"I Want To Go Home !"

In the end, Debbi realised her only solution was to just walk back to her colleagues and get her clothes. The walk back to the stand was far less comfortable than even the embarrassing walk across to the rest room had been. Everyone now most certainly took notice of the soaking wet woman covered in patches of smeared paint , her hair a wild mess filled with pulpy bits of paper. She drew whistles, glares, laughter and even some concern in equal measure. She felt her face burning red with shame as she focused on keeping her shaking legs moving. It seemed to be four times further than she remembered. Upon reaching the company stand, she found her colleagues weren't much ****, laughing hysterically at the sudden transformation of their exhibitionist boss. They demanded to know all the details of what had happened. Debbi indignantly related the tale of her ambush.

"Anybody got a towel ?" she asked plaintively. "Strangely enough, no. It wasn't something I'd thought about bringing to a trade fair" answered Carol sarcastically. "I'm fed up" announced Debbi. "I'm going home. Where did you put my clothes Carol ?" Carol's mouth formed a shocked "O" shape. The shock was genuine, there was no mischief on her part on this occasion. It was simply that they had been so busy that she had completely forgotten about collecting Debbi's clothes from the face painting stand ! "Run and see if he's still there Simon" she said. But alas, he returned shrugging his shoulders. The stand was already dismantled and abandoned. "Don't worry Deb" said Carol reassuringly. "I've got his card and I'll chase him in the morning and get them back for you. He must have them bundled up somewhere with his stuff." "That's all very well but how do I get home now ?" screamed Debbi. "Well at least your bag's here and you drove in today rather than taking a bus" answered Carol, trying to keep a straight face. "I'd offer you my jacket" said Stew. "But the state you're in, it'd get ruined." Debbi had to concede that point. "Look" suggested Carol. "We'll wrap the company banner around you. That way, you can still be promoting the company as we walk to the car park !"

So that's what they did, Debbi shuffling in the middle of her three colleagues to gain as much protection from ridicule as she could. When they reached their cars, Carol spoke to Debbi. "You'd better hurry home and get cleaned up quickly Deb. You've got that important dinner date with the middle eastern gents remember ? They were most insistent that was a condition of their deal when Jeff and I spoke with them." Debbi had totally forgotten about that and had never had time to ask Carol about what had been agreed. "I can't go to dinner with them" she hissed at Carol. "They think I'm a prostitute, they want to sleep with me !" Carol thought this was hilarious. "You'd better think fast on your feet then tonight my girl" she laughed. "I don't think Jeff and the directors would be very pleased to lose out on this deal because of any failure on your part !"