The Return of Tina Goodytwoshoes!

In the last episode, Ben still couldn’t win a trick with the evil Penny Promo from marketing. Today, he had to talk to her about the final plans for Pets Day at Work. He had agreed to handle it during a rare moment of feeling responsible.  It was suggested by HR as part of his remediation for let’s just say ‘indiscretions’ with Penny.

Then he gets a phone call. No, it couldn’t be, could it?....

******

Ben was worried as he walked back to his desk. He opened his email. For the second time in the space of an hour, Ben’s ticker almost ticked out.

Invitation. Ben Boa.  Penny Promo asks you to join her in her private room. 12:30 – 2.00 pm.

“Private room?” thought Ben. This must be a trap. Penny was out to get him again, and this time he would not fall for it. After the coffee incident, he was trying really hard to have as little to do with Penny as possible. HR had advised him that, in an attempt to improve things, he should work with Penny to organise ‘Pets Day at Work'.

He had made several suggestions that Penny mostly ignored. But it was this Friday, just two days away. Ben really needed to make this work. He pressed decline and thought to himself, not this time, Penny! You will have to get up earlier than that to outsmart good old Benny!

He was really worried about this investigation. It seemed like the internal audit was taking a completely different pathway now.

He was supposed to be with Penny, but instead, he was reading whistleblower articles. Some of the headlines included:

• “Whistleblower case contends company misled the FDA”

• “Whistleblower collects $3.5 million”

• “Whistleblower awarded $7 million to settle cancer care provider's false claims”

• “SEC awards company insider $17 million to settle false claims"

He was busy planning his new house design, mentally picking the sort of car and boat he was going to get. He had convinced himself he was going to blow the whistle. He had had enough of protecting everyone else. It was time for Ben to weigh his own back. If he could also get paid for doing that, then what the hell, why shouldn’t he?

Ben’s mobile phone rang. It was an unlisted number.

“Hello.”

“Ben, it's Tina – how are you?”

“Ti  -ti—tin---ti –tina,” mumbled Ben, not knowing whether to wet his pants with excitement, read her the right act for not contacting her or what to say.

“Can’t talk now, Ben. I have a meeting with one of the legal guys, but I want to catch up. There is so much I have to tell you. I have missed you, and so has Ernie.”

Ernie thought, Ben, what has he got to do with Tina, and why should she know what Ernie felt?

Some friend, he was pinching his girl and running off with her. Is that where he has been?

He returned to the park, ‘I have missed you, Ben, which brought music to his ears.

“Sure, Tina, let’s get together. Where are you? When? Tonight?”

“I’m just down the corridor, actually. Maybe next week we can have dinner. Got to go. Do you know a guy called Doug Selfrighteous?”

Ben almost dropped his lunch. “Sure, I know him; next week would be fine. Make sure you call me,” said Ben, writing down the number from his phone.

As he hung up, Penny came around the corner. “Why did you cancel my invite to my Private Room, Loser? What’s up with you? You look like you’ve seen a ghost, even worse than usual.”

“Penny,” replied Ben, trying to muster up all his energy to be nice; well, civil at least; well, not to tell her where to go. What the hell did he think? “I wouldn’t get on a crowded bus with you, let alone see you in a private room!”

"What? Oh, you are sick, Ben, as well as stupid. The Private Room is the new meeting invite that the company has adopted. You are sick, Ben, really sick.”

“Yeah, well, so are you,” yelled Ben as she stormed off back to her desk. “I’m not falling for your tricks.”

Bring-bring, bring-bring. “Yes, Ben Boa,” answered Ben, still steaming at the ears.

“Meeting room now, did you forget?" asked Doug with his usual charm.

“Sorry, I'm running a bit late, just finishing up with Penny.”

Ben took off running like the clappers.**

[A/n: **running like the clappers: Australian slang to run really fast]

 Next Episode: Episode 17 - The shock of it all – How much can a Koala bear?

Till next time,

Calvin