Sisley had looked up at her map how to take the quickest way from the hotel to the UK office and despite the traffic jam in the mornings which the receptionist warned her about and she had considered that in her route she had made her way through in about twenty minutes. She was introduced to the new department the marketing manager who was her direct report and responsible for her.
Standing in a typical sixties build office some colleagues in Germany had already told her about. One huge floor separated in two divisions the black rubbers, amino acids and some plastics and on the other side all dealings with the white agents for chemicals. You would see the open plan office with the sales desks and on the side the manager’s offices with glass windows, each having a marketing assistant placed in front of their office, so that the assistants were still part of the open plan office and the classical corner office for the director with the PA desk in the front.
Also in sixties style, Margret, who had the look of an original Marilyn Monroe. Blond hair, red lipstick and that bombshell size body covered with maxi jersey dress. There was the over-sized good soul who did the logistic part, the bossy, snippy Grace and the conservative one in an old-fashioned girly look dress Iris, the “I-know-it-all-girl”. The four woman who were all around age fifty and part of the office Inventory.
The Marketing assistants were quiet young twenty two year old Diana and twenty five year old San the Indian guy who took the Wallstreet business approach or at least tried to be a copy of it.
Two sales consultant who would be occasionally in the office but most times they would consult customers. Here was Susan a calm and quiet girl from Australia who’d started with the company a half year ago, who seemed really a friendly person. And Sisley’s sales friend who she had already met in the hotel who would now come in pretending not to know her.
On the other side were a girl from Germany doing the Marketing Key Accounts, she was part of a special developing training program and came from the same head office as Sisley. They had the same desk placements as on the marketing side Sisley worked for.
The guys who would deal with the customer queries, logistics and a very young guy who she had previously met in Germany where he had worked as a trainee.
In addition, the finance department was on that side and then there was the sales assistant who would lose his head in anything but his work: James. He was sitting opposite the huge retriever, the filing system that was for the whole company, so every time you would file something you would have the pleasure to chat with James.
After the introduction from her Marketing Manager Dave, Sisley was introduced to all employees of both departments. So, the first hour passed with a hundreds “nice to meet you”.
At eleven she had an appointment with the PA of the CEO of the company. She complimented Sisley’s English, gave some explanation about the organizational stuff, and made some arrangement with a real estate guy who would show Sisley a flat, where she could move in within the next two weeks.
At lunch time she was ready and went with the people from her department to a pub near the office. Half of the crew went for chips and guess what? Gin tonic or a lager.
An hour later all the staff was back at their desks working the afternoon through. Margret the Marilyn copy got an order from her boss, not understanding a single word he had explained right after the lunch, she was at her best mood thanks to the gin tonics.
She was looking at Sisley asking: “Did you understand what he was saying? Than you do it, I’m slightly drunk.” Than giggling. For Sisley it was funny to see someone at work with this kind of attitude she had to smile about it. She quickly did the ordered task and Margret was very thankful for Sisley to be there.
Sisley left a bit earlier to meet the real estate agent who showed her a beautiful flat in an old refurnished school building that had now eight beautiful decorated flats.
The house was built in stone and set in an L-shape with an area as a car park. It was a beautiful flat and in a good condition. Sisley agreed and the real estate agent made all arrangements so she could soon move in.
That was great as she did not expect such a standard for housing as England was known for a housing standard you really had to get used to when you came from Germany. But here she was positively surprised and agreed for this beautiful flat to become her new home….
TO BE CONTINUED
Natalie Hush 