Coffee Tales: Ristretto
When you want everyone to know who’s the boss
It’s Melissa’s first day on her new job.
She’s the new boss at dad’s company.
Well … dad is no longer there, so it’s HER company.
Melissa orders a Ristretto. Elegant, sharp, bitter.
Like HER.
She takes the first sip and looks at Mr. Jones who stands in front of her. She tells him to have a seat.
He hesitates for a few seconds, but he sits.
Melissa doesn’t like what she has to do. But she has to do it.
She asks Mr. Jones if he would like a beverage.
A Camomile perhaps?
He nods no, avoiding eye contact.
That’s ok, old man. You don’t have to like me.
Melissa takes another sip.
She tells Mr. Jones her dad always spoke fondly of him. He is the first employee he hired 30 years ago.
Before Melissa was even born.
She appreciates his hard work all those years. She really does.
But unfortunately … she has to let him go.
Mr. Jones looks directly up in her eyes. Melissa looks down.
She takes a few more sips and finishes her Ristretto, but pretends to still be drinking it to buy herself some time.
Get your act together, Melissa! You are the boss!
Melissa looks Mr. Jones directly in his eyes and his pain stabs her directly in the heart.
You have no choice! DO IT!
Melissa tells Mr. Jones, that, as the oldest employee in the company, he gets paid more than everyone else. A lot more. And the company can’t afford this anymore.
She could suggest a pay cut but, in his case, it would have to be 50% of what he makes now. And it wouldn’t feel right.
So, she has to let him go. He will be generously compensated of course.
Mr. Jones gets up and turns to leave. Before getting to the door, he turns around.
He asks her, does she remember when she was five and her dad brought her over to his office? She was crying and he gave her a strawberry lollipop. She called him funny uncle Jones.
Melissa looks down. She says she doesn’t remember.
But she does remember.
And she needs another cup of Ristretto.
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