From the outset of my employment, one of our clients is Mr. Sergio Garcia who owns a top of the line dental lab that services the people who live on Fischer Island, Palm Island, Star Island and Coral Gables. Basically the posh of the posh in Miami. A year ago Mr. Garcia opened a new state of the art lab that resides in the penthouse of a luxe high-rise overlooking the sparkling waters of Biscayne Bay.
So this year after preparing his work, my boss and I both wanted to see his new digs but had to go to different clients afterward so we took separate cars which we often do because my boss is an old school smoker. He had his office built as an addition to the back of his home so that he could enjoy his habit of chain-smoking cigars while at work too. His wife chain-smokes as well but her choice of pleasure is Marlboros. Every single thing that comes out of that house and office is reeking and I mean reeking with smoke.
After getting lost then finding our way, valet parked the cars and the doorman pointed us in the right direction. Walking into the building an old friend of my boss came up to him and they started chatting so I continued on by myself as he said he would meet me upstairs.
While waiting at the elevator door a woman joined me. She smelled so good I turned to look. The slender woman was brown as a berry and serious. No one else came along, so we rode to the top of the building together and then got out. Turns out we were both arriving at the same place, The Sunshine Dental Lab which encompassed the entire floor.
The woman walked in first then surprised me by stopping at the reception desk where she went behind it and sat down. Looking up at me she gave a rather curt but perfunctory "May I help you?"
"Yes, thank you" I replied continuing "My name is Ivey Mae McFarland and I am here to see Mr. Garcia. He is expecting me."
She told me I could have a seat. As she turned to leave, again I got another whiff of her clean and powdery scent like she was in from the beach and freshly showered. But damn, I was thinkin what a sour personality this woman has when a brilliant flash of diamond drew my eyes to her left hand. Wow, I thought somebody sure put a ring on it, sour-puss and all. I started to look around when almost immediately her scent came back by as she returned.
Again, she offered no smile no pleasantries just a curt "Please follow me" and I did thinking I must find out what she is wearing before I leave.
My mouth was on the floor as I took in my surroundings. The engulfing glass and chrome were made that much more intense by cool inset lighting that gradually shaded everything in greens and purple as we walked. Futuristic state of the art on steroids describes what I was seeing there.
We rounded a corner and headed down a long hallway. On our left was a terrarium type of extended greenhouse that gave the effect of entering the Amazon river, waterfalls included. To the right, smokey glass veiled an endless stream of dental technicians as they worked, their heads bowed whilst creating a variety of man-made teeth, oblivious to the comings and goings around them.
Looking about me I could not even imagine the bottom dollar to build this place nor the overhead to run it.
We stopped at an inner office suite where the receptionist swept her hand towards the doorway to acknowledge we had arrived then without a sound she turned to walk away. Damn, her body language too couldn't have been more off-putting and cold but she sure smelled good.
After she left I looked at the photos placed behind Mr. Garcia's desk then took an instant double-take. It appeared that the receptionist with the chipper disposition is Mr. Garcia's new wife! Mr. Garcia had told us a couple of years back that he had divorced and remarried. So this is her. Wow. I did not see that coming.
Just then Mr. Garcia came through the doors with his Latin charm and took my hand to kiss it. "Hello hello hello Miss lovely Ivey." Please sit down he gestured and I did. After we spent about ten minutes catching up with our lives we got down to business. Mr. Garcia looked over his returns as I asked a few questions he said "hold on let me get something." He reached for the inner-office phone and punched in a couple of numbers and waited. With an apparent no response he slammed down the phone and I jumped in my seat.
Whoa Nellie! I have known this man a very long time and seen him in many circumstances. I have seen him at parties, a funeral, a couple of weddings, and of course doing his tax-work for almost 25years. In all this time I have never seen even the slightest indication of a temper. His kids have also commented that their Father could not be more reasonable and laid back. It is a known fact that in the Garcia household their Mother was the disciplinarian. I was immediately curiouser and curiouser.
Without hesitation, he pulled a cellphone from his pocket and speed-dialed a number that was obviously answered "Where are you! Smoking again ?" he barked with words dripping in anger and I became instantly uncomfortable. thinking oh brother is there ever trouble in paradise here.
He spat "You can smoke on your own time" then abruptly slammed down the phone. It was as if he had forgotten I was even there. My eyes wide as saucers as I watched this calm gentleman losing his temper. I sat motionless while he then went back behind his desk and dialed his phone again.
Moments later a tall young man with perfect olive skin and twinkling brown eyes came in. I knew the handsome man. He was Sergio Jr and carried all the charm of his Dad, and then some.
Sergio Sr. asked his son "Can you please bring me the auto-expense file for last year? Celine would do it but she can't because she is outside smoking." With this, his son replied "Sure Dad. I'll be right back." As he turned to go he left me with a wink and a smile.
Mr. Garcia and I turned our attention back to his financial planning as if nothing had happened. Soon Jr. returned. He handed his Father the folder as his Dad asked "Is Celine finished smoking yet?" "I'm sure I don't know Dad," he said then quickly left the room this time looking at me with a smile and roll of his eyes. Shortly thereafter Mr. Garcia picked up the phone again and dialed whilst that time I held my breath.
In two minutes tops, Smoking Celine came in a threw a check on her husband's desk and huffed out, her wonderful scent wafting around us.
My uncomfortable level was getting the best of me so I spoke to ease the tension and said "Your wife smells so darn good!" to which he snapped.
"She smells so good because she just sprayed because has been smoking! She loves to smoke. She can't work because she is too busy smoking!"
Oh my. The wrong thing to say.
Mr. Garcia was walking me to the door and saying goodbye when my long-winded boss appeared inside the dental lab. Apparently, he had been downstairs talking and smoking himself, the entire time I had been working with Mr. Garcia. His infamous stogie still in his hand as he was reeking of smoke because had not used any of Celine's spray.
Again, she offered no smile no pleasantries just a curt "Please follow me" and I did thinking I must find out what she is wearing before I leave.
My mouth was on the floor as I took in my surroundings. The engulfing glass and chrome were made that much more intense by cool inset lighting that gradually shaded everything in greens and purple as we walked. Futuristic state of the art on steroids describes what I was seeing there.
We rounded a corner and headed down a long hallway. On our left was a terrarium type of extended greenhouse that gave the effect of entering the Amazon river, waterfalls included. To the right, smokey glass veiled an endless stream of dental technicians as they worked, their heads bowed whilst creating a variety of man-made teeth, oblivious to the comings and goings around them.
Looking about me I could not even imagine the bottom dollar to build this place nor the overhead to run it.
We stopped at an inner office suite where the receptionist swept her hand towards the doorway to acknowledge we had arrived then without a sound she turned to walk away. Damn, her body language too couldn't have been more off-putting and cold but she sure smelled good.
After she left I looked at the photos placed behind Mr. Garcia's desk then took an instant double-take. It appeared that the receptionist with the chipper disposition is Mr. Garcia's new wife! Mr. Garcia had told us a couple of years back that he had divorced and remarried. So this is her. Wow. I did not see that coming.
Just then Mr. Garcia came through the doors with his Latin charm and took my hand to kiss it. "Hello hello hello Miss lovely Ivey." Please sit down he gestured and I did. After we spent about ten minutes catching up with our lives we got down to business. Mr. Garcia looked over his returns as I asked a few questions he said "hold on let me get something." He reached for the inner-office phone and punched in a couple of numbers and waited. With an apparent no response he slammed down the phone and I jumped in my seat.
Whoa Nellie! I have known this man a very long time and seen him in many circumstances. I have seen him at parties, a funeral, a couple of weddings, and of course doing his tax-work for almost 25years. In all this time I have never seen even the slightest indication of a temper. His kids have also commented that their Father could not be more reasonable and laid back. It is a known fact that in the Garcia household their Mother was the disciplinarian. I was immediately curiouser and curiouser.
Without hesitation, he pulled a cellphone from his pocket and speed-dialed a number that was obviously answered "Where are you! Smoking again ?" he barked with words dripping in anger and I became instantly uncomfortable. thinking oh brother is there ever trouble in paradise here.
He spat "You can smoke on your own time" then abruptly slammed down the phone. It was as if he had forgotten I was even there. My eyes wide as saucers as I watched this calm gentleman losing his temper. I sat motionless while he then went back behind his desk and dialed his phone again.
Moments later a tall young man with perfect olive skin and twinkling brown eyes came in. I knew the handsome man. He was Sergio Jr and carried all the charm of his Dad, and then some.
Sergio Sr. asked his son "Can you please bring me the auto-expense file for last year? Celine would do it but she can't because she is outside smoking." With this, his son replied "Sure Dad. I'll be right back." As he turned to go he left me with a wink and a smile.
Mr. Garcia and I turned our attention back to his financial planning as if nothing had happened. Soon Jr. returned. He handed his Father the folder as his Dad asked "Is Celine finished smoking yet?" "I'm sure I don't know Dad," he said then quickly left the room this time looking at me with a smile and roll of his eyes. Shortly thereafter Mr. Garcia picked up the phone again and dialed whilst that time I held my breath.
In two minutes tops, Smoking Celine came in a threw a check on her husband's desk and huffed out, her wonderful scent wafting around us.
My uncomfortable level was getting the best of me so I spoke to ease the tension and said "Your wife smells so darn good!" to which he snapped.
"She smells so good because she just sprayed because has been smoking! She loves to smoke. She can't work because she is too busy smoking!"
Oh my. The wrong thing to say.
Mr. Garcia was walking me to the door and saying goodbye when my long-winded boss appeared inside the dental lab. Apparently, he had been downstairs talking and smoking himself, the entire time I had been working with Mr. Garcia. His infamous stogie still in his hand as he was reeking of smoke because had not used any of Celine's spray.
