Chapter 5: A Liberated Woman Goes...Shopping

Sleep finally came, although it was fitful at best. Dreams were disjointed, unorganized, however her mother had always told her, "Dreaming is how your mind clears the clutter. It gets rid of all the useless drivel and makes way for more." Hmmmmm, no wonder in her dream last night, Gosen had been buck naked, tied to a railroad track and covered with oregano, while the Italian love song Volare' played in the background.

Groaning, she rolled over, sat up, and took a deep breath, ready to face the new day and her new future. Unfortunately, she now faced the slumbering form of the drunk who occupied the spot next to hers - and the deep breath, well...it was not the "best part of waking up." How often did these people bathe anyway?

A quick stop in the women's restroom told her she was in need of a bath too. "What a rotten time to start my period," she thought. Rummaging through her purse, Jane managed to come up with two quarters for the necessity machine on the wall. Buying one for now and one for later, she was pondering just how she was going to start this new life with two tampons, a half empty box of Tic-Tacs, $12.53, and some purse lint, when her fingertips found something unexpected at the bottom of her bag.

Gosen's company American Express card.

How had it gotten there? Who cares? It was the beginning of the month and knowing how little attention he paid to his expense accounts till they were due at the end of each month, Jane smiled evilly and envisioned 28 days of non stop, no credit limit spending. Starting NOW.

Spiffing herself up as best she could, she asked the nuns for directions and then hit the sidewalk. First stop - infamous Peachtree Street and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Along the way, she caught sight of her reflection in a store window and realized she could not quite check-in to the glamorous Ritz looking like she had just slept in a gutter. No problem - have AMEX, will travel. And as Betty & Wilma used to say, "CHAAAAARRGE ITTTT!!!!"

She stopped into the first beauty salon she saw and asked for "the works." The next two hours flew by as she was cut, curled, coiffed and manicured to perfection. She even said yes, when they asked if she wanted her make-up done. Every last &*^$%$ eyelash charged to that bastard Gosen. Eyeing herself in the mirror, she looked remarkable. That sniveling little Mel Gibson wannabe would BEG for her attention if he could see her looking like this.

Next requirement would be a wardrobe. Sears? JC Penney? To hell with cut-rate fashion, she was going Sak's 5th Avenue, all the way. Three hours, five salesladies and $12,659 later, she was ready to make an entrance at The Ritz. The Sak's limousine was at her disposal and they carefully loaded her packages for the ride.

As the sleek, black fleet car pulled away, she envisioned Gosen's face when Accounting brought the charges on his card to his attention. And this was only the beginning - oh how she was going to make him pay. His Amex quickly gained her access to an Executive Suite on the Concierge Floor - only $1,100 a night. How many nights would she be staying? At least 27, and be a darling would you? Run a cash advance on that card for $5,000 please.

Ahhh, money - the lack of it makes one a nobody - an abundance gets your ass kissed by everybody.

Soaking in a hot bath, her thoughts drifted to the past she was leaving behind: people who treated her badly, a job that was on a one-way street to nowhere, and Gosen. That $@$^ even managed to ruin a 4 star bubble bath! Tears stung her eyes as she remembered her humiliation at his hands after the company Christmas party.

It had been your typical, booze flowing, Jingle Bell playing, boss-dressed-as-Santa shindig after office hours a couple days before Christmas. The company that did not give two shits in a whirlwind about its employees 364 days of the year plied them with alcohol, a catered in Thai buffet and some meager bonus checks for one evening. Fine. Jane was ready to party with the rest of the unappreciated, and even wore her holiday dress for the occasion. Sleek, silky, black, cut down to there, and up to here, worn with her hair pulled up and her highest heels. A far cry from her everyday data processing clothes, which consisted mainly of khaki pants and some boring button down shirts - her Data Duds, as she called them.

Dressed to kill, she was an immediate target for the already tipsy Gosen. He glued himself to her side all evening, refilling her drink, and oozing the charm. As the alcohol lowered her inhibitions, it also lowered her guard. She remembered him whispering something about Santa leaving a package in his office for her and before she knew it, she found herself behind the his closed office door, her dress more off than on, and Gosen more on than off.

What was she doing?!?

While she and virginity had parted company in high school, Jane was not loose, and MY GOD, she did have standards! Summoning every ounce of strength, she shoved him off. As he stumbled, his pants knotted around his knees, she got a good look at Santa's "package." Gosen must have been a bad boy, because the jolly old fellow had not been "generous" this year! She started laughing and ran from the office back to the drunken crowd.

The next day, she found that her humiliation was total and complete. Gosen was an expert at revisionist history and had concocted a lurid tale in which she was the Linda Lovelace of the office. But whereas Linda only rated the nickname Deep Throat, Gosen had bestowed upon her the moniker "Down The Drain, Jane" - a nod to her apparent epiglottal control.

Eeeeeeewwwwwww! As if! She shivered at the memory and added more hot water to the tub.

That night, her sleep was deep, restful, uninterrupted, but then there is something to be said for double goose down feather beds and 400 thread count Pratesi sheets. This was going to be a GOOD 27 days.

While savoring her room service breakfast of the perfect egg white, spinach and feta omelet, fresh squeezed orange juice and perfectly ripe melon, she gave some thought to what she would do when the Gosen Gravy Train came to an end. Ahhhhhhh, that's right, she had accepted that kind Lorenzo's offer of a waitressing job. AMEX card aside, she was not an impetuous girl. She understood life's practicalities, a job and income being two of the basics.

He had said he currently could only offer part-time, right? That would be perfect. Part-time would allow her to prove her worth to the new boss, enjoy some daily free Italian - God, how she loved a good marinara sauce! - and still leave her plenty of time each day to worship at the alter of Gosen's charge card.

Glancing through her new wardrobe, she realized she had nothing quite apron worthy. She certainly could not serve garlic bread in Gucci or Veal Parmesan in Versace. Sigh...another shopping trip. The Ritz doormen were only too happy to place her in the hotel's town car with directions to the nearest Gap. Funny how people are "only to happy" to do anything you ask when you sneak a $20 into their palm.

The Gap and Old Navy provided her with suitable waitressing attire - jeans, t-shirts - hell, she even threw in a couple button down oxfords for old time's sake. Now, she had one last stop before she headed back to The Ritz to call Lorenzo and set up her first schedule...

...the nearest computer store. Gosen may have been viewed her as just another dim data processor, but in truth she was as computer savvy as she now was revenge hungry. The Internet was her friend and together they were going to alter the entire course of Gosen the Gerkhin's existence.

Continue on to the next chapter, following Jane's plotline...
Continue on to the next chapter, following the original storyline...