COMPASSION

Chapter 19

The Escort

Joe Havard’s boss Fred is having a closed-door meeting with Dennis and Tony Joes coworkers. It has been a month since Joe’ s Mother died and his work performance has slipped considerably. He is wandering around the factory, not answering phones, not returning calls and entering orders wrong. Something has to be done.
 
Fred looks worried and tells Dennis and Tony he is concerned, “ You guys know I have to do something. Joe’s work performance is affecting this department and will impact our bonuses and more importantly our reputation with our customers. I got a call from Dick Storm from Storm Door and he received ten doors but only ordered one door from Joe. I told him he should fax his orders but he wants to give them verbally over the phone. Luckily I gave him a special price and the sizes are all ten by ten so he will keep
the order. Joe’s work performance has always been exceptional.”
 
“Fred Joe will come around. If you want I can check his orders before they go into the shop?”  Dennis offers.
 
“If things do not change with Joe I either have to lay him off or fire him. I do not want to do either. I am afraid to have him take some time off because then he will be with his older brother all day long and that would be terrible for both of them.” 
 
Roberta knocks on the office door and enters the meeting, “Fred I have Wolfe from Medro Door on the phone for you.”
 
“Could you tell him I will call him back in fifteen minutes.”
 
Roberta replies, “He said it is urgent!” 
 
“Everything is urgent with him. Tell him I am in the bathroom and I will call him as soon as I get out. Okay, what I want you guys to do is take Joe over to the Main Diner and Hotel this Friday and meet a new door dealer that just came up from Philadelphia to tour the plant.”
 
“Who is the dealer?” Dennis asks.
 
“The woman is named Vanessa and she works for a local escort service. I have paid her and she has agreed to pretend to be a door dealer to help Joe with his fantasy date.”
 
“What fantasy date?”  Tony asks.
 
“The one I paid for so Joe could get laid.”
 
“Fred I do not think this is a good idea,” Tony says hesitantly.
 
“Listen if Joe does not learn to relax and focus on his job he is going to wind up out of a job or in a mental hospital,” Fred warns Tony and Dennis.
 
Dennis and Tony reluctantly agree to the plan of taking Joe over to meet the escort. Friday arrives and the trio pulls into the parking lot of the Main Diner and park the car and enter the lobby. They immediately are drawn to a tall Beautiful Brunette woman with
shoulder length hair and a red business suit. They approach the woman and ask if she is from Belle Door.
 
She replies, “ Yes, And you gentlemen are?”   
 
“I am Tony, this is Dennis and the handsome man behind us is Joe. We are all from Apple Door Company. Why don’t we have lunch before we head back to the plant for the tour,” Tony leads the way to the table? Everyone takes a seat and orders from the menu.
 
The woman can’t stop staring at Joe and extends her hand to him, “ My name is Belle.”
“Joe replies, “ Nice to meet you.”
 
“I am excited about meeting all of you today. I understand you make the best doors in the business. Joe, can you tell me why your doors have a superior reputation?”
 
“We haven’t really changed the design of the door in the last ten years so our production people keep making the same door and there are very little changes that surprise them which helps keep our quality rating high.” 
 
“That is good to know Joe,”  Belle takes a drink from her water glass. “Oh, the food is here. Waitress can I have a glass of red wine. Guys you can order a drink I won’t tell Fred.”
 
Dennis and Tony look at each other because alcohol is not permitted during business hours. Both order a bottle of beer since Belle promised not to report them.
 
Belle asks Joe,”What are you drinking?” 
 
Joe tells the waitress, “Diet Coke.”
 
Belle okes, “ You should put some bourbon in that coke.”
 
She finishes her lunch early and asks Joe for help, “Joe could you come back to my room and help me with a roll of drawings I want you to review. I need you to do the door take off and give me a quote. It’s for the new Philadelphia Football stadium they are going to build.”
 
“Sure you lead the way.” Joe follows the woman to her room.
  
Dennis says to Tony, “ Joe seems to like her.”
 
“Maybe Fred is right,” Tony replies.
Belle unlocks her hotel room door and Joe follows her into her room.  
 
“Could you close the door? Why don’t you take a seat I will only be a few minutes.?I have to get something from the bedroom.” 
 
Joe takes a seat on the couch and several minutes pass of total silence. Joe hears the woman crying in her bedroom and walks to her door and looks in and sees Vanessa sitting on her bed. She is upset and drinking a glass of whiskey.”
 
Joe asks, “Is everything okay?”
 
Belle turns to Joe and tearfully tells him, “I am sorry it just that I was thinking of my brother. He would be so proud of me today making this business trip to take on a new product line for our family business. He died in a motorcycle accident last fall.” 
 
“I am very sorry to hear that,”  Joe tells Vanessa.
 
“Could you do me a favor, Joe?” Belle asks. Could you come over here and sit next to me on the bed?”
 
A nervous and confused Joe is not sure what to do but does not want to disappoint a new dealer so he sits on the bed next to Belle. “ So I don’t feel like a drunk can you have one drink
with me?” 
 
“I really don’t drink. I just drink at the Christmas Office Party,”  Joe replies.
 
“Please, Joe could you do me this one favor.”
 
Belle pours Joe a drink and hands him the glass and offers a toast, “To my brother who I will always love.”  Finishing the drink she reaches over to the radio nightstand and asks Joe, “Do you like music?”
 
“Yes I like Billy Idol.”
 
Belle smiles at Joe and tells him he is my favorite singer and leans into Joe and kisses him on the cheek. Joe is startled and gets off the bed and away from Belle
 
“I am sorry Joe it’s just that I was so happy you liked him and I
really like you.”
 
Belle stands up and start to unbutton her business blouse, “ Joe the first time I saw you in the lobby you turned me on. I just said to myself I have to have him he makes me so hot and horny! You are such a sexy guy!”
 
Not wanting to anger a new dealer Joe is not sure what to do but is confused, “ Did you want me to carry the roll of drawings back to the car so I can work on the quote?”
 
Vanessa approaches Joe but a voice inside his head tells him to leave the room. Joe heads for the door but Vanessa grabs him and pulls him over to the bed and throws him down. She tells Joe she wants him to make love to her now and reaches for Joe’s pants.
 
Joe confused and red-faced tells Vanessa ever since his Mother Died last month he is having a hard time concentrating on his job and he is afraid he is going to get fired. He tells her if the company found out he had sex with a dealer they would fire him immediately.
 
Belle asks Joe, “You told Fred you wanted to have a Fantasy Date with a Beautiful Girl. I am that girl! Fred is granting you your wish.”
 
Joe replies, “I never told Fred anything like that. I am going back to the restaurant. I will meet you there. I don’t understand what this is all about but if I stay here I am going to throw up. I don’t feel good.” Joe exits the room and returns to his co-workers.
 
Joe joins Dennis and Tony at their table. He excitedly tells them, “That Lady is crazy she is taking off her clothes.”
 
Tony asks, “What did she say to you?”
 
“Something about her brother dying and she is lonely.”
 
Dennis tells Joe, “ She is one hot lady.” 
 
A angry Belle returns to the table and pulls Tony to the side, “What is wrong with your friend? Where does he think he is going to get a better piece if ass than me? What is he gay?” 
 
“He just does not have much experience with women. Fred thought if he could get laid it would straighten him out since he is a mess since his Mother died.” Tony explains.
 
“Tell Fred the next time he wants me to entertain a friend of his make sure the guy has balls. Tell your buddy Joe he has nothing to be ashamed of I sucked smaller dicks than his. Oh yea...why did Fred want me to tell him my brother died. I don’ t even have a
brother.”  Belle storms out of the diner onto her next date.
 
Tony tells Joe and Dennis it’s time to get back to work.
 
Joe asks, “Tony is she coming back to the plant?”
 
Tony tells Joe, “She said she had a change in plans. I don’t think she would be a good dealer for our products. Let get back to the plant.”