The Happy Happy Village

Ms. Mercedes (Part-2)

-"Assistance"-

"I know who you are." I said raising a shaky finger, "You're that woman from that bill board."

"You have a good eye," Mercedes giggled as she began to blush. "Of course visitors have mentioned our billboard before, but it's been awhile since someone like you noticed the resemblance that quickly." She examined my grey suit and tie again, she began to grow an interested grin, "We don't get many business men around here Mr. Eliot." She placed her hands on my shoulders as she looked at me with dreamy eyes.

"Getting a bit touchy aren't we?" I said as I felt her hands rubbing back and forth across the suits fabric.

"You're just perfect sir. Absolutely perfect." Perfect for what exactly? I hadn't the slightest idea, but I could tell you that this whole scene felt very strange and new to me. I never thought I'd be handled by a stranger who looked to have already fallen in love with me. The scene only became more awkward for me as it went, for Mercedes then began to wrap her arms around my neck and pulled me-

"Look," I said killing the romantic mood and removing the leader's arms off of my back, freeing my neck. "Can you help me or not?" I had already wasted enough time already, I still had a job to appear for and I was running late as it is.

"Oh yes, certainly!" She approached a set of stairs leading to the 2nd floor, "Right this way to my office Mr. Eliot." She giggled, "I know exactly what I can do for you!" She began to quickly climb the steps, feeling giddy and a bit overconfident to be helping someone with a problem like mine. I doubt she even knew why I needed assistance, and as hypnotizing as her eyes were she didn't look at all like a mind reader. I really didn't have my hopes up very high at all.

By the time I reached the top of the flight of stairs, Mercedes was already waiting for me at the top. She had her hand on the door knob as she watched me with a twinkle in her eye. She turned the door knob, and opened the door. "Right this way Mr. Eliot." Ms. Mercedes said in a more serious voice.

The office was fairly simple looking for the command center of a village leader. The room had nothing more than a huge desk, a potted fern sitting in the back corner, some more framed equal signs on the wall, and two big leather chairs for sitting. I doubt I would ever work if I had to use this as an office. The room was more of a slap in the face rather than luxury for the big boss, but at least the room's one window offered an excellent view of the whole town.

"Please, have a seat. Make yourself comfortable." Mercedes suggested as she slowly closed the door behind her. She made her way to her side of the desk as I sat myself in the big leather chair on my side of the desk. To my surprise, it was real. Most corporate bosses would have you sit in a bare bones economic chair, the ones that made you sit up or else you'd hurt yourself if you ever leaned back. A chair like this one is every hard working office worker's dream to come true.

I shifted myself in the chair's fine cushion, pulling it up to the desk where Mercedes was waiting patiently for me to make final adjustments. After I was settled, the young woman cleared her throat and began to speak. "Now then Mr. Eliot, before I can help you I wish to ask you a couple of questions. That is if you don't mind?"

"Fine by me," I replied, anything if it means getting the help I needed.

"Very well," she sat upright and fired away, "What do you, or shall I say, did you do before you came here? And how exactly did you find the Happy Happy Village?"

"Well, I'm a business man," I said, "today would be my first day on the job, or at least it would've been if the car hadn't broken down. Leak sprang in the radiator."