idioms...sayings understood by native speakers part six
Rick stood in front of his desk as his dad got up.
"So you see, this is a critical time for the company."
"But, Dad..."
"No buts. It is either you ro your cousin. I'll see you in the boardroom."
Rick walked around his desk and sat down as if all the wind had been knocked out of his sails. I can't believe this. He grabbed his cell phone only to get the proverbial... the party you desire to reach is unavailable. at the sound of the... He snapped his phone shut, shoving it back into his inside breast pocket. Damn it!!!!! He stood up and walked to the window staring down at the parking garage below he noticed his cousin's SUV turning in. Bout time, he thought as he headed out of his office to the board room.
___
Lynn felt uncomfortable... "Why did you make me wear this dress?"
"It looks good on you. This is not the time to show up in your standard white button down and black skirt with matching jacket. That makes you look like a school teacher. You will be facing my three uncles, my father, and my four uncle in laws."
"So like someone had four boys and four girls?"
"Yup, my grandfather and grandmother... they founded this company. Even though Rick is the CO here, his father is the Chairman, and my grandparents are above him."
"But, Charlie is right. I feel like a daffodil. How can anyone take me seriously?"
"They will once you get there attention with that dress."
"Li Li, where are we going?" Charlie's head was moving all around to take in this new part of the world. "Is this the adventure?"
"Charlie. I know new places kinda scare you. But this is where I work."
"Goody. I get to go with LiLi."
"Hey, Charlie, Li Li has to do something very important today. How about you and me play Leggos while she does that?"
Charlie's face fell. "I did not bring them."
"Oh, well while you got ready, I brought them along."
"Yippppyyyyy."
Lynn gave a sideways glance to her boss. That would mean she would have to face the board by herself? Her hands clenched, she stared straight ahead wondering what would happen.
Carl parked quickly and got out. He opened the door for Lynn and Charlie. His plastic wallmart bag clattered as he whispered something to Charlie.
"Li Li needs to go on. Carl is my friend. We are going to play."
Lynn gave her brother a big hug. "I will be back in about an hour or so, Charlie. So don't get scared or anything. Okay?" She reached up and ruffled her brother's hair to encourage him.
Then she gazed at her manager. "Are the mock ups ready?"
"Yes."
"Do you really think these old guys will go for it?"
"They would be fools to let this go by them."
Lynn sighed.
Carl gave a sideways glance at Charlie who was grinning from ear to ear and looking all around the garage like it was something very special.
"I understand your motivation behind this proposal. You just have to let your passion as well as the facts shine thru to the board. Easy as that."
"Yeah, it will be a piece of cake." Lynn muttered out loud.
"Exactly. Now go get em, Tiger."
---
The boardroom was filled with men, each with a copy of the proposal in front of them. Rick glanced at his watch. Noon. A lone woman, her long brunnette hair held back by one yellow clip wearing a flowing yellow halter dress with a soft white sweater with sleeves pulled up to the elbows. Rick caught his breath. It was like sunshine had entered the stuffy room. Lynn confidently stood in front of the room with the Power point ready to go.
"Hello, Gentleman. I am Lynn Johnson, executive assistant to Mr. Carl Matthews. Do to the request of our esteemed Chief Officer, Mr. Richard Mattews, I have been asked to present the proposal you have in front of you." She paused for a second. "This is a challenge for the Matthew Toy Company. It is something I hold very dear to my heart. Shall we begin?"
She clicked the remote and music spilled out, gentle and kind. The screen came alive with pictures of childern... normal looking children. And then the screen went blank. A group of adults sat in a circle. As the board listened in, it was soon discovered it was a support group for parents with special need children.... Confusion could be seen by the board members. But they respectfully held their tongues. There seemed to be a commonality amongst the support group.
"I wish my child could play. I wish something would excite them or get their attention or help them to understand the socal rules of play." One parent of an asperger's child stated.
"I wish that for my child too... Lucy has been blind since birth."
"My child is deaf. How can I let them play safely?"
"My child has down's syndrome. Willl they ever be able to run and play?"
The screen went black again. The lights came back up.
"One in every 110 births on the average in the United Sates have ASD problems. ASD... Autism Spectrum Disorder or it has been called Pervasive Developmental Disorder...Boys are four times more likely to have this than girls. There is a common problem of this group. Social awareness, rules, and skills are lacking."
"The Physical Challenged children also have a difficult time with play and with toys that they can utilize to provide a sense of fun, a sense of childhood that unchallenged children take for granted."
"Even the most profound Downs child has a right to be able to laugh and have fun."
"Our research and development team have been working non stop over the last year developing items that would be of use to the least of our children." She approached each member and placed a red bag and blue bag in front of them.
"Gentleman, please open up the red bag."
The boardmembers complied, shocked. Some were holding black blindfolds. Some were holding earplugs. Some were holding white gauze sacks. Others held a rope.
"These are sensory deprivation devices. Those of you who have blindfolds, please place them on. Those with earplugs, please put them in your ears. Those of you with white sacks, please put them over your head. those this a rope, please raise your dominant hand. I will assist you in tying that hand down Then I will signal or tap you to open up the blue bag in front of you. It contains a puzzle for you to put together."
"It is actually easier to tacke the physically challenged first." Lynn continued to talk as she gently approached the men and tied one hand to the chair. "For the rest, The ASD children, the mentally challenged children... that will be shown later in our power point."
Lynn stood by the laptop as the men prepared themselves.
"All ready? Then, begin." She went to the "deaf" and completely sensory deprived and tapped them.
Rick blindfolded, sat quietly hearing mutterings of frustration. He smiled to himself as he pulled out his puzzle and then sorting thru touch due to the raised fronts of the pieces, placed them together.
After fifteen minutes of suffering for the board members. Lynn simply stated, "Stop. You may remove your blindfolds."
The deaf simulations delt with matching the sound of animals to the animals. Their annoyance was quite evident.
"As you can see, it is a challenge in itself fo design toys for this special needs children."
"Mr. Matthews. You were amongst the blind group. Would you show everyone your puzzle?"
Rick held up his ten piece puzzle that was a small landscape of a lake and trees.
"What did you do to complete the puzzle?"
"I simply felt the raised parts and matched them."
"All right." She paused.
"Now let's see what challenges fall to our ASD and mentally challenged children."
The screen then went black.
"I have worked for this company for eight years. I am very proud to be a part of this team that has designed the following toys for these special children. You have the specs for each toy, it's designed usages, cost and proposed retail price. Other companies have kept to the mainstream. It is important for us not to forget the least amongst us. Our motto has always been, "We bring smiles to children." I hope you gentlemen will broaden that definition of the types of children we will bring smiles to. Thankyou for your attention, gentlemen."
Lynn stood quietly. The group sat stunned. Thsi was not what they expected. Rick suddenly started to clap. The board members fell in line, the applause picking up speed. He stood up and went to Lynn, shaking her hand, hw smiled. "Very good job. The board will discuss your proposal. I trust that you were able to make arrangements for your brother?"
Lynn's smile froze at that. "Um, Thankyou." Turning she felt her face warm. How did he know I had a brother?
Rick watched the girl float out of the room. He felt a vibration from his cell phone in his breast pocket. He quickly pulled it out and read the message, smiling he turned it off and returned to his seat.
"Time for open discussion on the proposal from our research and development team."
to be continued.....
