A young woman without ASG

Mallory O'Dell was 23. After finishing college with a degree in public relations, she could not find work and had student loans coming due. Finally, she got what she thought would be a dream job, assistant to a rich "celebutante." The celebutante was Brooklyn Boedeker, the heiress of a cosmetics fortune. Brooklyn was 27. Her grandmother founded Miraselle Cosmetics and turned it into a worldwide enterprise. She passed on running the business to her son who married a fashion mode ten years younger than he was. When Brooklyn was 14, her parents divorced, but her mom got a huge alimony settlement. Brooklyn and her mom had a short run reality TV show that failed miserably.

Brooklyn was tall and beautiful, thanks in part to a nose job and breast implants she received for her 18th birthday. She also did some modeling and was paid to be at club openings and to be seen wearing certain fashion labels. Recently, she had fallen into a depression. Her boyfriend, a wealthy Italian playboy dumped her and her latest idea for a reality TV show was shot down. She ended up getting drunk and wrecking her Bentley.

Mallory drove to the posh treatment center Brooklyn had checked herself into. She had to pick up her boss who had been frantically texting her about all the things she needed to catch up on: fashion, magazines, club news, etc. Mallory sighed. Her phone rang and she put it on speaker. It was her sister, who lived across country.

"Hey, sis, just going to pick up Bitch-lyn....yeah, ...yep, totaled it. Over $90,000 in damage....yeah, she was bummed because her latest moronic idea for a reality TV show was shot down....get this, it was to be called Pimp My Sorority. she was going to go to sorority houses across the country and makeover the houses.....I know, right? Anyway, it was her second rejection in a row after _Brooklyn's Bitchin' Life _got shot down." They talked until Mallory pulled up into the center parking lot.

Mallory found Brooklyn in her room. Her boss was complaining about the lack of iced lattes. She was dressed in white leather shorts and a white leather vest and white boots. Her platinum blonde hair cascaded in curls down past her shoulders. She had her sunglasses on, even though she was in doors. Her bags were packed. "Finally, you got here!" said Brooklyn as Mallory walked in. "What the hell took you so long?"

Mallory knew she was on time, but also knew it was pointless to argue. "Traffic on the highway. Big wreck," she lied.

"Doctor supposed to come in or something like that," said Brooklyn, "but I can leave any time I want."

Just then a female doctor in her fifties walked in. She was holding a folder. "Miss Boedeker, I have the results of the study I did, and it's rather shocking."

"Fine, give them to my assistant, and we'll go over it in the car."

"I don't...." the doctor was interrupted by her cell phone. She looked down at the number. "Hold on, emergency." She answered the phone. "Oh no! Call the EMT. I'll be right there!" the doctor dropped the envelope on a table. "I don't think you should leave until we go over this." The doctor ran out.

"Ugh, I'm leaving now!" said Brooklyn. "Did you bring the Mercedes?"

"Yes."

"Give me the keys."

Mallory handed over the keys. Brooklyn stormed out. Mallory picked up the two bags Brooklyn had with her and the envelope the doctor left. She followed Brooklyn to the car and put the bags in the trunk. She climbed in the passenger seat and barely got her seatbelt buckled before Brooklyn peeled out.

As Brooklyn drove, she used the Bluetooth car setup to call friends and see what they were up to. Meanwhile, Mallory read through the file. ASG: or Absolute Gullibility Syndrome, is an extremely rare condition where the sufferer will believe absolutely anything he or she is told. There is no known cure at this time. Subjects must be kept away from those who will take advantage of them as they believe anything they are told is true and doubt nothing they are told.

This can't be true, can it? Thought Mallory. She thought she would test it out. After Brooklyn hung up with a friend, Mallory said, "Today is the day you will triple my salary like you promised."

"Oh, sure," said Brooklyn, "but don't forget I may demand more of you from now on."

Well, fuck me! Thought Mallory. Let's try something else. "You also said you are starting a new diet where you eat three can of refried beans and three glasses of prune juice a day."

"Oh yeah," said Brooklyn. "Did you buy that stuff?"

"No, you said you would," said Mallory, "as it's your own diet you came up with and wanted to be in complete control."

"Of course," said Brooklyn. "We'll stop by Trader Joe's.

Mallory smiled a mischievous smile.