Because the Night
Are you a night owl or are you the early bird? What’s your most productive time of day? When do you do your best work?

Daily Prompt on WordPress ~ 17th December 2015 ~

Image © Copyright ~,John and Margaret

“BECAUSE THE NIGHT”

by John Yeo

   Lenny was a rising star in his field, he had started at the bottom of the organisation and had been rapidly promoted to area-manager.   Ruthlessly brushing aside his rivals, he had used every trick in the book to get where he was today.
     The confidence levels of the superstar, super sales-manager were at the highest levels. He was a dynamo that never seemed to slow down, or break down. Record figures on his monthly sales graph told the story of his infinitely clever abilities.
  One day he was ordered to attend a very special meeting with his well known, internationally famous boss.
  Ricky Ricardo, was a guitarist who had made a pile from the recording industry and was now diversifying into other areas. Lenny was both intrigued and flattered to attend this meeting, he had always been a fan of his bosses music and he couldn’t contain his curiosity.
   Lenny stepped into a huge outer office and was directed to a seat by a secretary.
       “Please take a seat, Mr Ricardo is expecting you and he is aware you are here.”
    “Thank you,” Lenny replied. Looking around this outer office, Lenny noticed that the walls were covered with photographs and memento’s of Ricky Ricardo’s long established career in the music industry.
The secretary smiled and motioned Lenny towards the main office.
     “You can go in now.”
  Entering the office, Lenny gasped in surprise to be confronted by an aged, wizened wrinkled man, seated behind a huge desk.
         “Hi! Don’t look so shocked son. We all get a little older each day. I know what you are thinking and I am not surprised at your reaction. Take a seat. I am impressed with your performance since you joined the company, and I want to make you an offer that I hope you will find difficult to refuse.”
   “Thank you Sir!” responded Lenny.
            “Call me Ricky, How are you sleeping lately? I fully understand if you are having difficulty with your sleeping patterns. We all do after a while. That last deal you made, must have cost you an awful lot of sleep the way you ruthlessly ripped off those people for the benefit of the company.”
  Taken aback, Lenny just murmured, “I sleep OK!”
              “Do you really? That’s amazing, I always toss and turn after I have screwed a few people for all they have got the world. That’s how I got to look like this, because the night is always the time your conscience should be bothering you. Are you sure?”
    “Well!” intoned Lenny “Now you come to mention it, I do have a few problems and the Doctor has prescribed sleeping tablets.”
               “I knew it son, you have a long way to go yet, I am going to give you early retirement with a month’s pay in lieu of notice.”
    Lenny was stunned. “But why?” was all he could get out.
              “Call it justice son. That last lady you conned out of her life savings was a distant relative of mine. Think about it tonight, because the night is the time things begin to catch up on you.”

Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.