Kevin was stirred awake by the sound of his phone ringing. He sat up in bed, yawned and then reached for the phone.
“Hello?” Kevin answered.
“Hello, Kevin.”
Kevin recognized the caller’s voice.
“Hello, Robert,” Kevin greeted.
“Where are you?”
“I’m at the motel.”
“You’re WHERE?” Robert suddenly raised his voice.
“I’m at the motel,” Kevin repeated.
“You mean you’re still in VEGAS?”
“That would be correct.”
“Do you know where I am? I’m here at the airport in West Palm Beach to pick you up, and it’s pointless doing that when you’re still in Las Vegas!”
A slow feeling of panic began to build as Kevin realized he had missed his flight home.
“Did you at least go to the conference?” Robert asked.
“What conference?”
There followed a long, awkward silence as Kevin felt his panic begin to surge.
“HELLOO? The National Conference of Information Technology Management? That’s the reason you were sent to Las Vegas in the first place! Did you go or not?”
Another long, awkward silence.
“No,” Kevin answered softly.
“So what did you do instead? Spend all day at the stinkin’ casino?”
There was even more silence as Kevin worked up the nerve to deliver his response.
“No,” Kevin whispered, “I was so tired when I got to the motel that I fell asleep as soon as I got to my room.”
“And left me waiting for you at the airport for 6 hours. Nice, Kevin. NICE. We spend all this money to send you to Vegas and you get absolutely nothing done. When Oscar hears about this, he’s going to tan what’s left of your hide if he doesn’t fire you first!”
Kevin’s panic level shot through the ceiling.
“Well, I guess you’re not coming home tonight,” Robert sighed.”First thing in the morning you better board the first flight to West Palm Beach, and definitely prepare yourself for what could be the end of your career, and quite possibly the end of your existence when Oscar’s through with you.”
Click.
Robert hung up, leaving Kevin overwhelmed with guilt and shame. This was Kevin’s first business trip and possibly his last. This was his big chance to prove himself and he had just blown it, big time.
What will Kevin do? Can he still save his trip from becoming a total disaster? Or is it too late?
To be continued…
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