Dan Devore
Factory Swapper
CHAPTER ONE
For fifteen years the factory had successfully gone about its business of manufacturing plastics. There were over three hundred blue-collar workers and an office staff of fifty in the plant. The firm had always run smoothly and efficiently with a minimum of friction between the various departments. Since its opening day, the general atmosphere of the plant was one of all business and no nonsense. There was no company newsletter and no official bowling or softball teams. There was a family picnic for everyone in July and an employees-only party during the week of Christmas. Other than that, the plant was like a large, unemotional monster that drew in the workers in the morning and spat them out at night.
It was a sultry afternoon late in-June when Lou Masters looked out of his window in the executive wing of the building. His golf club was only six miles away and Lou closed his eyes and imagined himself striding the fairway instead of standing in his sterile office. There are those who thought that Lou had it made in life; but he knew better. Lou was forty-four years old and hopelessly locked in his position with the firm. There was no way that he could advance himself higher than his present job in this company and the pay was just a little too good and the security was just a little too strong to permit him the luxury of leaving.
Some executives could have lived quite happily under such an arrangement, but not Lou Masters. By now, the pangs of frustration had driven deep into his soul and he was constantly on the search for some method of escaping the boredom of his existence. Little did he realize that his efforts that day would begin an incredible chain reaction that would, in one way or another, affect the entire factory.
“A girl from Mr. Brandon’s office to see you,” announced his secretary, breaking his train of thought.
“Send her in,” he sighed. Mack Brandon was forever sending him reams of communications, none of which were worth the paper they were written on.
But then, Mack had to do something to earn his keep at the plant.
The girl was about nineteen, blonde and pleasantly buxom. He had never seen her before, he was certain, or he surely would have remembered her. He gave her body a professional appraisal and liked what he saw. He liked it very much, indeed. Her breasts, rich and ripe, were clearly outlined under the thin blouse she wore. Her hips were well rounded and her mini-skirt revealed a tantalizing pair of thighs.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“It’s Vicki, Mr. Masters. Vicki Thomas. I’m a temporary typist in Mr. Brandon’s office.”
“Oh, that means you might not be around here much longer then.”
“Well, that’s what a temporary typist has to expect, I suppose. You sort of get used to it, though.”
“Do you like it here at the plant?”
“Oh, yes sir, I do. I think it’s a great place to work.”
“Well then, maybe we can find some way to keep you here?”
“Oh, golly, do you mean it?”
“I never say anything I don’t mean, Vicki.”
“But Mr. Masters, you don’t even know me. Why would you go out on a limb for me like that?”
“Well, let’s say that I’m a good company man and I think that a girl with your looks would be a big asset to the company. Say anything you want, but I’m going to see that you stay on here in some capacity. Now what do you think about that?”
“Golly, that’s terrific. I really mean it. Wow! Now is there any answer to Mr.
Brandon’s message?”
Lou Masters scanned his eyes over the message, but his mind was elsewhere.
Vicki was seated on the chair across from him, one leg crossed over the other and flexing up and down, causing her hips to roil with each movement. The sight of those weaving hips caused a blazing sensation to begin deep down in his crotch. Something he hadn’t felt for a long time. He had to see this girl tonight, but it must be a delicate move. If he acted too boldly it might ruin everything. He glanced at his watch. It was half an hour to closing time. Then the thought struck him. “It’s going. to take me a little while to get up an answer for Brandon,” he said. “Would you mind waiting and taking it to him when I’m through?”
“Oh, not at all, Mr. Masters. I’d love to do it for you.”
“You’re going to do more than just carry a message for me tonight, baby, he muttered to himself. “Much more.”
At five o’clock, his secretary stepped in the room and found him busily scribbling some notes on paper while Vicki sat in a nearby chair reading a magazine.
“Will you want me to type up something for you tonight?” she asked.
“No, Louise,” he answered. “I’m going to be a few more minutes and then I’ll let Vicki type it for me. You can go on home now, and I’ll see you in the morning.”
If Louise suspected what her boss had in mind, she didn’t show it as she smiled her good night and left. Now he had Vicki alone and step one was accomplished.
He toyed and fussed over the paper until it was past six o’clock and then he sprung his trap. “I feel terrible about keeping you here so late, Vicki,” he said. “The very least I can do is take you to dinner for your troubles.”
“Oh, golly, I’d love it, Mr. Masters, but you don’t have to, really you don’t.”
“But I want to. Now I’ve written out my reply for you in longhand. Take it back to your department, type it up, put it on Brandon’s desk and then meet me back here. Okay?”
“Whatever you say, Mr. Masters. You’re the boss.”
“You just keep that attitude, honey, and you’re going to be all right.”
The moment she was gone, Lou called his wife, Trudy, and explained that be was stuck with a dinner meeting. Trudy, who was an old hand at this last minute dinner cancellation routine, accepted wearily. She and Lou had been married for twenty-one years, had three children, and an amazing lack of communication. Of course, they always put on a good show of solidarity when they were around Lou’s employers, but at home their marriage had deteriorated until they were merely two people who happened to be living under the same roof. On those infrequent occasions when they had sex, it was methodical and completely uninspired. Both Lou and Trudy had often wished they could do something to correct this situation but their communication was so poor they could never find the proper way of discussing it.
The dinner was at a restaurant out on the highway, far from the prying eyes of Lou’s Mends. It was a happy, fun-type of meal with Lou rallying all of his old boyish charms to impress this girl who happened to be just about the same age as his oldest son. Vicki was dutifully impressed with Lou’s wealth and status.
She bad never been pursued by a man of Lou’s means. It flattered her young ego to see this dynamic man making such an obvious effort to overwhelm her.
They were in the midst of a discussion about the pill and how long Vicki had been on it, when Lou began his serious assault.
“Do you take shorthand, Vicki?”
“Yes, of course,” she replied, startled by his sudden change in the conversation. “I’m pretty good at it, too, but I won’t get a chance to show anybody for awhile, I guess.”
“Don’t be too sure of that.”
“What do you mean?”
“My secretary, Louise, is starting to annoy me and, to tell you the truth, the only reason I’ve kept her as long as I did was because I didn’t have anybody to replace her. Maybe now I have.”
“Are you kidding, Mr. Masters? Here I am a temporary typist in the morning and in just a couple of hours I’ve got the chance to become a personal secretary.
Wow – I could kiss you.”
“Well then, why don’t you?”
“You mean right here – at the table?”
“No, actually I have another place in mind.”
Vicki sobered up for just a moment. Lou had made his pitch and now she had to make up her mind as to what to do with it.
“I could dig it,” she replied quickly. “Even if you didn’t get the job for me I could dig it just fine.”
“Then let’s go,” said Lou, his face beginning to flush with anticipation. He let his eyes flash over Vicki’s fleshy legs as she slid out of the booth. It figured to be a most exciting night.