My Magazine Ch. 01

Miss Childs looked up a telephone number and called Ivan Monk, her nephew and editor of a provincial newspaper. Ivan talked so loudly that Jenni could follow the conversation quite well. Yes, of course he remembered it was his aunt who steered him into journalism and, what was that? His aunt had another protégé?

Jenni can still remember over-hearing his encouraging reply.

"Well, if she comes with your recommendation you better tell her there's a junior reporter's job on a two-month trial waiting here for her. She can start next Monday and live in our sleep-out at home until she arranges her own accommodation. It's been nice talking to you Aunt Lizzie."

As Miss Childs put the receiver down Jenni rushed in and hugged her. "I heard – oh how divine."

"You might not thank me when he's working you to exhaustion – he's not keen on university graduates and neither is he keen on having women on his reporting team. Ivan is a bit of old school, I regret to have to say, but his newspaper turns out great reporters."

"Oh thank you, I've made so many unsuccessful applications that I was almost losing heart.

And what's this Lizzie? I'm sure no one at school, staff included, knew you had a first name."

"Not true – those who read my poems knew I was Lizzie Childs."

"Oh I read the little blue book containing the semi-banned poem – I can't remember reading your name. There was only something that said, let me think ..."

"A short collection of poems by an educator who wishes to remain anonymous."

"Yes, that was it and why the anonymity?"

"Because I did not wish to be judged as someone alleged to be corrupting young minds. It was one of my few moments of weakness, I must confess."

Jennie said, "Well, I visited the school recently on an Open Day – and surprise, surprise. There is now a bronze plaque under the locked book of your poems, gifted by last year's outgoing seventh form. The wording says, Headmistress Childs' Gift to Young Women."

"Oh goodness, I don't know what to say and look at me, I never weep!" exclaimed Miss Childs, dabbing her eyes.

"Well, there's more. Old Mrs Hutton is still the head librarian and she told us that it's very easy to tell when some of the girls have a particular birthday – those turning sixteen are waiting for the library to open, clutching their notes of authorisation allowing them access to your little blue book. This casually developed ritual is now becoming a school tradition. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Oh bugger me," Miss Childs sniffed. "There, you didn't know I cuss, did you? It usually only comes out when I get stressed. I haven't written a poem for some four years now, I seemed to lose interest. But I think that lull is about to end. Now where is my writer's log?"

Those thoughts of yesteryear faded as Jenni stood outside the office door of the managing director of Zephyr Media. She created a warm smile and knocked.

"Come in Late Jenni!"

The only person to stand and greet Jenni as she entered the office that served as the board room was the smiling CEO Ron Wiggins.

Grouped with him at the end of the table were the fleshy-faced company executive chairman David Brooks, in-house legal adviser Charles Trump who was shuffling papers, and the recently recruited human resources manager, Sharon Sparrow, attending her first executive meeting.

In self-indulgent business tradition, the CEO's office was the largest and had the best view of any office in the building. It was lined in light oak panelling and there were only two pictures on the walls – an impressionist's etching of Johann Gutenberg, who invented the printing press in Germany around 1450, and a vividly coloured photograph of David's wife Lydia with her Red Setter with the undoggy-like name of Maurice.

"Sorry, we must be early," Ron cracked, looking at his watch.

"No, you're fine. It's just that I'm working on women's time," Jenni replied coolly, drawing laughter from the men.

Ron pointed her to the chair at the end of the table, where she sat directly facing David. Being outnumbered did not unnerve her. Indeed the thought flashed through her mind that that may have assembled more managers had they known that audacious proposal she was about to put to them.

"Your business proposal – let's have it," David chipped in, keen to move things along. It had been assumed she had a plan to justify being kept on the payroll.

"Right guys and Sharon – here's the pitch."

They listened attentively, initially with great surprise. Charles and Sharon both took notes.

Jenni finished, handed around a summary of her presentation, and waited for someone to respond.

The subordinates looked at their leader, a heavy-set man with a cheerful face that so often contradicted his temperament. David actually felt good about this proposal. There was something in it for Jenni, quite a bit in it for the company – in fact the company would be gaining from the loss of its own magazine with a straight production and distribution contract, and there was the chance of coming out on top during the horse-trading over valuations should Jenni's fling into publishing really succeed.

"Well," he said, glancing out of the window for a second. "What you have presented does have some interest to us, I suppose."

"Come on, David," Jenni prodded. "You know I have a good read on you, having sat with you numerous times when we set out to beat people down. I expect better treatment than this."

David gazed out of the window again, and without looking at Jenni, said that he could become really interested if Jenni were to offer occupy the space she had now at a fair market rental."

Ron nodded in agreement but Jenni, Charles and Sharon were exhibiting similar body language – disapproval.

Charles took the initiative.

"It's a good idea for raking in income David, but shouldn't you think about the redundancy issues? We could look very favourable on Jenni's proposal just on the redundancy question alone if Jenni gets them to sign employment contracts, making it unnecessary for us to issue redundancy notices. There still could be redundancy issues inherent in that but unless her new people press for payments I can't see us paying out big money."

"We just need to be clever with the paperwork and with our statements. It does not take a brilliant mind to establish that we closed the mag down AFTER a disillusioned editor jumped ship, taking most of our treasured employees with her."

"Jenni?"

"I agreed with Charles. We can't leave a paper trail over this issue but you folk know me well enough to accept my word that if I end up with those people it will be on with the understanding of everyone that they turn their backs on redundancy payment claims. If any come back with a successful claim, then I shall settle it myself. That's surely a brilliant offer for you to accept?"

David seemed to accept that.

"Ron – you have at least one issue, surely?"

"Yeah right. Jenni I would be looking at supporting your proposal if you were to take all of your current personnel. What you have done is to handpick your A-team and leave us with the rejects to either absorb or to declare redundant and pay severance. That's simply not on."

"Sharon?"

"I agree with Ron and David. All or nothing."

Jenni was unmoved. She ran her right hand through her hair and across the back of her neck, to ensure she had everyone's attention.

"I contacted my travel agent at lunchtime today to instruct her to see if she could find me a lovely villa to rent for a year in the south of France. I advised her that taking up such accommodation would depend on the outcome of a business meeting I would have today. Already she has found a very cute but very expensive small apartment in a dream coastal setting.

"Although I don't feel ready for retirement," said Jenni, "frittering away my money on French food and French men is rather an attractive alternative to busting my gut trying to launch a magazine in an already stupendously over-crowed market."

Jenni studied her finger-nails in the heavy silence.

"Once a bitch, always a bitch," David murmured in a deep voice.

"Do I take it that's capitulation, David?" Jenni asked, imagining perspiration running down under her arms and down her breastbone.

"An obvious conclusion for someone who claims to be able to read me," he said.

"You know of course I didn't fall for that south of France crap. I read you like a book."

Jenni opened her handbag and pushed an e-mail message over to him. It was from her travel agent, saying she was green with envy about the apartment she'd located in southern France and begging Jenni to instruct her soonest because jewels like that were snapped up quickly.

"I've never been able to read you Jenni. You're one incredibly smart female. Good luck, and I promise we won't try to rip you off in the production of your new magazine. But beware if you survive those cutthroat two years of trying to achieve healthy readership numbers we'll expect an entry price discount when taking up our shareholding option."

"Screw me? Why David what a delightful going-away present."

The men laughed uproariously, with Sharon even trying to smother a giggle. She had no idea that Jenni had such a wicked side to her.

David walked across and kissed Jenni on the cheek.

"Thanks for doing your utmost, you gave everything to help us get out of the shit with that mag – but it was the market that beat us. I'm giving you a little something in appreciation."

That strange comment puzzled Jenni. But as she watched him walking away he turned and tossed at key ring at her. "It's the spare key for your BMW. You may keep the car for as long as you continued having your new magazine printed by us. We'll look after insurance and registration – but you pay for your petrol and general maintenance."

He then left the room, telling Ron to take over, leaving Jenni astonished and expressing her thanks.

"Well," said Ron. "Since we have the green light, Jenni I want you to get all of your chosen personnel to sign the employment contracts, with initials of both parties on the clause stating that they will automatically go into regular employment under similar terms with the company you are about to form. Then get everyone to the boardroom by 4:00 sharp.

"Charles, Sharon and I will enter just after 4:00 and announce that the magazine is being closed down forthwith, and that people not jumping ship with Jenni will be declared redundant, and terminated with their full redundancy payments forthwith."

But Sharon, the junior member of the executive, had a problem with that.

"Shouldn't we at least try to relocate the staff Jenni does not require to comparable positions within our organisation where need exists? It would save expensive severance payments."

"Sharon I don't think you quite understand," replied Ron. "Jenni has become one of the best operators in the business – if she rejects personnel, so should we. In my opinion, her judgment is superior."

Sharon appeared to be having dark thoughts as if thinking some time in their past Ron and Jenni used to bang away the night together.

More Coming