THE BOSS

                                           THE BOSS.

It was so nerve wracking having the boss over for dinner, but I wanted to make a lasting impression with a fantastic, memorable meal, to show him how multi talented I was, away from the office. I was good at my job, and was always being praised for my work by my boss, so it never hurts to score brownie points whenever you can.

    Deciding the menu was just as stressful. What if I cooked something he didn’t like, or was allergic to? Does he drink alcohol? I knew nothing about his tastes at all! I should’ve put more thought into this hair brained idea before I jumped in with both feet. He was a little out of my league, but young and handsome, and seemed interested in getting to know me better, so I just went for it, the words falling out of my mouth before I knew it. He stared at me for a moment, stunned I think, and I was suddenly so embarrassed, I just wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole! God, what an idiot I was! What was I thinking? Why would he accept an invitation from someone like me? He was the boss. The BOSS! As I stared blankly at him, the corners of his mouth curled up gradually, as he graciously accepted my invitation. What? Wow….

    After agreeing on 7 pm next Saturday, I threw myself into finding the perfect three course meal that would knock his socks off. I had four days to decide the menu, and go shopping for everything. I wanted the night to be perfect….

    The next four days at work went painfully slow, the only bright spot being when I caught the boss smiling at me. I gave him a smile in return. I was hoping he was genuinely interested in getting to know me, and not using me as some sort of office trophy. That would be humiliating, but it was a chance I was willing to take.

    Saturday finally came, but sleep didn’t come easily through the night, as I tossed and turned, worried about how the day would play out. I hated last minute shopping, but I needed the freshest possible ingredients for my ultimate dinner, so I got up early to avoid the crowd. After checking my grocery list for the umpteenth time, I was satisfied I hadn’t forgotten anything, I then went shopping for an outfit that would make a statement, as everything I owned was quite old and conservative. I was told that black cocktail dresses were always alluring, and I had to admit the colour suited me. I only hoped the expensive extra was going to be worth it. Normally I would never pay such an exorbitant amount on clothing, but this was a very special occasion, and if it worked out then it would be a good investment.

    I packed the groceries away, then went and hung my newly acquired dress in the wardrobe. It wasn’t normally my style of clothing, but a change is always worth trying out. Time was now going too fast! I had to start prepping for my dinner. I prided myself on making everything from scratch, which included the first course of soup. With the music cranked up, I got to work creating my three course masterpiece for the boss.

    The table was set with my best dinner ware and wine glasses. The centre piece was simple but elegant, and added the finishing touch to the perfect setting. The wine was chilling in the fridge and I was a nervous wreck as I poured myself into my new little black dress. As I stared at my reflection in the bedroom mirror, I hardly recognised myself. Was this really me? All I saw was a bewildered stranger smiling back at me. It took some getting used to, but I finally came to terms with the fact that I had this whole other person in me finally being set free, and it felt good!

    Dinner was coming along, with only a few last minute additions when it came time for serving. I suddenly had butterflies as I realised the time! As I adjusted the volume on the stereo, the doorbell chimed and I jumped nervously. This was it! The boss was here! I adjusted my dress, smoothing it out with shaking hands before reaching for the door handle. My first thought was pure panic, as I slowly opened the door. What if I’d gone too far and was being too obvious? What would he think of me? This was not me as he knew me. It was too late to worry about that now. He was here and waiting to be invited in. The smile on his face when he saw me was all I needed to be reassured I’d chosen wisely. He was very complimentary as I ushered him in and offered him a glass of wine, which he graciously accepted. His fingers briefly brushed mine as I did so, sending a delightful tingle down to my toes. He sat down on the lounge casually, waiting for my next move. I had to pull myself together and get on with the evening I’d planned so carefully, so I sat down beside him and let him take the lead with small talk as I slowly sipped my wine. His smile was really infectious, and drew you in as he inquired about my out of hour’s life as he put it. My life was quite boring compared to his corporate lifestyle, but he seemed interested in what I was telling him. I excused myself and went to the kitchen to prepare the main course, and finish preparing the dessert, my hands still shaking slightly. The dessert went into the oven on the rack below the mains. I added the cream to the soup and let it come to the boil again. Everything was running like clockwork. What could go wrong now?

    The table was quite small which made for a more intimate atmosphere. I placed the bowls of soup on the placemats then offered the chair to my boss. He pulled mine out and waited for me to sit before taking his own. He waited for my signal so to speak before picking up his spoon. As we both tasted my homemade soup, something was obviously very wrong. I looked up to see his face screwed up, and I knew instantly I had done something drastically wrong, as we both reached for a glass of water to wash the taste out of our mouths. Salt! Too much salt! Instead of a teaspoon I must’ve put a tablespoon! I couldn’t apologise enough as I hurriedly retrieved his bowl and headed for the kitchen. He didn’t seem too fazed by the mishap, and told me not to worry about it, accidents happen, so I proceeded to prepare the main course, with the taste of salt still lingering in my mouth.

    The red wine sauce had been prepared earlier, and was warming on the stove as I pulled the baking dish out of the oven. Staring at me from the piping hot dish were two deliciously browned quail. It’s really hard to find the right timing for cooking quail, as they tend to overcook in some areas and undercook in others. I’d had enough practice cooking them by now, and should be perfectly cooked. My confidence had been restored. Carefully placing each bird on its own nest of sautéed wild mushrooms, I gingerly poured the sauce around the masterpieces. Stepping back, I stared at them for a moment, taking in the beauty of my art on a plate. Yes, this will impress him! I picked them up, examining them one last time, and then confidently strode into the dining room to deliver my signature dish. He stared at his plate as I placed it in front of him, clearly impressed, and then glanced up at me, that now familiar smile planted on his face. I smiled back then sat down with my own plate. We raised our glass of wine in a salute then slowly began our meal, carefully dissecting the tiny bird as it lay majestically on the mushroom bed. I almost felt sorry for the poor little thing. I watched him nervously through veiled eyes as he cut into the breast. The look on his face sent a chill down my spine as he pulled the meat from the bone. Without even looking at mine, I knew instantly that it was overcooked. Not again!  I was so embarrassed, that I didn’t know what to say, apart from profusely apologising again. I stumbled over my words as I hurriedly gathered up his plate. He was clearly feeling embarrassed for me as well, and that only made me feel worse. Again I apologised profusely, explaining that this normally doesn’t happen. By now we were both ravenous, so dessert seemed like my saviour for the night.

    After scraping the ruined meals into the bin, I quickly rinsed the plates, and then reached for the dessert bowls.  Turning the oven off, I opened the door to yet another disaster! Surely this wasn’t happening, tonight of all nights! I cried out a little too loudly as I pulled the chocolate dessert from the oven. It was a total mess! The cake hadn’t risen at all, and the water was still floating on the surface instead of under the cake as a rich chocolate sauce. I cried out again as I sat it on the bench, deflated. My boss came into the kitchen after hearing my tell all cries, and realised what was wrong as he stared at the hot, watery pancake that was supposed to be a chocolate self saucing pudding. I realised then that I’d forgotten to put baking powder into the plain flour. I flopped the pot holder carelessly on the bench beside the chocolate mess and sighed deeply. I then looked at him with tears welling up in my eyes, and knew he was feeling really bad for me, as well as very hungry. He didn’t quite know what to say, and I couldn’t blame him as I followed him to the front door. After apologising yet again, he just smiled that smile of his, gave me a little salute then walked away. I closed the door and burst into tears. How could I face him at work now? Would he tell everyone what happened? Would they be staring and whispering behind my back? I just wanted to curl up in a ball and stay there forever.

    The following day I sat quietly at my desk, trying to be inconspicuous, as I half heartedly concentrated on my work. I dared not look at anyone, but they all seemed to be just going about their daily routines. Maybe he never said anything? Maybe he was too embarrassed for me? Maybe he was a gentleman, and wanted to keep my dignity intact? As I contemplated the answer, I glanced up to see him smiling and giving me a tiny salute. There was no malice in his face, only kindness and sincerity. Seeing that smile made me feel so much better about myself, as I commenced my tedious day at work once again.

                                                                         Ends.