I’d Appreciate It… by Kris P. Kreme
Tony’s new job coding at a data consulting firm seems like a dream, but it may quickly become a nightmare after meeting his new bosses on his first day there.
Oaker and Pines are two rather friendly odd men, but when they express appreciation at anything they’d suggest, Tony finds himself helpless to do it, and after working extended hours, he comes home to find the bosses more than just introducing themselves to his wife and daughter.
Just what is the strange power they have over all under them, this odd control they use with the words so frequently spoken, “I’d Appreciate It,” and is it related to their firm’s biggest client… a name everyone has heard of?
It’s Tony’s first day with Oaker and Pines Data Consulting Firm, and the job really could not have come fast enough. It was barely a little over a month ago that he came back from a family cruise with his wife and college bound daughter to discover his former boss had been embezzling, had run off with his secretary, leaving everyone without a job.
So getting a new job so fast is really amazing, but then why if this is everything he could have wanted, the pay exceptional, the benefits seemingly great, is Tony unsure of the place almost immediately?
He quickly realizes it’s the employees, a strange somber tone among them, no eye contact, no conversations, just methodical rather mechanical work in their cubicles coding all day.
Setting up his own new cubicle at his new job, Tony is unprepared for a pop-in visit by his new bosses Mr. Oaker and Mr. Pines, the men dressed professionally enough but constantly boisterous and talkative, loud and excited, happy to meet the new employee, making small talk about him being a family man, noticing the wonderful picture on his desk, Tony’s wife Heather and their daughter Amber on that cruise just one month earlier.
It’s right after the somewhat odd introductions that Oaker and Pines agree, they’d really appreciate it if Tony could put in five more hours. It’s his first day and all, but they really would appreciate it. So not to disappoint the bosses, wanting to start off right, Tony does just as they suggest, getting right to work on coding, curious as to why he does so without question, why he doesn’t worry about checking in with his wife since he’ll miss dinner, and generally just jumping right in.
The word around the office is, at least as much as Tony has been able to tell, that Oaker and Pines Data Consulting Firm wasn’t near the success until one particular big name client came along, a client that gave them exclusive business in coding all their product information and sales data.
But when five hours are up, Tony will quickly head home to discover that the success Oaker and Pines have had came with some benefits their employees definitely don’t appreciate.
In the driveway are two luxury sedans, the license plates Oaker and Pines, and in the garage Tony finds his eighteen year old daughter getting quite intimate with Pines, as inside his wife is enjoyed by Oaker.
But the extreme surreal shock of the new reality he has walked in on goes from bad to worse as Oaker and Pines are quite agreeable about plans they have for Tony’s lovely family, plans that may leave the women in his life permanently changed, or downright permanently ruined. Yet whenever a moment of rage comes up, a natural reluctance to simply let things be, both of his new bosses merely have to express that they would appreciate Tony falling in line with their ideas, their goals.
But is that the secret to why the employees seem so down and going through the motions… is there a power behind the unceasing unquestioning loyalty of those who work for Oaker and Pines? Or is the secret all tied to the big name client everyone has heard of?
Readers Choice Month reminds readers that Kris P. Kreme would especially appreciate you reading every book for full enjoyment.
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