John arrived at Jesse’s Computer Warehouse ten minutes early – it was close to the coffee shop – and straitened his tie in the men’s restroom. He overlooked himself in the mirror, timidly and briefly, as if it was a sin. A toilet flushed as John reached for the door,

“Hey John!” The voice stopped him.

A middle-aged man with short, wavy red hair stood by one of the urinals.

“Hi, Vic,” John managed to answer.

“What’re you doing here so early?”

John was confused, “I thought I was supposed to be here at seven.”

“Oh, no,” Vic shook his head, “No, they changed the schedule. You’re not due till eight.”

“But I could’ve sworn – ”

“John, I’m serious. I helped Jesse write the schedule last night. He needed Jeff to stay a little late to discuss ‘a matter.’” Vic scratched his head, “He told me he’d call you.”

“Well he didn’t.” John sighed and opened the door, “Thanks Vic.”

“Yeah, no problem. Hey, where you gonna go?”

John laughed, “I guess to the coffee shop.”

“Geez, you practically live there, do you like someone? I hear the waitresses are hot!”

“No,” John sighed, “I don’t like any of them.”

A very slow hour had gone by and John headed back to work. Dan – the assistant manager – was waiting around the front of the store. He spotted John and sighed.

“Hey John! I need you in my office.”

John quietly made his way towards the back of the store. He had overheard Vic and Jeff say there was talk of a promotion for the ‘new guy.’ He was the newest member of the staff, and although he hadn’t sold many computers, he figured the store might be desperate enough to let him run a section of it.

He hastily entered the office. Dan closed the door behind him and slowly made his way to the leather recliner. Dan sat cross-legged at a paper-stacked desk, tapping a red pen wildly under his breath. John sat adjacent to him.

“You’re an hour late.”

“What?! Vic told me at seven that I wasn’t due till eight. He said the schedule had been changed so Jesse could talk to Jeff!”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes!”

“I’m sorry John, I’ll have a talk with Vic later.” He ran his hands through his thinning hair, “This makes everything harder.”

John’s anger was subdued by curiosity.

“The fact is John,” he started and warily closed his eyes, “the company is in a sort of ‘financial-jam’,” he quoted with his fingers, “and hiring you was…hard, enough.”

John’s eyes narrowed at the statement. His heart started to pound. This was it.

Dan wildly shook his hands, “No, I didn’t mean to say it like that, I ment that it was hard to hire another employee with all the ‘money-crisis.’” Again he used his four fingers to quote.

He tried to study John’s face with little success. “Look, I have no doubt that you are a dedicated employee…”

This is it, I’m fired.

“But we simply cannot afford to keep you.” His worried expression gave way to a subtle laugh, “I mean, come on John. You’re more risk to us than you’re worth…than anybody’s worth. You haven’t sold but one computer and it’s your fourth week – excluding the training!”

“Two computers,” John mumbled.

“Regardless.” Dan’s voice stiffened. “You’re just not cut out to sell.”

John looked up quietly, his pale blue eyes giving way to anger.

“John,” Dan ridiculed, “don’t be mad at me, I’ll send in a good word wherever you go.”

John glanced down, “I don’t need your help.”

“Good,” Dan replied. “I hope you don’t. I know you’ll find a place that is more stable than this store.”

He stared at John for about a minute – John was still diverting his eyes from Dan’s steady gaze, and he seemed to be glued to his chair.

Dan smiled, “I’m going to give you a little extra in your last paycheck to keep you on your feet, and I know you’ll find something soon.” He carefully added, “Maybe something better.”

John sighed, “I don’t need any extra money, thanks. I’ll find something soon enough. It doesn’t matter.”

Dan picked up his apathetic tone, “Yes, it does matter John. Listen, don’t get down. I know this must be hard for you, trying to hold a job. But you really should try and develop your people skills – and stop letting people take advantage of you. You’re a nice guy, a really nice guy. But you don’t want to be a pushover, no offence. You have to put a foot down sometime, and stop thinking it’ll get shot off! I’m really sorry to see you go, John. You have more determination than any of these dopes, but they seem to be selling the computers. I have no choice. It’s not my choice.”

John faked a smile and assured Dan there were no hard feelings.

Dan opened the door to the office, and put his hand on John’s shoulder.

John turned to face him, “It’s not that I’m scared to put my foot down,” he thought for a moment, “It might ruin my plans.”

Dan quickly took his hand off John’s shoulder. An uneasy silence grew between them and Dan’s stomach twisted into knots. “Plans?” he whispered.

John realized Dan’s fearful reaction and laughed, “Not as bad as all that.” He lightly tapped Dan on the cheek and walked out.