that Joseph would stand from his desk as he reached up and adjusted his tie before walking around his desk and placed a hand on Erik's shoulder as he began to lead the other man out a door that was on the side of his large office "This will be where you'll work, nobody normally enters through my main doors unless it's an emergency. So anyone who wants to see me will come through your office first to check and see if I'm available." with that Joseph opened the door to a pristine office with a large, spacious desk, chair, and top of the line desktop computer as well as his phone "The shelf beside you holds the records of all the employee's currently working in this building as well as different benefits and deals. Only you and I are allowed access to these files, any requests to see anything must have my approval first and foremost"

Joseph would then begin to go through the motions of showing every single detail about Erik's job, even handing him the earlier paper he'd printed out "Keep this with you whenever you're present but put it away when you're finished. This is a list of all the possible people you could get calls from to arrange meetings or wish to speak to me. They are ranked from the most important to least, those in the top five are critical and if they call then they will be forwarded to me immediately, even if I'm in a meeting. All others can wait" Joseph was giving long winded explanations but it was important he made it clear what was needed of him. Joseph would then have him take a seat in his chair as he bent over and leaned over his shoulder as he began to point out the functions of each and every program on the computer and what they'd be used for. As CEO Joseph made sure to know every single thing about each function in his company, if something new came along then he would learn it's in's and out's before incorporating it so that he could have it done his way. It was about a half hour of Joseph hovering over Erik's shoulder explaining each thing and answering any questions he may have before finally nodding his head and standing straight up once again "Alright, I'm heading back to my Office for now and I might check up on you some time later. Your break is at twelve and you get an hour lunch break. Do with it as you please. You can also decorate your office as you desire, as long as it is office appropriate" just as he was about to open the door and exit the office but paused for a moment before looking over at Erik and sighed "Also while I don't believe you'd do it, I say this to every new employee. Don't look up any...adult content on the work computers, I'll know" there didn't need to be anything else said about it as it was clear there was an incident once. Once. With that final warning Joseph went back to his office and sat back down. Now that he had an actual secretary he could have all calls go to him first before they reached the CEO.

(OOC: If you want me to cut down on the business/work talk please just let me know, I'm just trying to be immersive here but I know that it can get a bit wordy lol)

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EchoMonroe

 

[EchoMonroe]

Here we stand or here we fall
History won't care at all
Make the bed, light the light
Lady Mercy won't be home tonight

※Erik Lafayette※

Erik stepped into the office and waited patiently for the man to finish his conversation. From what little he heard it showed the other was clearly not one to leave anything for debate. It's his company, I guess what he says is pretty much gospel around here. Part of his was sure the other had heard him pretty much cuss out his sister in his native language but being as most people in America barely understood French he felt he was safe. Probably best my new boss not know I was calling my sister a selfish cow on my first day. He offered a small smile when the other man ended his call and finally spoke to him. When Joseph's hand came into contact with his shoulder he instinctively stiffened up a bit. Physical contact was not something he was very accustomed to, he'd always seen that as a very American thing. Outside of that he didn't let it shake him. He listened intently to everything Joseph ha to say after showing him to his own office.

When Joseph leaned over his shoulder to show him what was what on the computer he was again thankful for him knowing how to keep himself in check. He wasn't blind and was more than aware his new boss was attractive but he also remembered what had led him here in the first place. Upon being told he would have an hour for lunch he decided he would try and resolve things with his sister and with any luck his parents wouldn't stick their noses in the middle of their children's squabble but he knew better. After Joseph's comment about not using work computers for adult content he couldn't stifle the small snort of laughter that came forth. He knew the other was serious he just found it utterly ridiculous that it apparently needed to be said. He was smart enough to realize that it meant someone ha obviously been caught watching porn at work. He shook his head and immediately jumped into work. Piece of cake.

You don't waste no time at all
Don't hear the bell but you answer the call
It comes to you as to us all
Yeah, we're just waiting for the hammer to fall, yeah

(OOC: Oh you're good I really don't mind.)

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By Bi Blitz

 

[By Bi Blitz]

Once he made sure that Erik was situated and comfortable with his current position it was back to work as usual for Joseph. Several men and women wearing suits just as stuffy as the CEO's would pass through Erik's office to see if Joseph was available before coming in and out to discuss business dealings, despite being a toy company Joseph was currently looking to expand into the food and sportswear industry. He was a man with long term goals and currently he was speaking with a woman who currently was a representative of a large scale bakery that Joseph was looking to partner with. This would get his foot in the door and let his company's name be integrated with the food industry, it was a small scale agreement but in the grande scheme of things it was the beginning of a new line "Excellent, I'm glad we came to an agreement" he spoke after signing a contract that the two of them worked out during their meeting. Almost as soon as he finished his signing a would be forwarded to him and he nodded towards the women as she speedily explained that her boss will email him three cupcake designs that his company could use. With that Joseph picked up the phone and nodded his head as he soon enough began speaking to one of the more important people on that list he had given Erik. So far the young man did the job well, he handled every person well and so far he had no complaints from anyone about him. Eventually twelve would roll around and Joseph...continued working, even as his stomach let out a soft rumble 'Too much to get done, I'll eat later' was the thought that went through his mind as he decided to once again skip his own lunch break before then continuing to receive calls and fill out more papers. Another half hour passed and he was still at his desk, typing up reports. another hour passed and still he was seated in his chair working away at his computer filling out oversee's reports and making a call to his Japanese distribution partner after seeing the profits were not adding up correctly. From there he got into a half hour long argument with the man who claimed that it was normal but Joseph was no fool, he knew that there was foul play at work. Several million dollars didn't just vanish into thin air. Eventually they got to the bottom of it when it just turned out to be a calculating error on their part which caused Joseph to huff a bit, bristling at the mere thought of his partners. Thankfully though they began to profusely apologize for their mistake and promised it wouldn't happen again which caused Joseph to roll his eyes "二度と起こらないことを確認してください (See that it doesn't happen again!)" he spoke before hanging up. By now Joseph could feel hunger pains set in but still he ignored it as now he had to double check all funding that went into the books to make sure that it didn't effect anything. Joseph was never done. But he soon remembered the other man in the office so Joseph would stand up to enter his personal secretary's office with his arms folded behind his back and looked at the other man "How are you handling yourself so far?" he asked, silently appreciating the seemingly fresh air of another room after sitting in his office since the moment he got here.

(OOC: )

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EchoMonroe

 

[EchoMonroe]

Here we stand or here we fall
History won't care at all
Make the bed, light the light
Lady Mercy won't be home tonight

※Erik Lafayette※

The first hour or so had been a whirlwind of getting acquainted with everyone and everything after that he fell into a bit of a groove. He was thankful to see his predecessor had kept anything he'd needed well organized. This place is well run. I haven't run into a fraction of the issues I had at my last place. When noon rolled around he'd managed to find himself a bite to eat and call his sister back. It's hadn't gone well to say the least. His mother had profusely berated him stating he was wasting his time and he should come back to France. It only got worse when his father took the phone to state how he was a disappointment to his family. That had stung. He'd done his best not to cry but he couldn't stop the few tears that spilled out. It had ended with all of them screaming at each other and Erik telling them all to stay out of his life and to go to hell. He knew he should have handled that better but his family always managed to get under his skin. When he returned he noticed Joseph was still in his office and wondered if he'd been there all through lunch. He returned to work and it was much the same as it was before he left. He glanced up when Joseph entered and asked how things had been so far. He forced a small smile to his face before he spoke. "So far so good," he said ",you're way more organized than the last place I worked." He hadn' meant anything by the comment really it was just an attempt at conversation. A thought occurred to him that he hadn't seen Joseph eat anything yet. "Did you get lunch," he asked before shooting a glare at his phone as it vibrated from inside his jacket. He'd hung it on the back of his chair where the phone had remained in his pocket. I should have turned the damn thing off.

You don't waste no time at all
Don't hear the bell but you answer the call
It comes to you as to us all
Yeah, we're just waiting for the hammer to fall, yeah

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By Bi Blitz

 

[By Bi Blitz]

In his years of working with stone faced business men and women he had learned early on how to read people. He could easily differentiate people's moods, the people who smiled naturally meant that they actually enjoy working with you and were a joy to work with. There were those who were generally indifferent but still smiled simply out of politeness, Joseph fell into this category as they were fine to work with but not someone you'd look forward to meeting. Then there were those who forced a smile simply out of obligation, it generally meant that they were either upset or just didn't want to be there, at least that's what he gathered and he knew that those types of people were generally not the best to be around. What could have happened over his lunch break to upset Erik? Had someone said something to him?Maybe a new employee hazing? It was a fair possibility but he wouldn't pry at all about it but he did need to let the other know that such acts were not tolerated. Instead he simply nodded his head as the other man complimented the organization "Thank you, I'm rather strict when it comes to all records having a place. On top of that Helen, my previous secretary was very good at her job" he stated as Joseph would blink a bit before glancing over at Erik with a surprised look once again. Speaking of Helen, she'd always made sure to hound him about his eating habits. Since her departure a week ago Joseph quickly fell back into old habits and would often skip meals in favor of work. As if on que his stomach let out a loud rumble and he actually chuckled a small bit, a tiny smile forming on his otherwise stern face "I suppose I didn't.." finally Joseph straightened up a bit "I'll be heading out for lunch, any calls will be told I'm out for lunch, if there's...." however he paused mid sentence when he heard the telltale sound of a phone vibrating followed by the others glare. This caused Joseph to quirk an eyebrow ". . . . ." he remained silent as he watched Erik for a few seconds as if waiting for the other man to do something "Are you going to answer it? I don't care if you speak on the phone, as long as it doesn't impact your work performance" despite his strict work ethic Joseph wasn't a tyrant. He only brought the ax down on people who stayed on their phones all day and did no work, those were the people he chewed out. But he was a bit lenient as he knew that sometimes there were important phone calls. So Joseph would stand there quietly as anyone else would for him when there was a phone call, it was a respect thing. He wasn't above his own rules after all.


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EchoMonroe

 

[EchoMonroe]

Here we stand or here we fall
History won't care at all
Make the bed, light the light
Lady Mercy won't be home tonight

※Erik Lafayette※

Erik snorted a bit at a well timed growl from Joseph's stomach. Goodness, he didn't know how he'd made it this far with out eating something. Strike that he absolutely did. He knew what it was like to be so invested into work that everything else took a backseat, that was how he wound up in the ER after he'd passed out his sophomore year of college. He did have to agree with the man that his former secretary had kept a seemingly tight ship around the place. He noticed Joseph seemed to wait to see if he would answer his phone. His suspicions were only confirmed when he asked. "No," he said with a heavy sigh ",it's either one of my parents or more likely that wretched harpy I call a sister." His phone had buzzed at least three more times while he spoke before he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the phone. He popped he back off and pulled the battery out before slipping it back into his pocket. He bit down on the old habit to apologize. He reminded himself he hadn't done anything wrong as a matter of fact his boss had just said he could use his phone of he needed.

You don't waste no time at all
Don't hear the bell but you answer the call
It comes to you as to us all
Yeah, we're just waiting for the hammer to fall, yeah

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By Bi Blitz

 

[By Bi Blitz]

Once again Joseph quirked an eyebrow at his personal secretary when the other sighed out a no to his question. Once the other explained who it was calling, just by the tone alone it almost seemed like he wasn't on good speaking terms with them. The CEO wouldn't pry any further than just letting out a small "Ah" noise as he watched the other pull the battery out of his phone. That seemed a bit excessive but he wouldn't comment on it and instead simply nodded his head a little bit to the other man as he walked behind the desk "Anyway, as I was saying. If there's an emergency you can contact me on my personal number and I'll get back as soon as possible..." he paused for a moment before remembering that unlike Helen, Erik didn't know his number by heart. So he would look around and grab a pen and wrote his personal number down on a post it note before peeling it off and placing it down on the desk for the other to do with as he pleased "I'll just ask that you not share this number with anyone and keep it unmarked at least. I don't need unsolicited phone calls for everyone in my company" he stated more for his own sanity than actual company policy or anything like that. With that Joseph would begin to exit Erik's office "I'll be back in a half hour or so" he spoke before quickly leaving taking the elevator down before leaving the building. It wasn't a long walk, as he already had his place to eat in mind. No more than a block away from his building was a southern style food truck that he'd been visiting regularly since they started their business. Usually they stuck around the same general area so it was just a convenient and rather quick method of getting some food and the couple who worked it had gotten onto a first name basis with him due to his regular business. He arrived just as the Mrs was about to close the window when she saw him and seemed happy to see him. Apparently they were just about to close up shop and move to a different location but they were more than willing to make one extra plate of food for their favorite customer. Joseph smiled politely and made friendly conversation with the Husband and Wife as he ordered his usual fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and collard green's. He'd been to many high end restaurants but none of their food usually compared to the simple cooking that was done with love out of a food truck.

The large white styrofoam container filled with his order as a packet containing a fork and knife as well as several napkins were handed to him. As soon as Joseph paid he was about to walk away when the wife called out to him, offering some leftover lemon bars that they had for free. He quickly declined as Joseph had no sweet tooth so to speak but she insisted otherwise they'd dry out and get thrown away. With a sigh he accepted the free treats and walked way with a second, slightly smaller container sitting on top of the first one. What would he do with these? Joseph didn't want to be rude and just throw them away but he generally didn't like sweets unless it was a simple butter cookie but even then it was only to compliment a hot cup of tea. He could just drop it off in the break room but it was on the opposite side of the building and he had limited time before he had to get back to work himself and plus the smell of fried chicken and collard greens were beginning to kill him. So instead he just brought it back up with him to his office with no real idea of what to do with them, at least until he stepped by Erik's office door and a light went off, Joseph could only hope this didn't seem strange at all. With that he opened the door to Erik's office and stopped by his deck after saying his hello's and placed the smaller container down for the other man and glanced at him "The food truck I go to gave me some free lemon bars and...I really don't care for sweets so...here..." he explained before entering his office to finally eat his food. Soon enough Joseph would eat quickly and effectively, thankful that it was chicken breasts and not drumsticks or something like that which meant no bones to worry about and could just use the fork and knife. Once he was done eating Joseph would throw his empty container away before and clean himself up before pressing down on the call button connecting him to Erik "I will be taking calls again" he stated simply as work resumed once more and until the end of their shift some time later.


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EchoMonroe