Beefy Buns

I glanced up the ladder. The bottom hem of Mona's mini-skirt showed the very tops of her sleek, creamy thighs, but not yet her ass cheeks. Another step or two surely would have disclosed those smooth, alabaster orbs and, perhaps, the thin strip of satin that ran between them to connect with the waistband of her panties.

"Come down," I told her, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice. "We'll finish this later."

Mr. Moore had come to check our sales figures, which weren't as impressive as either the restaurant's owners, Fern and Fernando Marcus, or the corporate chain's headquarters would like. Of course, like everything else that any of these parties perceived as being wrong with operations was concerned, it was my fault, personally, that the public seemed to be spurning the local Beefy Buns. For the thousandth time, I pointed out to Mr. Moore that the opening of a McDonald's and a Burger King within six blocks of Beefy Buns were more likely causes of the decline in our sales.

"Contributing causes, perhaps," Mr. Moore said.

We'd repaired to my "office," a room not much larger than a broom closet, occupied by a desk and a file cabinet. Mr. Moore sat behind my desk; I stood in the open doorway. Outside, it would be easy for the employees to hear everything that Mr. Moore or I said, which, I knew, sooner or later, would be humiliating. Mr. Moore had come to "motivate" me, and he knew only one technique--mortification.

"Prior to their opening, sales were huge," I pointed out to my superior, although, I knew, a recitation of facts would serve no purpose.

"And they can be again, Brad" he replied. "What are you doing to beef up sales?"

He always liked to use the term "beef up" in relation to improving Beefy Buns' burger sales. In his own way, Mr. Moore had a sense of humor, albeit a sophomoric one.

As he well knew, there was precious little--nothing, in fact--that I could do to promote sales. The corporation handled all promotions and advertising. I had to think of something, though; Mr. Moore was waiting for my answer.