Opportunity Strikes All Around

Chapter 3

The phone ringing woke Andrew up. Monica was calling him and he had no idea why.

"Hello" Andrew answered the phone.

"Hi. Why aren't you down here right now. By the way you never came back to work yesterday," She said.

"Because I was sleeping," andrew replied, ignoring her comment.

"Well get your butt down here. The Mayor and Charlie are both down here waiting for you. I can't hold them off for much longer," Monica quietly yelled into the phone, while smiling at the guests."

"Oh crap. Be down there in a second. On second though more like ten minutes. Bye." Andrew hung up quickly.

He jumped up and put on clean underwear, blue jeans, turquoise button up shirt, with a green tie, black socks, and his black genuine leather ankle boots, men's office shoes on. He ran out the door with everything, surprisingly.

Ten minutes later he was greeting the Mayor and Charlie. Monica was surprised Andrew had actually made it in ten minutes. Andrew unlocked his door and welcomed them in. He closed the door behind him. Andrew sat down in his chair behind his desk. He handed them the three design ideas as they sat down across from him. For a while they looked them over.

"I like this one the best. It gives great symbolism to this city," the Mayor commented.

"Let me see which one you have chosen." Andrew motioned to the design.

The Mayor handed him a piece of paper with, of course, his design on it.

"I agree. This is a great one!"

"Who is the person who gave you this one?" the Mayor asked

"That would be Tony. He is right there talking to Amy." Andrew answered.

"We shall go congratulate him, then. Let's go Charlie." The Mayor commanded.

Charlie had been silent the whole time. He got up. "I'll be out in a second Mayor," Charlie told him.

The mayor nodded. He walked out the door and down to Tony.

"Good work with the designs. That drawing isn't Tony's though, it's yours. You always do this. It's what makes you very good at your job. Now don't run late again with an important meeting," Charlie told Andrew.

"Who says I was late. I can come whenever I want. As a grey turned white wizard once said, "A wizard is never late. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to." Anyway, I was here within ten minutes of Monica calling me," Andrew answered, observing the reaction from Charlie.

"That's the one thing I forgot, you are stubborn and a pain, but you are also the very best person who has ever run the Design Department. I better go make sure Tony doesn't do anything that would cost you or him." Charlie finished saying. With that he left Andrew's office.

After the Mayor and Charlie had left, Tony came up to talk to Andrew. He came in and sat down.

"Tony, I think you better be able to lie," Tony nodded, "good because the design is mine, but I don't want the credit. So, I am giving it to you. You deserve it. This might even get you famous. You could be known as the man who was the designer of the city. I do this with employees that are ready to move up. Feel special, I am letting you go. It is time that you venture out into the public eye. What you have learned will come in handy and stay opened minded. Tomorrow the press and many others will be here, for you. Be wise with your chance, I will get someone to do the work you have been working on. Now here is a copy of what is now YOUR design. Go home think about what you're going to say. You can go now," Andrew said.

"Thank you for this opportunity, boss. I will not disappoint you," Tony excitedly commented. He was then out the door.

Around 4:30 pm, Andrew closed up. He headed home where he poured himself a glass of scotch. He sat on the couch, playing guitar, singing songs he had written. Many who had heard him play said that he was amazing, he would never directly say that though. His parents were never around to hear him play or didn't care, he wasn't sure which one it was. He would sip his scotch in between songs. He eventually drifted off into a sleep on the couch with his guitar on his lap.