A new wolf partner

Hello my name is Birch I am a brown wolf and with the help of my mother I have been running a successful cake decorating business for two years. Now that my business has become so popular I need some help with my bakery. People literally line up before I officially open the doors to get a sweet treat before work and a cup of coffee. We have become so popular as a cake shop that now I had to pay my dad to place a help wanted advertisement in the paper. The problem is when you advertise a job like working in a bakery you get all sorts of canines. Some desperate looking for a job others just looking to try something new. Me I was looking for someone with skills and a passion for cake. There was a few quality candidates so I began the interview process the first wolf I met was Buddy a former pastry chef that retired from the business years ago but was looking to get back in the business he was a great candidate but he preferred to not use the machines. We are a large volume bakery so I like making cakes by paw but I do not have time to do that. I asked Buddy if he would be willing to learn how to use the machines and he replied no I do things the old school way and well I dismissed him from the bakery. Next I had a chunky dog who claimed he was a good chef but it turned out he liked to eat his creations more than make them and he was not that great a decorator. Then a female wolf was next her name was Marlene she said I don’t know how to make cake but I like to decorate and design them. I gave her the task of making a replica of the shop in cake, she went to work and I saw that she had skills in decorating I said would you be willing to learn how to make cake she said yes I would. I would love to learn I said when could you start she said is today ok; I said you are hired as a decorator I just need someone else to help with cake. She said I know someone; he is an excellent cake chef, a hard worker, and my best friend I said did he apply she replied no. He said I needed the job more than he did which is true I have a young family and we need the extra bones he is a good friend I said call him in for an interview. I met her friend he was a tall handsome wolf he had some sugar and flour on his fur I asked were you baking recently. He laughed and said yes I made a cake for a nephew of mine it was his first birthday; I replied I want you to make a cake of your own recipe with five layers decorated in a fall motif. He replied ok don’t you want my name first I replied if you pass my first test then I will get your name and hire you on the spot. He said a trial by baking I said I want the cake done in two hours and ready for presentation, can you do it he said I will try.

I went back through the applicants found a friendly young dog to run the cash register and great guests. She was a sweet young beagle her name was Charity and she was the perfect canine for the job even mom liked her. The two hours passed and I said I want to see your work in front of me was a cake that looked beautiful with leaves and trees and it was frosted perfectly I asked any left over cake it would be a shame to cut into something this good looking he replied yes. I tried it and said that is fantastic you are hired what is your name he said Ronald Wag but I like to be called Ron. I said Ron put you cake in my display I am selling it and for your first day of work let’s call the profit from the cake your pay then tomorrow Ron and Marlene you get here at five Charity Seven and make the coffee and get the display ready for the guests we had a great day today and we close at five and you do get lunch breaks so it is four right now so you can all head home early if you want. Marlene said thanks Ron said mind if I stick around and learn some of your machines I am not use to the all yet. I replied go ahead Charity said I will stay to the shop closes and help with clean up if that is ok. I replied that is fine. Charity said someone bought Ron’s cake for a hundred and fifty gold bones, I said nice job Ron he said no problem I said no that is an excellent price and you did a great job take the compliment. He said ok but can I be so brave and ask you to join me for a bite to eat after work I replied sure I would be happy to eat a meal with you. So we finished our first day with the new staff and Ron asked so are you looking for any more workers I said for now in our small location we are fine. He replied I agree but you know one day you may need a bigger bakery I replied I look forward to that day very much. I said for right now I have a loan I have to pay back to my dad for this current location and see how things go because you never know what business will do. Ron replied we fill a specific need that canines are looking for and I see no reason to panic yet. I replied I don’t panic I take each situation I am faced with that is adverse and look at it as an opportunity to succeed. Panicking does you no good decisive action and a plan gets you through the rough patches in life.

Ron said you are one smart wolf I replied thank you Charity put the last chair away and swept up the floor I said good job today and I said if you want t put a tip jar you can. She replied I may but I prefer to donate the tips, I replied don’t you need them she replied I may but others need the bones and have less than I do so I like to share. I replied well any extra old cakes we don’t sell I would be happy to give away to a food bank if you know one that will take them, She replied you have leftovers that is funny I had trouble keeping the case full and the coffee going. I replied I know the morning rush is brutal, she said so is the after work crowd parents picking up last minute cakes for their kids or people wanting to order one last minute. I replied I know it’s crazy but we never turn down a customer if we can help them. I heard a knock on the bakery window I waved the canine in he was out of breath and asked are we still open I said no but can we help you. He said I hope you can I just permission to marry the one person I want and I want to put the ring in the cake my girlfriend loves your pineapple upside down cake and I was wondering could you design a proposal cake for me. I said when do you need it he said I would love to do it today you know strike while the iron is hot. I shook my head like I understood, I asked any extra cake left today Charity she said in the fridge we do have five or six small round pineapple upside down cakes will that work I said show me the box it was round I said yes take them out and go home. She said ok, Ron asked can I help maybe do half of the cake I said sure. I said give us thirty minutes and we will come up with something fantastic but there is a premium for this job. He replied how five hundred gold bones sound I replied ok considers it done. He put five hundred down and said if you can get it done in the time frame you gave me I will give you a second five hundred no questions asked but it has to be one of your best creation ever. I said no problem, I said Ron do you got any carpentry skills he said yes a little I said in the office you will see a form book get the ring page and make the wood support frame please he replied ok I said get the bottom done first. He did and I worked on the bottom of the cake will he got the top half of the form done. We connected the two halves and I worked on carving the last of the cake as Ron began to work on creating some decorations. We had the cake almost done Ron asked the customer do want us to write will you marry me on the inside of the cake. He replied yes if you can do that, Ron said no problem we got the cake done and I put the box in the middle of the cake wrote the text and we completed the cake with about thirty seconds to spare. We brought it out he looked at it and said that is exactly what I want, I said bring it to the restaurant and ask them to put it in the fridge somewhere safe away from raw or cooked food and tell them to wheel it out for the desert course and I recommend a nice glass of something bubbly to finalize the meal. The customer put a second five hundred bones down and said you do not know how happy you have made me today I will make sure and tell all my friends about you wonderful shop. I said next time come during normal business hours please.

He said I will and thank you again, by this time my stomach was rumbling louder than normal. I said I had a light lunch he said more like no lunch I never saw you eat, I replied I grabbed a sandwich and ate before taking a bathroom break more like around a bathroom break. He said you should take breaks too you know the boss sets the examples for the rest of the employees I responded I know but never a dull moment around here. He replied so I know you are hungry so you ready I said today he replied why not, I said ok but it will be your treat and you do get some of the profit from the cake we just sold. He replied where too I said anyplace I am not picky our dad exposed us to a wide variety of foods growing up, he replied who is you dad. I replied his name is Aspen, he works for the paper as a columnist and writer mom is the accountant and helps me with the books and payroll now that I got employees. He said who was your mom I am not sure I met her I replied Virginia; Ron said that is your mom she looks so young if you don’t mind me saying so. I replied I don’t and how old do I look Ron he said not a day over sixteen, I replied close add a year and how are you he replied the same. I said really know what school did you go to for baking, he replied I never went to school I kind of just figured it out on my own. I replied you are a sugar genius then because the cake you made comes from someone with years of experience in this business and I should know I have baking cakes since I went to high school. Dad insisted I go to culinary school it was hard but a great opportunity for me I learned so much. Ron said you are close to your family that is nice I never knew my parents I grew up in an orphanage. I replied that is horrible, he said it was not so bad they had a cook there he took me under his paw and taught me how to cook and bake. I consider him my dad, I said you have to meet my dad he was a orphan wolf at one point but got adopted then later in life his dad strips him of his last name and well he makes a new name for himself he is my personal hero. Ron said he sounds like an interesting wolf, I said he is and some of the cakes I make are his recipe so I guess that is my part of his family legacy that I have been entrusted with. Ron said that is a huge responsibility and you handle the shop with grace, we found a place and he said does this look good I replied yes this is perfect. We walked in and I thought to myself so this is Snow’s restaurant I wonder if he knows we are related. We had an incredible meal together and at the end I said I would like to thank the chef for the meal. Snow came out and she said hello Sis and gave me a hug and she said who the hunk of wolf you are with is. I replied Ron this older sister Snow; He said pleasure to meet you. Ron said I already paid for the meal does that mean I get a refund, he said just joking the food was excellent. Snow said he is easy on the eyes but my George is perhaps a bit more handsome, but I like him. He said I guess cooking runs in your family Birch I replied it does, he said could I ask you on second date. I replied yes you may, Ron said Birch would you do the honor of going out with me again. I replied you asked so nicely I can only say one thing yes I will, that marked the start of a new relationship for me and a new partnership for the bakery.