I’ve been working a lot of long days at my day job for the last week to get ready for this big training coming up. Guess what? It’s here! And guess what? I’m really tired and pretty much out of time. So, the walnut slab for the Ouija board will have to dry a little longer. Until then, there’s this new guy hanging around the office party…

“Who’s the guy with the black turtleneck? Is he new?” Alicia asked Karen.

“No,” she said, “I was just talking with him. Jerry in sales – came in just for the party.”

“Sales?” Alicia asked. “What territory?”

Karen shrugged. “Not sure. But you should have heard what he said about Lucy when she first started!”

“When she first started? She’s an institution! He’s been around a long time!”

“Sorry ladies,” Jerry crossed over to them with a genuine 1000-watt smile. “Karen, it sounded like you were spreading terrible rumors about me?” he finished by tilting his head to emphasize that he was joking.

“No, Jerry,” she said, “I’m just telling Alicia the truth – what you told me.”

“Then it’s definitely terrible rumors!” he laughed. Alicia didn’t find it the least bit funny, but oddly found herself laughing hysterically.

“Alicia is it?” Jerry asked. “I don’t think we’ve had the opportunity to meet. Which department are you in?”

“Purchasing,” she said. “I can’t believe I haven’t met you! After two years I didn’t think there was anyone I didn’t know.”

“Yeah, well, I mostly work out of town, stay in my own territory. But I’ve heard of you – you managed to get that order from HQ expedited for Laser Line a few months ago. Man, you saved a lot of people a lot of bacon! You’re a minor hero in Duluth! They sing songs about you around the fires at night.”

“Ah,” she said as color crept into her cheeks. “I got lucky is all.”

“Luck had nothing to do with it, Alicia. That was tenacity! I don’t know if anyone around here has said it enough, but thank you!”

“You’re too kind, Terry.”

“Excuse me, but I have to go say hi to Eddy from machining,” Terry said before making his way through the crowd.

“That was nice!” Alicia said to Karen, still a little stunned by the compliment.

“Right? Terry’s a doll!”

“Who?” William walked up to them.

“William! I didn’t think you were going to make it! You must have just gotten in from the board meeting in Sweden.”

“Straight from the airport. Who were you talking about?”

“Oh,” Alicia said. “Terry from Sales,” she turned to try to point him out, but she couldn’t spot him in the crowd of coworkers. When she looked back William stared wide-eyed, his face pale. “William, are you okay?”

“Terry? Sales?”

“Yes, William, are you okay?”

“Terry was the first sales manager for the Midwest. He was my first hire when I made manager. Must have been twenty five years ago.”

“Wow,” Karen said, “I didn’t realize he’s been with the company so long. Why haven’t we met him until now?”

“Because he died twenty years ago. Heart attack in his car on the way to a client outside of St. Paul.”