“So – Colin.” Jennifer smiled as she eased herself back into the soft leather chair behind her desk and placed her pen on the pad in front of her. “There appears to be a bit of a problem – do you agree?” she cocked an eyebrow as she gazed intently at Colin, the smile still playing on her lips.
“Not really a problem Jennifer – no, I wouldn’t say that” Colin drew himself up in his chair and faced Jennifer squarely, on the other side of the large desk.
Jennifer sighed deeply “Well what would you call it then Colin?”
Colin’s eyes darted around the room as if looking for assistance to help him out of the situation that he found himself in. “Well, I certainly think ‘problem’ is too strong a word for what is in effect a small temporary set back”
“Really? So the fact that you failed to reach your target by 40% last month and were 30% down on the previous is only a temporary set back is it?"
“Look, the issue isn’t about my targets, it’s the general down turn”
“I have spent fourteen years building up this firm up to what it is today and your lack of commitment is tiring me out. The rest of the team are able to reach targets, why not you?”
“My lack of commitment? I can’t believe you think that. I have always reached target – it’s just at the moment…..”
“No excuses. We have to face up to the fact that you don’t have the drive to do this anymore. I cannot keep baling you out, eventually something has to give – you do see that don’t you?”
Jennifer moved impatiently in her seat. The smile had vanished.
Colin had experienced these situations before, he knew the signs.
“Are you letting me go?”
“The company is experiencing a downturn of the worst kind. It happens in this sort of financial climate”
“So you are saying you are letting me go?”
“We are looking to downsize our sales team, that’s what I am saying. We cannot afford to support dead wood any more – I’m sorry”
Jennifer walked toward the door and opened it. “Thanks so much for coming in today- can you drop off the BMW keys at the front desk when you leave”
The situation was set up well, and we didnt lose our place. Poor old Colin - he often gets the short end of the stick.
ReplyDeleteOne thing you might like to consider - speech is usually punctauted like any other narrative mode, so dont forget to include full stops at the end of your dialogue sentences.
Good work!
I mean punctuated! Teecher must learn to spel
ReplyDelete