Farkas waltzed into his lobby feeling more refreshed and alert than he had in years. He was not wearing a top hat or he would have tipped it toward Ernest, the security guard. He did not know how to dance or he would have kicked up his heels. But smiling came naturally, so Farkas wore a silly grin that made his cheeks ache.
He had spent the past two weeks scuba diving in Maui with a stunning redhead named Toni, whom he had met in the Hilton lobby. In a most amazing turn of events, when they parted, Toni had promised to call him every morning. He was in love, or at the very least, in lust.
"Looking good," said Ernest, the security guard.
"Feeling great," Farkas replied in a chipper voice that did not sound like his usual frantic self. He knew he looked good. The suit was casual beige linen and stylish. Seldom had he allowed himself a tan like the one he wore now--skin damage and all--but he had gone to the Maui, dammit, and if you couldn't get some sun in Hawaii, then what was the point? He jogged past Ernest and just managed to catch the elevator. At the eleventh floor, he pushed through the crowd and stepped out.
Farkas had gotten on at Bleecker & Zoop immediately after college. It was the perfect firm for a workaholic. Bleecker & Zoop encouraged their employees to put in overtime by providing fresh-ground coffee and chocolate-covered espresso beans at conveniently located snackstations throughout the office. They offered on-site childcare so that parents needn't waste time on transporting children to and fro. There were saunas and showers, and even pleasant sleeping rooms on the north side of the building.
Farkas walked down the hall toward his office.
"Morning," said his secretary. "Thanks for the postcard." Sarah was guillotine sharp and tremendously efficient. Her desk looked like a magazine ad, with everything in its place. She was like a mother to him, except she never made him pick up after himself or criticized his hair.
"It's been a madhouse," she said. "As usual. And, uh, there's something I should warn you about before you go inside."
He was distracted by the thought of Toni and barely heard her. He opened the door and took a step forward. "Ohmygod!" he said.
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