The Ascendant

Chapter Fourteen

Walking down Hampstead Road, briefcase and umbrella in hand, I arrive at my new office block. It’s 8.45am, just early enough to create the right impression without seeming too eager.

I stride up the wide steps to the front entrance, and walk through the revolving door. The building is modern and very plush, almost palatial. The wall coverings appear to be hand woven and the furnishings are minimalist but most likely exceedingly expensive. My posture is good, my chin raised to portray a confident or even arrogant disposition. My suit has been crisply pressed, my hair gelled firmly in place, my skin clean, smooth and moist. I look the part, just as I did when I was last here approximately one month ago.

The receptionist greets me warmly as I introduce myself, placing my briefcase and umbrella on the floor beside me.

‘Hello Mr Lagman, my name is Jennifer,’ she says smiling radiantly at me. I never had this sort of response in my old job. ‘It’s your first day today isn’t it?’

‘Indeed it is, Jennifer. I understand Mr Hobbs is expecting me, but I think I am a shade early.’

‘No problem at all, Mr Lagman. If you would just like to take a seat, I shall let Mr Hobbs know you are here.’

Just stay cool and calm: remember he wants you to be a success every bit as much as you do, although admittedly he does expect you to know what you’re doing.

Hobbs arrives and greets me like an old friend, all wide smiles, handshakes and questions about my welfare.

I reply, ‘yes, absolutely fine Paul. Just looking forward to getting stuck in really.'

‘There’ll be plenty of time for that, don’t you worry,’ he laughs.

How much time will I be given, I wonder.

I’m being led into a glass lift, and Hobbs presses the button for the fourth floor.

‘You got some accommodation sorted out alright then, I presume Ben,’ says Hobbs, like it was the most straight forward thing in the world. After all, what could possibly go wrong?

‘Yes, I found a nice place just over in St Thomas Gardens, towards Chalk Farm.’

‘Oh, very convenient,’ Hobbs says as he gestures for me to walk out of the lift.

‘Thank you.’

We have arrived in an open plan office, similar in size to my old call centre but markedly different in most other ways. For a start there are about half as many people and workstations, probably no more than twenty five. The office has been split into sections or departments with roughly half a dozen people per section. Hobbs is walking over towards the far corner, where there is a private office with about five or six desks stationed outside it.

‘Here we are,’ he says, ‘your new domain.’

We have arrived at one of the desks outside the private office which I presume is where Hobbs is based. The desk has been finished with a pine laminate and is rather expansive with an executive chair positioned behind it, and a computer and filing system neatly placed on top of it.

‘Let me introduce you to the team, or at least the ones who are in the office today. You’ll find you’re out and about in the field quite a lot of the time’ he says whilst walking over to a blond haired man who looks a couple of years older than me. ‘Over here we have Rob Fletcher, he’s responsible for East London and Essex. Rob, may I just introduce you to Ben Lagman, he is going to be the new Project Manager for the North London area.’

Rob and I exchange nods and hello’s.

‘Rob’s background is in the building industry,’ continues Hobbs. ‘He actually used to have his own company before he decided it would be easier to work for someone else instead, isn’t that right Rob?’