Chapter 1
“Good afternoon everyone. My name is Carla and I will be your direct supervisor during the holidays. As you learned when you applied, there is a week long, four hour a day orientation period. You will learn all the ins and outs of Mc Clary's Department store. As you know, we are one of the largest retailers in the state, so our numbers are astronomical during the holidays, and we need strong people to make that happen.”
“Now, when I call your name please come up and get your employees handbook. Max Wallace, truck, thank you. Emily Heard, cashier, thank you. Yada yada yada….”
“And Mandy Lomas, nights, housekeeping, thank you. Okay, so is that everyone? Alrighty then. You will notice that on the front of your hand book, there is a number, that will correspond with the numbers on the computers. That is your designated computer with your orientation materials. Everything is self explanatory, but if you do need help, please don’t hesitate to ask. Alright, we’re on the clock people. Good luck!” she claps her hands.
Everyone gets up and goes to their designated computers, hanging jackets on the back of chairs, chatting with one another. Mine is right next to where I'm sitting, I just swing over and flop.
“Good to see you back Mandy, maybe this will be your year to get hired on," she releases a high pitched giggle.
“Fly away on your broom Carla.”
“No need to get testy, I hope you do get on this year. It would be fun working together again!” she beams.
“Yeah, peachy,” We had worked together for two weeks, Wow! Stupid woman doesn’t get the fact that I’ll be on nights while she shines during the day.
I don’t care, I’d rather scrub toilets all night than work next to the bleach blonde that talks and giggles incessantly.
“If you’ll excuse me Carla, I have work to do,” I hit the power button on the computer.
“Uh, excuse me, Carla?” someone calls out.
“Thank the stars,” I say under my breath.
I have been playing this game for six years. I got hired for the holiday rush from December the fifteenth to January the fifteenth. I work at the library during the day and this gives me a boost in the savings once a year, a little cushion.
I could go through this shit with my eyes closed, I don't see why I can't just come in and go to work. How hard is it to clean pissy and shitty toilets every night. I guess I shouldn't bitch, I get paid for orientation too, and it beats the hell out of sitting at home flipping through all those endless Christmas programs.
"Sooo, how's it going?"
“Go away Carla.”
“I’m just trying to be friendly. What’s wrong with you? Are you antisociable?”
I sigh and roll my eyes.
“It’s anti-social, and yes I am, now go away,” I tap away.
“Humph!” she throws her nose in the air and stomps away like a five year old.
“Humph!” I scrunch my nose making fun of her.
When I turn my head back to the screen, I spot an older woman smiling at me. I nod and go back to work.
“Carla, I’m going to go take a piss!” I call out across the room.
“Mandy! Please, be respectful!” She looks around the room where everybody is looking at me snickering.
“Carla, may I go take a piss? Better?”
She sighs and rolls her eyes.
I walk out the back door and fire up a joint. I’ve been here two hours and I’m already wanting to kill somebody. I’m almost through with the work for today, but I need to stay for the full four hours.
When the weed starts kicking in I feel better, maybe I won’t kill the bubbly blonde. I head to the bathroom and take a piss, grab a drink from the vending machine and go back. Carla gives me a blonde, dirty look. I have to laugh at her.
So back to work. When I go to sit down, I notice the woman is gone. Maybe she got done early.
I take my time on the work, but it is so boring, I’ve seen it all, for the last six years. I prop my chin on my hand and doze for the remainder of the time.
“Alright everyone, time is up. Don’t worry if you haven’t finished what you were working on, you can work on it tomorrow. Have a good evening.”
I make a mad dash for the door.
“Mandy, Mr Mc Clary wishes to speak to you,” Carla says, kinda pissy like.
I stop in my tracks and roll my neck. A meeting with Mr Mc Clary is never a good thing, so I’ve heard.
“Come along, you shouldn’t keep him waiting.” she claps her hands.
The bottle blonde bimbo turns on her heel and marches away, and I follow. If only I could snap that scrawny little neck. It would save her years of agonizing death, by bleach seeping into that bubbly head.
When we get to his receptionist, I have to bite my tongue to keep from laughing.
“Hi Susie! Oh, I love that color on you!” Carla gushes.
You can see the instant migraine hit the woman.
“Thank you Carla, you can leave now.”
“But I thought..”
“Good evening Carla!” the woman gets a little testy, and I can't help the smirk.
“Humph!” nose flying up.
“Humph!” I mock.
Carla turns and glares at me.
Well, if looks could kill, I won’t be dying tonight!
As soon as she gets on the elevator and the doors close, I burst out laughing. I look up to see Susie with the same dry expression, so I get my giggles under control.
“Mm, sorry,” I mumble.
“Are you through?”
“Yes mam.”
She gets up and goes to Mc Clary’s door. Man, I bet her ass squeaks when she walks.
“Mr Mc Clary, Miss Lomas is here to see you,” she motions me in.
Now I’m scared. I’ve never met the man, and hear tell, I don’t want to!
“Thank you Susan. Miss Lomas, come in.”
I edge around Susie and enter the room.
“Miss Lomas, I was pleased to learn that you came back again this year. I will keep this short and direct. Miss Amira wants you to come in and work for her.”
“Miss Amira?”
“She’s the one that does the designs and dressing of the mannequins.”
“Oookay, so what does she want me to do?”
“Dress the mannequins of course!” he snaps.
“Okay, when do I start?” I squeak like a scared little girl.
“Tonight at ten, when the store closes.”
I’m assuming this will be like playing dolls, many, many, many years ago, just bigger. Then I think about Carla, won’t she be pissed knowing I was working with Miss Amira instead of scrubbing toilets.
I can just hear her now, 'Humph!'. I crack myself up.
I walk in as people walk out, wearing my far to tight dark blue T-shirt and name badge. I gotta talk to Carla about a new shirt.
Making my way to the back, I have to weave my way through a mass of naked bodies, plastic bodies that is.
“Miss Amira?”
“So glad you could join me,” she says softly, but from right behind me, making me jump. She has a slight accent, but not enough to place.
“Miss Amira. Hey I know you, you were at orientation this afternoon!” I blurt out.
“Yes.”
“So, why’d you pick me to help this year?” I ask, looking at all the tall unopened boxes standing around. Some are labeled male and others female.
“I’ve not had an… assistant in many, many years and you just caught my eye this afternoon,” she shrugs gracefully.
The longer I look at her, the more beautiful she gets. Not really a tall woman, but she carries herself high, if that makes any sense. She has silver hair up in a bun of sorts that causes her hair to kinda bubble out around the base, slightly wrinkled face, but smooth skin. Her eyes are a golden hazel, set within slightly slanted sockets. Slim but full lips, long but elegant nose. I just can’t describe her other than she is a beautiful, stunning woman.
“Mandy is it?”
“Yes mam.”
"First off, there is no need for formalities and there is no need for you to wear that awful shirt, you may wear your own clothes as long as they are respectable."
"Yes mam, I mean, okay." deeply relieved about the skin tight shirt.
“Let’s begin our journey shall we?” She smiles softly.
"Yep.”
“Very well. First we have to remove some of the displays and set up new scenes for the holidays. This part should go quickly. So, you grab that bin and I’ll take the rack and let’s get started.”
She picks three different displays to quickly rip apart, removing the clothes from the mannequins, throwing the clothes and decorations in the bin. She then hangs the mannequins on the rack.
We take everything back to the backroom and she has scenes grouped that we load on flat carts and take to their destination. She is amazing at design and her movements are fluid as she assembles her vision.
Once the scenes are set up. We return to the backroom and start opening the tall boxes that contain the new mannequins.
“This is a new type of mannequin, more defined and realistic. They are very difficult to come by and need extra care being handled.”
We start to dress the three females and one of the males. I have to admit, they are a far cry from the old ones. These have color to their skin, not just the generic cream colored plastic. All the joints are moveable within a skin and the hair is implanted, not a wig. The females actually have brown nipples and the men seem to have a more prominent bulge, not a cock and balls per say, just more of a hump down there.
The last one is the most handsome male, if you can call a mannequin handsome, but he is. His eyes seem to follow you, he has a small smile, and his muscles seem like they are moving. I know it’s just a trick of the light, but damn he’s hot!
