Monday morning Mom dropped me off at Staci’s office at 8:30. She had to be at work at nine, and that was the latest she could drop me off without her being late for her own job. I waited patiently until a little before nine when what looked like a new white Cadillac pulled into the little parking lot next to the office. When I was able to make out the driver I was shocked to see that it was Staci behind the wheel. What happened to the little Toyota she used to drive? She saw me a flashed a huge smile and I walked over to where she parked. When Staci got out of the car she threw her arms around me and gave me kiss on the cheek. I wasn’t sure, but I thought I smelled a little cigarette smoke mixed with her perfume. Was that just wishful thinking on my part? In all the scenarios I’d been playing out in my head it never occurred to me that Staci would be a real smoker. It made sense however. She sounded so stressed the day on the phone “I’m so glad you agreed to work here, Joey,” she said as she pulled away, “Have you been waiting here long?” “No. Just since 8:30,” I answered, “Mom needs to be at work at nine, so-“ “That’s right,” she interrupted, “Remind me to get you a key later so you don’t have to wait outside.” “You have a new car,” I said, changing the subject. “You like?” she beamed. “I do.” I smiled. She looked very sexy. She was dressed very professionally, but her skirt was short and her heels were long. Her hair was pulled back but her left bang almost covered her eye. Her lips had a deep shade of red and a little cleavage was showing. “It’s all part of being an agent,” she explained, “We need nice big cars to show our clients around in. My old Toyota just wouldn’t cut it.” I tried to pretend that I was more impressed with the car than with her. “How’d ya like to take a quick ride in it before we get started?” “Sure,” I said. She got back in and clicked a button unlocking the passenger door. It hit me as soon as I got in. Not only had someone smoked in this car before, but someone had just smoked in this car. I was in heaven. With just one whiff inside her car I just knew she was now a full-time smoker. I don’t know how I knew. I just did. “Wow. This is really nice,” I said, hoping she’d light up right here in the car. She mistook my excitement about her smoking for great interest in her car. She pulled out of the lot and started telling me about her car. I was half paying attention and looking for evidence of her smoking. I was hoping to spot some butts in the ashtray (hopefully brown More 120 ones) but it was closed. Then I saw them. Her purse was open on the seat between us. Inside I saw them. A pack of regular full flavored Virginia Slims. Other than in stores, I had never seen a pack of full flavor Virginia Slim regulars before. A few cigarettes were sticking out of the pack a little. At this moment I could feel myself starting to get hard. I shifted in my seat a little to avoid detection. Then she did it. She opened up the ashtray and depressed the lighter next to three lipstick-stained butts. Now I was really hard. She cracked her window then reached into her purse and extracted one of the cigarettes while keeping her eyes on the road. I kept waiting for her to ask me if I minded if she smoked or for her to explain her smoking, but instead she just kept on talking about her car, pausing to put the Virginia Slim in her mouth and light it up. Staci was the first woman I had ever seen smoking the sexy ladies cigarettes from all those ads I’d masturbated to in Mom’s magazines. She exhaled the smoke she got while lighting up and then took a cheek-hollowing drag and rested the hand holding the cigarette high on the steering wheel. Since it didn’t seem that she wasn’t going to mention her smoking, I decided I would have to. “What kind of cigarettes are those?” I asked, “They smell better than my mom’s” “Virginia Slims,” she said, taking a long drag, then looking at me with a sly smile, “I’ve come a long way, baby.” She then turned her head away and exhaled out the crack in her window. I was in heaven. This was going to be a great summer. We drove around a while and got back to her office just as she was stubbing out her cigarette. “So what do you think?” she asked as she put the Cadillac into park. For a moment I thought she was asking about her smoking, then realized she meant the car. “It’s great.” “Maybe one day I’ll let you drive it,” she said, “Now we better get you started.” We got out of the car and went into the office where she gave me a tour. It was a small office, so the tour was quite short. There was a small desk, mine I was told, with a typewriter and phone on it right as we walked in the building. There was a black filing cabinet against the wall behind it. There were two chairs and a coffee table across from my desk. This, she said, was the waiting room. In the corner of the room behind one of the chairs was a small table with a Mr. Coffee maker on it. “This is the most important thing I’ll be teaching you today,” she said with a smile. She then proceeded to teach me to brew a pot of coffee. “While we wait for that to brew let me show you the rest of the office.” There were two doors to the left of my desk. She opened the first one, showing me that that was the bathroom. She then opened the second door and went in while motioning me for her to follow. This room was about the same size as the first room. There was a big desk in front of a window towards the back of the room with two chairs right in front of it. Behind the desk in the corner were two tan filing cabinets. The middle of the room was covered with a round Oriental carpet. On the left side of the office was a brown leather couch with and end table and lamp on either side. On the right side was a small TV on a little cart and a mini refrigerator. Each room also had box air conditioners built into the walls. There was one thing I noticed in each room that caught my attention. Every table and desk had a big glass ashtray on it. Even my desk. They were all the same, and all were clean, except the one on her desk. That one was over-flowing with Virginia Slim butts. “This is my office,” she said as she walked towards the desk and set her briefcase down on the floor next to it. She opened up the top drawer of one of the filing cabinets and put her purse in it. She then sat down in the big chair behind her desk and opened up the middle drawer in front of her. “What do you think?” she said as she pulled out a pack of Virginia Slims from the drawer, “Kinda small, huh?” “I like it,” I smiled, “A lot.” “You’re sweet, Honey,” she smiled as she tried to extract a cigarette from the pack. It must have been empty, because she crumbled up the pack and threw it in the wastepaper basket next to the desk. Noticing the over-filled ashtray, she emptied its contents into the trash too. She went to her purse in the filing cabinet and pulled out the pack I’d seen in her car. She took out a cigarette, tossed the pack on her desk, and lit up the Virginia Slim with a glass lighter that was on her desk. She sat back down and motioned for me to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk. “Before we check on our coffee,” she said while exhaling, “I have a little present for you.” “You didn’t have to get me a present.” “Joey. You don’t know how much I really appreciate you doing this for me,” she said as she clenched her cigarette in her teeth and opened up her bottom desk drawer, “Besides, it’s not much.” She pulled a small wrapped box from the drawer and handed it to me. “Should I open it now?” I asked. She removed the Virginia Slim from her teeth after taking a huge drag and said, “Of course.” Inside the box was a nice-sized coffee mug with my name on it. It was tan with brown and gold stripes and I couldn’t help but notice how much it resembled a pack of Virginia Slims. I wondered if that was on purpose. “Cool,” I said, Thanks a lot.” “I have one just like it with my name on it. Now, let’s go check on that coffee.” I followed her to the front room enjoying the smell of the smoke she exhaled. It was at that moment that I decided I wanted to try one of her Virginia Slims. I wasn’t going to let her know that, though. Not yet at least. I had a feeling if I asked that she might let me try. Maybe. But I had never smoked before, and if I ever got the chance to smoke with Staci I wanted to know what I was doing. “How do you take your coffee, Hon?” she asked as she filled our mugs. I had never actually had coffee before, but I liked the fact that Staci just assumed I had and didn’t want her to know that. “How do you take yours?” I asked. “Just a little sugar and Creamora.” “Me too.” “We must be soul-mates,” she said with her cigarette clenched in her teeth as she prepared our coffee. She handed me my mug and we headed back to her office. “The first rule in this office,” she said as we took our seats on opposite sides of her desk, “is that we don’t do anything until we’ve had at least one cup of coffee.” “Sounds good to me,” I said after taking my first sip. It didn’t taste half bad. “And a couple ciggies for Staci,” she said while lighting a new Virginia Slim off the old one. I wondered just how much she smoked. We enjoyed our coffee (and Staci chained one more cigarette) and chatted, mostly about how grateful she was to have another person in the office. “I want to show you something,” she said as we finished up our coffee and she put out her cigarette, “Come over here a sec.” She got up and walked over to the mini-fridge and opened it up. I, of course, followed. There were three bottles of wine in front a bigger bottle behind those. She reached in and pulled out the big bottle. “Do you know what this is?” she asked. I shook my head. “This is a bottle of Dom Pérignon. It’s a very, very expensive Champagne. I’m saving it for when I sell my first house. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to enjoy it.” Did she say ‘we’? Was I going to get to drink Champagne with Staci some time this summer? This was going to be a great summer. “Well,” she said as she put the bottle back, “Why don’t we have another cup of coffee while I fill you in on what you’ll be doing around here all summer.” “Sure,” I said as I went to the desk and picked up our two mugs, “but let me get the coffee.” She was about to object when I said, “I am you secretary after all.” She smiled and sat down behind her desk and reached for her Virginia Slims. I poured the coffee and fixed both mugs as I had seen Staci do. She gave me a big smile and thank you when I handed her coffee to her. She took sips and puffs while explaining my duties. Running the occasional errand to the market or dry cleaners across the street. Sorting mail. Keeping the office clean and tidy. The most important thing though, she explained, was answering the phone. She said that once she got more clients she’d be out a lot showing properties and that having me in the office full time would be the most important thing for her business. “Who knows how many new clients I’ve missed out on already,” she said after lighting up yet another Virginia Slim. “Won’t people think its a little weird having a kid answering your phone?” She smiled and paused while taking a luxurious drag off her cigarette. “What?” I asked, wondering why she was taking so long to answer. “Don’t take this wrong,” she finally said, “but on the phone you sound like an adult woman.” “I know,” I said, a little embarrassed, understanding why she took so long to say that. “But it’s not just the sound of your voice. You’re very mature for your age, Hon. I just know you’ll be very professional sounding on the phone.” “What actually will I say on the phone?” I asked, feeling a little better. She then went on to tell me how she wanted me to answer the phone, and the information I should get. She said she had forms in my desk with preliminary questions for both buyers and sellers. We then went out to my desk and she showed me the forms she had mentioned and the things in my desk. One of the drawers had a locked metal box. “This is petty cash,” she said as she stubbed out the cigarette she’d brought from her office in the ashtray on my desk,” Any time you need to buy something you take the money from here. And always write on the receipt what it is you bought. A soda, lunch, cigarettes- anything. It’s real important for tax purposes.” Did she say cigarettes? Was she going to have me buy her Virginia Slims for her? Did she actually think anyone would sell me cigarettes? She than gave me a key to the lock box along with a key to the office. “As for your salary,” she went on, “I’ll pay you out of my purse. Under the table, remember?” “Got it,” I said, trying to take everything in. She then showed my how the typewriter worked and then the phone. How to put someone on hold, transfer calls to her, and work the intercom. “I’ve got some stuff to do in my office, so you can get yourself accustomed out here. Help yourself to coffee any time you want. I usually keep a supply made ‘till about noon.” And with that she went into her office and shut the door. I sat down behind my desk and checked out what was in the drawers. There was an appointment book and calendar in one drawer. Some pens, pencils, stapler and other office supplies in another. The forms and plain paper were in yet another and the lock box was in the bottom left drawer along with a blank Rolodex. I kept thinking I should be doing something, but had no idea what that would be. I noticed what I thought was a blank piece of paper in the typewriter. Upon a closer look I saw something was typed on the paper. I scrolled the page up and saw a note to me: ‘Joey, I’m so glad you’ve come to work with me!!! Kisses, Staci I then looked at the spent Virginia Slim butt in the ashtray (my ashtray?) and thought for the hundredth time that morning how lucky I was. About fifteen minutes later Staci came out of her office with her mug in hand and a freshly lit cigarette clenched in her teeth. “What are you doing?” I asked, not waiting for an answer, “I’m sitting out here feeling guilty about not having anything to do. The least you can do is let me get your coffee.” Without saying anything she turned around and closed her door behind her. Before I could figure out if I had made her mad or not, a little beep came from the phone. I picked up the receiver. “Joey,” Staci said on the other end, “Could you get me some coffee please?” “That’s more like it,” I replied before hanging up. I went to get her mug and got her coffee for her. “Thank you very much, Honey.” “You’re welcome. Do you need anything else?” I said, enjoying the sight of her exhaling through her nose as she sipped her coffee. “No thanks, Hon.” “Oh,” I remembered, “Thanks for the note, by the way.” She gave me a huge smile and said, “You’re welcome.”
I went back to my part of the office and poured what remained of the pot into my mug. Since it was 10:30 I decided to make a fresh pot. I basically used up the last of what was in the coffee can. I was about to go ask her if I should go across the street to get more when the phone rang. I went to my desk and was a little nervous before picking it up. After three rings I answered. “Stuart Realty,” I said, “How may I help you?” It was a lady from the Yellow Pages. She wanted to know if she could reschedule today’s appointment she had with Staci. I quickly got out the appointment calendar I’d seen earlier and found the page of the week we were in. It was blank. In fact, the whole book was blank. “May I place you on hold one moment please?” I said, trying to sound as professional as possible. “Certainly,” came the reply on the other end. I pressed the button to put the lady on hold, then the button to beep Staci’s office. I thought I heard footsteps coming from Staci’s side of the door. Was she listening to see how I’d do? “Yes Joey,” Staci said when she picked up. “Do you have anything scheduled tomorrow afternoon?” “Let me check my book,” she said, then paused before saying, “I’m free.” I got off the phone with Staci and back on with the Yellow Pages lady. “How about tomorrow at three?” I asked. She agreed, and then I asked for her name and phone number. I wrote it down on one of the blank Rolodex cards from the drawer and hung up. As I rewrote the information on a second card, Staci came out of her office. To my surprise, and disappointment, she wasn’t smoking. “You did that very well.” “You were listening?” I asked. “Just a little,” she smiled and came to see what I was writing, “What are you doing now?” “I’m making two cards for the Yellow Pages lady. One to put under her name and one to put under Yellow Pages.” “Look at you,” she beamed as I then put the meeting in the appointment book, “Two hours as a secretary and you’re already cross-referencing.” “Yep,” I said, not understanding, “So I guess you know your Yellow Pages meeting has been moved to tomorrow.” “Sounds good.” “Also,” I changed the subject, “Would it be alright if I could use your appointment book to copy over to mine.” “Sure,” she said, “But first I have an important project for you.” “What’s that?” “I’m all out of ciggies,” she said with a mock frown, “Can you run across the street and get me some?” “Sure,” I answered quickly, getting a little excited, “I also noticed you’re almost out of coffee. Should I get some?” “Honey, you don’t need to ask. If you think we need something you can just get it?” “Okay,” I said, “So what kind of cigarettes do you smoke again?” Of course I knew the answer, but just wanted to hear her say it. “Virginia Slims regular,” she said, “Four packs. No- make it five.” She then went back to her office. Five packs? Wow! I wondered if I’d get hard every time she’d mention cigarettes to me. I opened the lock box with my key. There was money and receipts crumpled up together. I’d keep busy organizing that later. I took out a twenty and locked it back up. I popped into to office to let her know I was going, then went outside. I was about to buy cigarettes, Virginia Slims to be exact, for the very first time.
