Chapter Fifteen
Office Boy
Vanessa said, “Let’s go, Tommy. Here, hold this,” giving him a poster describing our agency mission. Tom knew this should have been on a stand and resented being called Tommy, a name he hadn’t heard since the age of twelve. There was nothing he could do, however, especially in front of prospective clients.
“Over to the left, Tommy. How do you expect anyone to see it?”
She then ordered him to stand the poster up and to operate the projector, usually my job. Since there was no chair there, he had to kneel by the computer. She was bossy to him and criticized him whenever possible, while coming off as very capable and efficient herself. Whenever Tom tried to contribute to the presentation, she would say, “We’re coming to that, Tommy. Would you pick up that paper
