Debbi The Hapless Sales Manager

"Jeff wants to see me. You have got that hotel suite booked ?" Debbi barked at her assistant Carol. "Yes, of course" confirmed Carol. "Yes ma'am, no ma'am, three bags full ma'am" she muttered at Debbi's retreating back. Debbi had been insufferable lately, ever since being put in charge of this lucrative Chinese account. They worked in the sales department of a company of upmarket fashion designers.

"I don't want any screw ups with this one Deb. You know how important winning this account is" her boss Jeff was telling Debbi at their meeting. "Absolutely, you know you can rely on me. When have I ever let you down ?" Debbi answered complacently. "Never" admitted Jeff. "But now would certainly not be the time to start" he emphasized.

The purpose of the presentation to the Chinese was to display the latest range of designer lingerie. The burgeoning Chinese middle class was developing a taste for the decadent west ! "Better take Susie and Charles along with you for the experience" Jeff concluded. Debbi groaned inwardly. Susie and Charles were two interns attached to her team. Susie was the spoiled 18 year old daughter of the company chairman and Charles an entitled 21 year old ex public schoolboy.

Debbi took out her irritation at this on Carol when she returned to her office. "And you have booked the model for tomorrow too ?" she demanded. "Yes I bloody well have" Carol replied testily. "Well call the agency again to confirm, just in case" Debbi insisted. "I don't know why you don't model the range yourself. You've got the figure for it and you'd save the company some money" Carol responded as she reached for the phone.

"Ha ! As if" said Debbi scornfully. "It's all thongs and crotchless knickers. You wouldn't catch me parading all my bits for a bunch of lecherous Chinese and goodness knows who else might be about. I don't know how these models do it." Debbi knew that as a petite 26 year old, with Latin good looks inherited from her Italian father, she could indeed carry it off. But as she had already stated, she had no intention of demeaning herself. "Just confirm with the agency" she ordered as she retired to her office.

Carol put the phone down. She could check the model listing on the agency's system, so no need to bother phoning. She gasped as she looked down the list of bookings. She had entered the required date as 9/8/2025 for the 9th August. But the software, being American, had interpreted this as the 8th September ! Good job I checked, she thought to herself. But then she grinned mischievously and had second thoughts. Here was the perfect excuse. She could not be blamed for the idiosyncrasies of the imported software. She began to giggle. Good luck with trying to get Susie to model underwear for you Deb she chuckled as she went about her work.