The elevator doors opened. The newbie stood slightly shaking from intimidation of his presence. The President, CEO and founder of the company this employee just started working for stepped into the elevator as the doors slid closed. He stood at an unimpressive, yet dominating height of 4 feet plus and wore a gray suit with a red bowtie.
"You're John Talbert," The CEO queried, "am I correct?"
"Yes, Sir." John answered, impressed that he knew his name from the 30,000 employeess he had working for him.
"Please, call me Dr. Cheu." he remarked and asked. "And how is your wife and son ... Mary and John junior, are they well? Did you arrive safely from New York? It must have been hard driving in the snow storm to get here."
"Thanks Dr. Cheu," John replied more impressed that he also named his family, "we got here to Lowell ok, although it was a little tough going in the snow. We are staying next store at the Town House until we can find a place of our own. I am really excited about working for Cheu Labs."
"Well, John," Cheu remarked, "I consider myself fortunate that you joined our company. We are doing big things in the EDP field and it will be hard work. Ah, this is my floor. Welcome aboard John."
Dr. Cheu bowed and shook John's hand as the elevator doors opened on the fifth floor. He smiled and stepped out as the doors closed again and the elevator car ascended to the top of the tower to the orientation assembly area. As John rode to his final destination, he thought about the impresive little man he just met. An elderly Asian American, small in stature, but great in achievement.
Dr. Cheu founded his computer company some twenty years ago and grew it into one of the leading office automation suppliers in the world. Despite his explosion from a handful of workers to 30,000 employees, the good doctor still maintained personal details of the people he employed, regardless of where they were in the food chain.
John was hired as a lowly Level 1 Hardware Engineer in the Product Safety department. Yet, Dr. Cheu knew who he was, and knew the names of his wife and infant son. What impressed John the most was that he even knew that he had driven from New York to Lowell, Massachusetts in a snow storm to start his new job with his company.
John thought more about his encounter as the elevator car made the ascent to the top floor of the tower. He thought that Dr. Cheu sounded a lot like the Commander from the Japanese Prisoner of War camp in the movie, The Bridge Over the River Kwai, even though he was the wrong nationality. The phrase, '...it will be hard work.'sounded just like it came from Col. Saito when directing his British prisoners. However, John wondered why Dr. Cheu got off on the fifth floor, when his office was located on the top floor along with the other Executives?
He also found it odd that he was the only new employee on the elevator, on his way to orientation, when he had his chance meeting with the founder of the company. The elevator car stopped on the twelfth and top floor of the tower, John stepped out when the doors slid open to make his way to the orientation assembly. He straightened his tie, checked the contents of his attache' case and walked casually to the assembly room. John realized he was early after noticing only a few new employees occupied the room. He glanced at his wristwatch noticing that he arrived fifteen minutes ahead of the scheduled meeting time.
Dr. Cheu reviewed some information in a small memo pad and placed it in the inside pocket of his suit jacket. The doors of one of the twelve elevetor cars on the fifth floor slid open and he stepped inside.
"You're Marilyn Winters," The CEO queried, "am I correct?"
"Yes, Sir." Marilyn answered, impressed that he knew her name from the 30,000 employeess he had working for him.
The voice of the big boss sounded oddly familiar to her, like the Prison Commander from The Bridge Over the River Kwai.
The End.
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Submission Name: A Chance Meeting with the CEO
