The Strange Life of Jonas Marks - 5. Chapter 5

Feeling like I had let down Ms. White the first time we met, I made sure I was extra early for the orientation. I knew it was going to be a three hour course, but who knew it would be so boring. Ms. White left me in a little room with a video machine. The first movie was a sexual harassment film. I swear I think it was made when my parents were in grade school. Then she returned and I had to sign all this paperwork to show I understood. The second film was about the history of Kroger’s Emporium. Finally she came in and said there would be a break. When I glanced at my watch two hours had gone by.

“Well Mr. Marks, you only have the last film to watch. This is the one you will need. Considering you won’t really be working with any of the customers directly, except by phone, you won’t have to sit through our sales proficiency videos. Instead you will watch this one designed by Mr. Openseter for the Fantasy Department.”

I nodded. I sat shuffling my feet, and batting the pen she had given to me back and forth. All I really wanted was a few moments away from this stuffy little room.

“Go take your break. When you return … try to be a little more patient. You are lucky to have landed here at Kroger’s. You have no idea what your future holds for you, especially since you will be working with Opie.”

Ms. White seemed to stare daggers at me through her glasses. For a moment I was reminded of the school librarian when she got upset at me for making noise, but I doubted Ms. White would look great with her hair down and the thick glasses gone. I simply smiled and rushed from the room nearly hitting one of the janitors in my hurry to get away.

“Hey! Watch where you’re going bud.”

“Sorry. I’ve been cooped up for the last two hours watching films.”

“Oh, White has you for orientation then.”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“What always happens.”

“Where can I go to get outside for a bit? I only have a few minutes and I just need some air.”

The janitor pointed to a small door toward the back. I was just grateful it wasn’t a fire door. I stepped outside and slipped a rock in to hold the door open. I stood there in the sunlight and the open space relaxing. The blue shirt that Ted had picked out for was really light weight and wasn’t stuck to me, which was unusual, considering how hot that little room was. At least this time Ms. White didn’t have anything to say about my wardrobe and I still looked like I belonged.

“Getting a little air are we, Mr. Marks?”

I turned to find Mr. Openseter standing there. He wore a deep emerald green suit that made his hair look like it was on fire and his skin even more of an orangey red. You could say what you wanted about style but the suit had to be custom made and he appeared even more alien in it then had the first time I’d met him.

“Sorry, Mr. Openseter. Was Ms. White looking for me?”

“No, I just figured I would stop by to see how you were making out. She told me she had let you go on a break. Seems that anyone who has had to spend any time in her film room ends up coming out here to … ah … recover.”

I nodded. I was dreading going back into the small hot little room.

“Has she made you watch the last film yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Don’t worry. It isn’t as long or half as boring as the others. In fact it is only five minutes.”

“Oh, I thought she said the last one was about the office.”

“It is, but considering you and I will be creating it as we go along there isn’t going to be much to see.” Mr. Openseter chuckled.

“So the film?”

“It was something they had me make as part of setting up the department. You’ll see soon enough.”

“Mr. Marks!” Ms. White’s voice echoed down the hallway, immediately grabbing my full attention. “Break is over!”

“I think you were bellowed for.” Mr. Openseter tried to control the laughter evident in his voice, but couldn’t quite keep the smile off his face.

I trudged back to the room in time to get a dirty look from Ms. White. She began the DVD and strode out, the sounds of her heels clicking on the linoleum behind her.

“This film is for the Fantasy Office.” The image of Mr. Openseter filled the small screen before me. He wore a dark black suit that toned down how different he normally appeared. “Congratulations. You didn’t run away and have been hired. Let me give you the basics. You work for me. You will handle merchandise; deal with the paperwork, and in-coming … guests. Any problems will be worked out between us. Now this film is going to end in a few moments. Smile, tell them thank you, and come find me in my office. Trust me, I find my office is my sanctuary here. Again, welcome to the Fantasy Office.”

With that the screen went blank. The whole thing took all of two minutes. I wanted to laugh when I remembered how Ms. White told me it would be all about the office. She was right, in plain English, it sounded like I would pretty much be in charge of creating how it would work with whatever input my boss gave me.

“So now you have seen them all.” Ms. White commented as she walked back into the room, adjusting her glasses.

“Yes, I have.”

“Any questions?”

“No.”

She walked over and handed me thick book that read, ‘Employee Handbook’.

“Listed inside you will find the information about your 401K, health benefits, and everything else having to deal with Kroger’s. Don’t lose the book.”

Ms. White never said another word, she just turned and the sound of her heels were heard till the door to her office closed. I breathed a sigh of relief and headed off to find Mr. Openseter. I found his office door open and he was leaning against his desk reading something over intently.

“Mr. Openseter?”

“Ah, Mr. Marks. Everything go okay?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Let me show you to your office.”

We walked down the hallway and around the corner. There was a large door that had my name already on it. I looked at it in surprise. ‘Mr. Jonas Marks – Executive Assistant, Fantasy Office.’

“Come on in,” Mr. Openseter said as he stood in the middle of what was now my office.

“Pick a paint color before you leave today unless you want it to stay hospital white.”

“Oh! I get to choose the color?” I had a moment where I couldn’t believe this was all going to be mine. I even got to choose the color of the walls. I was just eighteen and living off my friend’s couch but this office was going to be all mine. Was this for real?

“Yes but the painting must be done today so you won’t have much time to decide. The paint choices are on the board on top of your desk. The door in the corner won’t open from your side. It is the entry way for our … guests. The exit door is in my office, just so you know. As you can see, you have a nice window. There will be a water cooler, coffee maker, and the filing cabinets which will arrive after they paint today. There will also be a copy machine, because they demand multiple copies of everything at Kroger’s. This is why you have such a large office, to hold all the mess. Don’t worry about how you are going to get it all set up. One of the janitors will be around tomorrow to help you shift everything into place. The office will be fully functional on Friday, so tomorrow is basically for you to get this all ready for us.”

I nodded feeling a little overwhelmed by it all. I couldn’t believe just how fast this was all happening.

“Oh and feel free to bring some pictures or plants. You are going to be working here and this will be like your second home. You might as well be comfortable. If anyone says anything to you about it, send them to me.”

I smiled at my boss, he might look scary as hell but at least he was looking out for me.

“I’ll leave all the decorating and other things to you. Line one on the phone is a direct connect to my office.” Mr. Openseter stopped and looked at the white room and shook his fiery mane of hair. “Decide what you want all, paint colors and the rest of that stuff, then stop by to see me on your way out. Tomorrow we’ll get your office set up and I’ll explain the rest of,” he paused for a moment, hands sort of encompassing everything, “all this then.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Mr. Openseter nodded and left me alone in my new space. This office was huge. I could fit my car in here and have room left over for a bed and lord knows what else. I wandered over to the desk which had been temporarily set in the middle of the room. There were color wheels for the wall and another for carpeting. I’ve always like blue and chose this robin’s egg blue that I hoped would make anyone feel at ease. I found this really nice bluish-gray rug that would go with it. There was a request form for office supplies. I spent the next ten minutes checking off the things I figured I’d need like a stapler, hole puncher, paper clips, and all that junk. There was even a form for office décor. I checked to have a seascape picture, a large couch, a few chairs, and some plants delivered. Mr. Openseter kept saying I would be having guests, so I wanted to make sure I had some place for them to sit.

Alright smart guy, you filled these out so I guess I should drop them off in Mr. Openseter’s office.

I walked back and easily found his office. I knocked and the door opened. Stepping inside I found my boss without his jacket on. There was no denying the guy worked out from the muscles you could see.

“All done Jo ... I mean Mr. Marks.”

“Jonas is fine. We will be working together after all, Sir.” Mr. Openseter nodded, glancing over the paperwork as I handed it to him.

“Got everything filled out?”

“I think so. I ordered up some furniture, a painting, some plants, and a rug for the office as well.”

“Good, then it won’t look so barren in there. Why don’t you get out of here then? Enjoy the rest of your day. Tomorrow is going to be a full day. I’ll see you at nine am sharp.”

“Yes, Sir. Thank you.”

Heading out and back through the massive store I felt my life was taking an upward turn. Maybe being thrown out by my father wasn’t the disaster I thought it was. When I got home I had a lot to fill Jenny in on.

Jenny arrived home five minutes after I did. She wasted no time in starting her investigation of my day.

“So? How was it?”

“Not bad.”

Jenny crossed her arms and stared at me.

“Not bad? Wow, so detailed. Now spill.”

For the next half hour she went over every detail of my day till she could tell you as much detail as I could.

“Wow. It's pretty cool that you get to choose everything for your office. What are you doing about pictures for your desk though?”

“I hadn’t thought about it.”

“Well you are going to have some, aren’t you?”

“The only picture I took when I left home was one of Mom.”

“Well, we can go get a copy made. I wouldn’t want your only copy going to your job. Hm.”

I knew that look. Jenny had something on her mind and there was no use trying to stop her. It was like that since we were kids. No one could tell her ‘no’ once she got that look on her face. I simply followed along behind her.

She went straight to her bedroom and then to her bookcase. A moment later she was curled up on her bed with a scrapbook in her lap.

“Sit down. You need a couple of pictures.”

We spent the next half hour picking out pictures and remembering where they were taken. Jenny had one of both of us and our Moms at our eight grade picnic. She also had one of the whole gang from high school. She took both and shoved them in an envelope.

“Go grab the picture of your Mom. We are heading over to CVS and getting copies made. We can even get a couple of frames there.”

So that’s what we did. That night, after dinner, I told everything to Mrs. Meyers who was glad I would be taking some personal touches with me.

“Trust me, Jonas. The pictures are going to make it feel homey for you. I have a few of the family at my catering business. Whenever I get stressed or depressed those pictures remind me who I’m working for and to give me strength when I’ve had a hard day.” Mrs. Meyers gave me a smile.

She patted my shoulder and left me with the boys to watch wrestling on TV. It felt like the show just began when I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up in the middle of the night and realized the boys were kind enough to toss a blanket over me when they left. They were even quiet, because I didn’t hear them go. I’d have to thank them later somehow. Tomorrow would be an early day, and I needed the rest.