would use the opportunity to meet those fine people from Toronto. She would make the most of
it, enjoy herself; it would do her the world of good. Ten days in sunny Florida would crown Ken too. She hoped he could go, couldn't wait to get home to tell him. He would be delighted - he would definitely go - sure Florida is the home
of golf - he'd be in Heaven.
It was two-thirty to the second when Jenny entered the Chief Executive's plush office on the top floor. Don Lenihan greeted her with his
usual insincere waffle. She was impatient to get down to real business - he was more interested in her personal life, something she always resented, and was determined to nip in the bud every time.
'You've made a remarkable recovery, Jenny.'
'Yes, I feel fine now, thank you.'
'You shouldn't overdo it though ... take things easy for a while, build yourself up.'
'Oh, I'll be fine ... a day longer, a day stronger.'
'It was a horrible thing to happen ... you were very unlucky.'
God, will he ever leave off. She was becoming tired of this.
'It could happen to anyone,' she said.
'Would you ever consider changing hobbies? You know, change
to a less hazardous one?'
Jenny was now at the 'end of her tether.' That was enough. She looked him in the eye.
'Did you ever have an accident, Don?'
He thought - smiled.
'Come to think of it, I actually did ... it was a long time ago.'
Jenny waited, wishing he would get on with it - not sure if her little trick question was such a good idea after all.
'Well, what happened?'
'I was in my bedroom ...'
'An accident in your bedroom?'
'Yes, dressing myself, hurrying to go somewhere.'
'And?' She wondered where this as leading to.
'Sitting on the side of the bed pulling up my socks and bang! A disc in my back slipped. I collapsed on the floor and couldn't stir ... was there for two hours ... ended up in hospital ... out of work for three
months.'
Jenny didn't know whether to laugh or show sympathy. She did neither, but saw her chance.
'That was amazing ... a freak accident really.'
'Oh yes; for me at the time it was very serious ... the Company weren't very happy either.'
'Well, tell me now, Don?' She paused thoughtfully - he suspected she was up to something. 'Did you change? I mean ...
did you ever wear socks again?'
He was stunned. Looking down at his outstretched legs, clad in their usual bright colours, he retorted:
'Of course I didn't change. You know I wear socks ... don't
be ridiculous Jenny.'
'Well, the same applies to me, Don. It's you're being ridiculous suggesting I should change my lifestyle just because I had a freak accident. That makes two of us, doesn't it?'
'Point taken,' he replied tamely, accepting his defeat, and
mentally cursing himself for mixing it with this 'crafty little woman' who wins every time.
They got down to the real purpose of the meeting - a review of the previous month's business.
* * *
Jenny was in the sitting room working on the drawings for her new stables. Getting started was proving more difficult than she had expected. She hadn't done this before - it was all new to her. She had procured
the tools during her lunch-break in Dublin, also a book on building plans which showed her the correct format to follow. It looked straight forward and easy enough in theory -doing it for the first time was proving a real challenge. She had all the measurements, had decided on the scale, had plenty of drawing paper
to discard mistakes and start again - she would persist and succeed eventually.
She didn't expect any interruptions. Ken wasn't due home for another two hours - working late again. She would work for an hour and a half,
and put them away. There was no big rush on the project. She would take her time, do it right, enjoy doing it.
She would then show it to Ken, finished and ready for building. That way, he would get the full picture, see all the hard work she
had put into it. He would realise that she was determined to complete the
it, enjoy herself; it would do her the world of good. Ten days in sunny Florida would crown Ken too. She hoped he could go, couldn't wait to get home to tell him. He would be delighted - he would definitely go - sure Florida is the home
of golf - he'd be in Heaven.
It was two-thirty to the second when Jenny entered the Chief Executive's plush office on the top floor. Don Lenihan greeted her with his
usual insincere waffle. She was impatient to get down to real business - he was more interested in her personal life, something she always resented, and was determined to nip in the bud every time.
'You've made a remarkable recovery, Jenny.'
'Yes, I feel fine now, thank you.'
'You shouldn't overdo it though ... take things easy for a while, build yourself up.'
'Oh, I'll be fine ... a day longer, a day stronger.'
'It was a horrible thing to happen ... you were very unlucky.'
God, will he ever leave off. She was becoming tired of this.
'It could happen to anyone,' she said.
'Would you ever consider changing hobbies? You know, change
to a less hazardous one?'
Jenny was now at the 'end of her tether.' That was enough. She looked him in the eye.
'Did you ever have an accident, Don?'
He thought - smiled.
'Come to think of it, I actually did ... it was a long time ago.'
Jenny waited, wishing he would get on with it - not sure if her little trick question was such a good idea after all.
'Well, what happened?'
'I was in my bedroom ...'
'An accident in your bedroom?'
'Yes, dressing myself, hurrying to go somewhere.'
'And?' She wondered where this as leading to.
'Sitting on the side of the bed pulling up my socks and bang! A disc in my back slipped. I collapsed on the floor and couldn't stir ... was there for two hours ... ended up in hospital ... out of work for three
months.'
Jenny didn't know whether to laugh or show sympathy. She did neither, but saw her chance.
'That was amazing ... a freak accident really.'
'Oh yes; for me at the time it was very serious ... the Company weren't very happy either.'
'Well, tell me now, Don?' She paused thoughtfully - he suspected she was up to something. 'Did you change? I mean ...
did you ever wear socks again?'
He was stunned. Looking down at his outstretched legs, clad in their usual bright colours, he retorted:
'Of course I didn't change. You know I wear socks ... don't
be ridiculous Jenny.'
'Well, the same applies to me, Don. It's you're being ridiculous suggesting I should change my lifestyle just because I had a freak accident. That makes two of us, doesn't it?'
'Point taken,' he replied tamely, accepting his defeat, and
mentally cursing himself for mixing it with this 'crafty little woman' who wins every time.
They got down to the real purpose of the meeting - a review of the previous month's business.
* * *
Jenny was in the sitting room working on the drawings for her new stables. Getting started was proving more difficult than she had expected. She hadn't done this before - it was all new to her. She had procured
the tools during her lunch-break in Dublin, also a book on building plans which showed her the correct format to follow. It looked straight forward and easy enough in theory -doing it for the first time was proving a real challenge. She had all the measurements, had decided on the scale, had plenty of drawing paper
to discard mistakes and start again - she would persist and succeed eventually.
She didn't expect any interruptions. Ken wasn't due home for another two hours - working late again. She would work for an hour and a half,
and put them away. There was no big rush on the project. She would take her time, do it right, enjoy doing it.
She would then show it to Ken, finished and ready for building. That way, he would get the full picture, see all the hard work she
had put into it. He would realise that she was determined to complete the
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