"She's One Tough Bitch", thats what everyone said.  I didn't really think about it much.  Our paths didn't cross.  I didn't have anything to say to her or about her.  That changed last Tuesday.  So many people had complained how she bulldozed them in meetings.  I guess it was her turn to try and bulldoze me.

 It started off amiably, the first hint that things were going south when she tried to steer some work to me, which I easily deflected.  I guess she didn't like that, she really poured it on after that.  Finally I did what nobody else seemed to do.

"Pamela, I don't think I can help you with that at this time, but I'll be more than happy to add it to the pile".

She cleared the board room for a private discussion.  I guess that worked on some people... the idea of being stuck in there with her alone.

She started out viciously "If you ever do that again I'll have you fired".  I simply sat there letting her get it off her chest, and listened.  "I've never had someone question my authority like that, what gives you the right to question me, you worthless piece of shit...".  She continued on for 5 minutes of cursing at me.  Finally she seemed to calm down.  I sat there and waited, and then said "Does that usually work?: and she started to laugh while saying "Yes".

"You like pushing them don't you?" I said.  To which she replied "Yes, I love it".  At which point the sexual tension was thick as a knife.  She pulled out my file, and opened it, and said "You have a lot of boring positions in here, working for a paper company, working for an insurance company, half of them in god-forsaken places, I have had my eye on you since you came on-board.  I did some digging...  It so happens you seemed to be in places where there was almost always some kind of conflict".  I sat there letting the last statement dangle for a minute and then said "You've done your homework".

"Yes I have, you disappeared after college... a strange choice of degrees and then nothing for 5 years".  What were you doing in those five years?  "Odd jobs mostly - I didn't think they were relevant for this position".  

Then she started small talk.  Loaded with suggestive imagery, I responded with equallly sugestive imagery, and we continued that way for ten minutes.  She enjoyed playing with her prey.  Finally she said "After careful consideration, I might keep you on if your willing to play ball, but otherwise I'm going to ask for your resignation".

 Hard ball, which was what I loved.

 "I don't think you want to do that Pam".  She looked at me with a raised brow, and I continued "I'm the first person who's stood up to you, and we want each other.  For forms sake, I'm going to work late tonight, and I'll happen to be leaving at the same time as you.  You can follow my car if you feel the same".

 At which point I stood up, and ruffled my shirt, splashed some water in strategic places so it looked like I'd just been trhough a train-wreck of a meeting, changed my expression and gait  to look absolutely destroyed and left the room looking like I'd been dismissed and thoroughly beaten.

A coworker said "need a drink?" and I replied "I need to work late tonight in a dejected way". 

I stopped once I saw her leave her office that night, grabbed my briefcase and walked to the elevator, still acting dishevelled.  Tradecraft becomes natural after a while.  We rode down, and I let her out first.  Her car was next to the elevator, a classy high-end thing.  So she'd have to wait for me to reach mine if she was going to wait.  I knew she would.

I reached my sedan and climbed in my car, a perfect selection for the kind of boring management professional I was, well , as far as everyone else was concerned.  It was inconspicuous enough.  She was waiting in her car right next to the exit catching my eye, so I left with her following.  Not right behind me, a nice touch I thought - not right on my rear bumper like some kid.

To be ctd