by Katie Bradford
Ms. Caroline Bryce was running late as usual. The suit she had laid out the night before ended up being tossed aside when she saw a small stain on the collar. Of all days to discover she needed to look for a new cleaner! She had a very important meeting in less then an hour and she was already behind.
Not wanting to, but finding she had no choice, Caroline put on her other business suit. It was okay but a little frillier. She wanted to make a big impression on the men she was seeing that morning. She didn't want them thinking of her as a pushover just because she was a woman. Somehow, wearing pink wasn't going to pull off quite the same effect as her black suit would have.
After making herself as presentable as possible, Caroline flew out of her apartment, nearly knocking old Mrs. Flannigan over who was picking up the newspaper outside her door.
"Oh my goodness dear." Mrs. Flannigan stood up as quickly as her small crippled body would allow her. "You're in such a hurry this morning."
"Sorry Mrs. Flannigan, I'm late for a meeting. I have twenty minutes left to get there." Caroline stopped to explain hurriedly. The last thing she wanted to do was start a conversation with the woman because once she got going, she just wouldn’t shut up!
"My arthritis is acting up this morning," Mrs. Flannigan complained as she held her hand to her back. "Be glad you're so young dear. When you get old-"
Caroline interrupted her neighbor mid-sentence as she sprinted down the hall, which was no small feat in her high heels. "I'm sorry Mrs. Flannigan, I don't mean to sound rude but I have to run. My boss will be really pissed if I'm late."
Mrs. Flannigan waved goodbye as she leaned down once more to pick up her paper. "Okay dear. Hope you have a nice little meeting."
Nice little meeting. Caroline smirked. Not likely. She and Lance had been busting their ass for the last month to get this account. Everything they had presented to Mr. Mann so far had been shot down for one reason or another. She was praying everything would go smoothly this morning. Looking at her watch for the thirtieth time in the last ten minutes, Caroline punched the elevator button and waited impatiently for the door to open.
Caroline sat in her office totally deflated. She had missed the meeting by fifteen minutes. Mr. Mann had stormed out, mumbling he had more important things to do than to wait all day on someone who obviously didn't care one way or the other about handling his account. Lance was totally infuriated with her and hadn't spoken a word to her since berating her relentlessly in his office upon her arrival.
She had been trying all morning to get through to Mr. Mann via his secretary but had been told he was in meetings until late afternoon, and that he would return her call when he was through. While waiting for his return call, Caroline tried working on other accounts but found she simply could not concentrate on them. She was worried sick about having lost the Mann account!
It was almost five that afternoon before the call finally came. After many apologies and promising the best possible presentation, Caroline was granted another meeting, but this time it would be held in Mr. Mann's office. She was to be there at eight sharp.
Caroline made sure to be in Mann's office early the next morning. However, Lance, who seemed rather unsure about his employee's dependability, was there even earlier. Miss Stephens, Mr. Mann's secretary, handed Caroline a note as she informed her that Lance had already joined Mr. Mann in his office.
Frowning slightly as she took the note from the secretary, Caroline asked, "What's this?"
Miss Stephens looked up and replied rather pompously, "Mr. Mann wanted to be sure you received this note before you entered the meeting this morning. He asked me to be sure and tell you to read it closely and do precisely what it says."
"A note? What does it say?" Caroline asked, wrinkling her nose as she accepted the envelope.
"I can assure you ma'am I have no idea," came the secretary's imperious response as she picked up the phone and began speaking into it. "Mr. Mann? Ms. Bryce is here... yes sir.” Looking up at Caroline she added, “Mr. Mann said he'll expect you in ten minutes."
Caroline looked at the snotty woman and was about to tell her off but decided for the sake of her company she'd better curb her tongue. Instead, she lifted her nose slightly and sniffed. “Thanks."
On the outside Caroline may have appeared calm and collected but on the inside it felt like a fleet of butterflies had just been released in the pit of her stomach. Taking the envelope, Caroline looked about hoping to find a spot she could read the note in privacy, then heard the snappy voice of the secretary once more.
"Go through that door over there." The secretary smirked as she pointed to a door off to the left. "There's a bathroom in there as well."
"I don't need a..." Caroline started but could see the secretary was totally disinterested as she turned back to her computer. However, Caroline decided to go on to the suggested room to look over the note. She couldn't imagine what Mr. Mann would have written in a note that he couldn't just tell her in a few minutes.
Opening the door to the appointed room, Caroline saw that it was just an ordinary waiting room. A few chairs here and there, an empty desk over to one side and several other different doors along the sides of the wall. Even though her curiosity was aroused, she chose to ignore the labels on each of the doors momentarily as her ten minutes was running out. Plopping down heavily in one of the chairs, she tore the edge off of the envelope and began reading the letter inside.
Dear Miss Bryce,
We are holding the meeting in my office, which is the second door on the right. It is well labeled. Before coming in however, you must read this contract and agree to its terms, otherwise please inform Miss Stephens that you are turning down the offer. She will in turn inform me. At that point any partnership we may have had becomes void.
Yesterday's fiasco was inexcusable. In the business world there is no place for such negligence. When you called to reschedule I only considered it because your past performance has been impeccable. However, I am unable to allow your unprofessional conduct to go unpunished.
If you were one of my employees, you would have been called in on the carpet for your lateness and punished. I expect no less from people I have dealings with. In order for us to continue doing business together you must agree to submit to the following:
1) Use the restroom connected to this room to remove all your clothes from the waist down. If your shirt hangs even the slightest bit across your bottom, it will need to be removed as well. If you are cooperative and respectful once you enter the conference room, you will be allowed to keep the rest of your clothing on.
However, if you prove to be rude and disrespectful, you will be asked to remove any remaining item on your body. You must accept responsibility for your mistakes and take your punishment accordingly.
2) Come into the conference room through the bathroom. Once you are in the room, we will discuss what punishment you are to receive but I am sure you can figure from your attire that it will be corporal.
3) You are certainly able to refuse this offer but it will also end our business dealings and I think your company may be a little vexed if that should happen. Everything is in your hands right now. Choose wisely.
4) If you chose to take the punishment you'd better start moving. This offer ends at eight ten.
Horace Mann
Caroline could not believe what she had just read. Looking at her watch, she saw it was eight o'clock straight up. There wasn't much time to mull over her options. However deep inside, she knew there was nothing to mull over. She had to accept the conditions or possibly be fired! She began wondering if the whole thing was legal. Could Mr. Mann really force her to do what he just wrote? She was inclined to think he might be in big trouble if she reported him. However, that would definitely lose her company the biggest account in their area. Plus, big corporations like the Mann's had lawyers that could easily get the charges dropped. She wasn't naïve about such things. And she had to admit he had her over a barrel because he wasn’t forcing her to accept his terms - she had a choice!
Clutching the note nervously in one hand, she hurried into the bathroom. She knew he was serious when he said the offer expired at 8:10. She wasn't looking forward to facing the group of men on the other side of that door but she sure couldn't afford to lose the account either.
After hurriedly following all the directions, Caroline stood totally naked from the waist down. Her pin-striped pants and panties were folded neatly and stashed on one of the counters in the bathroom. Now she stood with her hand on the doorknob that led to the conference room but couldn't quite make herself turn it. All she could think of were five men sitting there watching her with their lecherous looks as she entered the room. It was hard to believe being late for one meeting would come to this!
Knowing her time was up, she turned the knob and walked in with her head low. The conference room was nothing out of the ordinary. It had a long table in the middle of the room with eight swivel chairs set around it upon which five were occupied.
"Ahh, there she is." Mr. Mann smiled as he turned in his swivel chair. "I knew she'd come. And right on time... good girl."
With her briefcase covering as much of her privates as possible, Caroline asked, "Mr. Mann, is this really necessary? This is so humiliating!"
"Lay your briefcase on the table and put your hands by your side, Miss Bryce. Believe me, by the end of the morning, there will be very little we haven't seen. Plus we are all married men, we have daughters, you have nothing we haven't already seen... except," he paused as he leaned over the side of his chair and looked at Caroline's bottom, "you do have an exceptional looking ass. Of course from the clothing you've worn in the past I already gathered you did. Nice, round, and very spankable. Looks like it will jiggle and bounce for us quite nicely today."
Caroline gasped. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the other men nodding their heads in agreement as they openly ogled her nudity – including her wonderful boss, Lance.
"I'm sorry I was late yesterday Mr. Mann," Caroline implored hoping to help her pitiful situation. "I promise never to be late again," she added as she set her briefcase on the table.
"I should hope not Miss Bryce. Hopefully your experience this morning will detour you from being late for anything ever again."
"Isn't there any other way to settle this?"
"No I am afraid there isn't. In order for us to continue our business, you will need to submit to the same punishment I would give one of my employees. I'm sure you can understand that and I believe I stated that in my letter already. Am I not correct?"
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