A SATURN HERALD SHORT STORY :- AN OFFICE PEST OR TWO IN THE WORKS….
At Hughes Solicitors spying on employees had been company policy since one of the staff had walked-off with two computers and a set of the boss’s cut glass whisky tumblers worth £1,000 bought from Harrods by a grateful client to the firm, just after he had handed his notice in.
As well as covert CCTV whom only the boss was supposed to know about, the number of personal phone calls was also routinely monitored and some recorded to ensure the staff had respect for company time. The building which the law firm was in was archaic and if they didn’t move soon expensive renovations would be due.
New secretary Patricia was thrilled with her new job as a legal PA sharing the office with the accountant Miss Phelps who was very casual with her large handbag which she often left open wide on a table. She had the large bag to carry her sandwiches, fruit and canned orange in, not to mention her makeup. Miss Phelps used to lavish attention on her looks, though by all accounts she was single.
It was a closely guarded secret between Miss Phelps and Ned, the CCTV man that she had been instructed o leave her bag open and accessible so that Patricia, if she was a thief, had easy access to her bulging purse.
Having left her bag open with her purse showing at the top, Miss Phelps went into the CCTV room which had no windows and appeared to be behind the broom cupboard door. Surely it would be very exciting to catch someone stealing and both Ned and Miss Phelps felt Patricia was a bit “above herself” – too confident, too cool, too…..pretty. She’d had a sparkling CV and Miss Phelps was a little envious of her clearly fascinating working life.
Being new, all her outgoing phonecalls from the landline were to be recorded also. Ned and Miss Phelps watched Patricia typing away and then suddenly they both gasped. Firstly Patricia looked down at the floor near the window then she stared straight at Miss Phelp’s handbag and put one hand on either cheek, holding her face as if in shock. She appeared to look around her and then got up and approached the bag furtively with her right hand stretched out.
“We’ve got her!” cooed Miss Phelps. “Yes always knew she was a sly one” grunted Ned as they watched Patricia dip her hand deep into Miss Phelps’ bag. “Oooh it will be so exciting getting her in trouble now we’ve got the evidence, but wait!” Miss Phelp’s temperature dropped as she closely scrutinised the live monitor and her face fell in dismay.
In her right hand Patricia was not holding a purse or any expensive make up or a cheque book but she had a tiny wriggling mouse by the tail, right near his quivering little grey bottom – very much alive. With dexterity, she reached into her own handbag with her left hand and plonked the mouse into a small plastic bag, held it by the top and left the room to go and dispose of it outside the offices.
“Oh gosh, I knew we needed to get this place de-bugged – what’s she going to say with a new job and this kind of thing going on in the office. Oh blow!”
Ned and Miss Phelps looked hopelessly at each other and both shrugged deeply. THE END
