Call Me Lydia

by MaryAnn Myers

  Reed started to say something, but she stopped him and couldn't have been more emphatic. "But all that's about to change, because I've had it. You hear me? I've had it!"

  Tony shifted his weight, glancing from one to the other, which drew her attention, and she lit into him as well. "You know, if you could stop looking at me like that it would really make my day. I'm getting sick of it!"

  Tony shrugged, holding his hands out, as if he had no idea what she was talking about, and Reed jumped in immediately. "Perhaps we ought to arrange it so you two don't have to be here at the same time."

  Lydia stood up, shaking her head. "Ohhh nooo ! Not on your life. I'm not staying out of anyone's way. Especially his!"

  Reed was hypnotized. She was most beautiful when angry. "I'm not suggesting you do that. I'm just thinking that maybe if you'd just trust people a little more and let them do their jobs..."

  Lydia studied his eyes. Do their jobs? They were doing their jobs. Everyone was. And they were facing bankruptcy. "I'm sorry, Reed, but I don't trust them. I don't trust any of them. I don't even know if I can trust you. And you!" She turned to Tony. "I wouldn't trust you, if...if...if I were sleeping with you."

  Tony crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "I don't recall that being part of the job description."

  Lydia almost smiled, but wouldn't dare. Not with him and that cocky expression of his. "Speaking of which, I don't see that you're doing your job all that well."

  Tony's eyes hardened. "The problems down there didn't happen overnight. To straighten them out is going to take time."

  "Yeah, well we don't have time. We've been through this. In fact, we have even less time now."

  Reed looked from one to the other.

  "Then why bother?" Tony said. "Why don't you just lock the place up? Or sell out? I'm sure you could find a buyer or two. You ought to give it some thought. Why burden yourself with this?"

  Reed cringed, expecting an explosion from Lydia in response. But there wasn't any. "I can't do that," she said simply, as she sat back down. "Not yet." That would be the easy way out. "And while what I'm about to say may sound funny coming from me, that's okay. Neither of you know me well enough to judge, so it doesn't matter." She hesitated. "See; I owe it to my dad to try to make this work. And I owe it to my mom. This place was their life." Her voice quivered, and she lowered her eyes for a moment. "So, imagine you're doing this for your mom and dad, and help me out. Please...”

  Reed swallowed had, vowing to himself that he was going to have her, no matter what. Tony just stared, long and hard.

  Lydia reached for a cigarette. "Now, first of all," she said, trying to sound in control again. "No more overtime, none. I don't care if we're backed up, behind, and with a fleet of trucks lined up out to the street waiting for parts. None."

  Reed objected. "But the production demands at this time are such that it's necessary."

  Lydia lit her cigarette, listening, and turned to Tony.

  "What about you? Do you think it's necessary?"

  He was still staring. "Not on all the machines, no."

  Lydia looked into his eyes. "How well are you at keeping things to yourself?"

  Tony nodded, and taking that as his answer, she told him the situation they were in. "We only have enough in the bank to cover one more payroll. Granted, we have receivables due, but we also have other expenses, and we're behind with all our suppliers."

  Tony nodded for her to keep going, and for some reason, she now found comfort in this dead serious stare of his. "We need you to speed things up. Cutting out a shift like we talked about, can we do it? And can we do it now?"

  "Yeah, I think we can."

  "Good," Lydia said. "Because I'm about to ask you to take it one step further."

  Tony just looked at her for a moment, then motioned for her to get to whatever it was, and she glanced at Reed, including him in this. "We need you to cut back everywhere you can. And I mean everywhere. Shipping, assembly, everywhere. Keep only those willing and able to do the work of two. Let everyone else go."

  Tony lowered his eyes, thinking.

  Lydia couldn't handle the silence. She drew back hard on her cigarette. "Is that going to be a problem?"

  Tony looked up and shook his head. "No, I just need to get rid of the sludge first, so I can get a better picture."

  Lydia didn't understand.

  "The ones that'll bail out on their own if they get wind of something like this," Tony said.

  "Won't we lose some of the good ones that way too though?"

  "Sure, you're bound to."

  Lydia snuffed her cigarette out and sat back. "So how do we handle this and keep the ones we want?"

  Reed made a suggestion. "We can offer them an incen­tive."

  Lydia started to say something, but Tony was already disagreeing. "That might work upstairs, Will, but it won't mean shit out on the floor. Especially if they think there's a possibility of us going under."

  Reed nodded. "I guess you're right."

  Lydia looked from one to the other. "Okay, so we'll have to do it some other way." She stood up, gathering her ciga­rettes and purse. "But later. Right now I'm going to Forrester."

  "What for?" Reed asked.

  "I don't know. I just know I'm going. Give me someone's name, a contact."

  Tony had a hint of a smile on his face. "Julius Randall. Though I doubt you'll get him on a Friday afternoon." He glanced at his watch. "In fact, I doubt you'll get anyone. They're probably teeing off right about now."

  Lydia sat back down. "Then I'll go first thing Monday."

  She looked at Reed. "Maybe you should go with me."

  Reed nodded, and she turned to Tony. "I'd like it if you could be here days from now on."

  "First shift?"

  "I don't care about the hours exactly, just here during the day.”

  Tony nodded.

  "Monday?" she asked.

  He nodded again.

  "And I want you checking in with me, Tony. Just like Reed. I'll be checking in with you too. I don't want any gaps in our communication."

  Tony looked dead serious again. "I don't think you need to be out on the floor."

  "Then you come to me...often, when you get here, when you take a break, before you leave, whenever. If you don't want me down there, you come to me. It'll probably work out better that way in the long run anyway. I won't have to track you down, and you won't have to chance me overhearing your references to my canine behavior."

  Tony looked off, nodding. He had that coming, and he knew it. He stood up slowly.

  "Oh, and one more thing," Lydia said.

  Tony shifted his weight.

  "I need you to take a pay cut."

  Her timing's perfect, he thought. Bring up that bitch thing, and then ask him to take a cut in pay. He almost smiled. "How much?"

  "Quite a bit," she said, giving him about two seconds to think about it. "Still with us?"

  He nodded. "Yeah, I’m with you. Only I want it all back when we get turned around."

  Lydia smiled. "Fair enough. You got it."

  Tony looked at her for a moment, just looked at her, then motioned to the window. "Give me about a half-hour."

  "Oh, why? Am I gonna see a floor show?"

  Tony almost laughed, his effort not to was obvious. "No, I just thought you might like to see the sludge as it assembles."

  "Tell me where they're gonna be so I know where to look."

  "In the aisles," Tony said. "You won't be able to miss them. They'll be the ones clinging together."

  "I take it you have a few favorites you plan on flushing out."

  Tony smiled, a smile that warmed her where it shouldn't have. Turning quickly, she hoped it didn't show on her face. When she heard the door close, she reached for a cigarette, glancing at Reed. He was lost in a fantasy, one where he was holding her and making love to her.

  Lydia lit her cigarette and figuring it was as good a time as any, spoke to him through the smoke. "O
f course you realize I'm cutting your pay too."

  Reed didn't look surprised, not that he looked all that pleased. "I guess since Tony accepted it so well, for me to gripe would be uh..."

  Lydia smiled. "Thanks for being so understanding." She grabbed her lighter and cigarettes, taking an extra pack just in case, and stood up, making a brave announcement. "Now I'm off to see Jan."

  "I'll walk with you," Reed said. At the door, he allowed her only enough room to get by. "What time do you want to go Forrester on Monday?"

  "I don't know. I'll probably be a little late with Greg coming for the weekend." She wanted to make a point here, having read his thoughts. It worked. She could see it in his expression.

  "Well, if he's still around, you ought to bring him in for a while," he said, with a forced smile. "It's not often you get to see a real celebrity."

  "I see plenty of him," Lydia said, chuckling with a purposely devilish look. "In fact, he insists I see all of him every chance he gets."

  Reed forced another smile, and they walked on quietly. When Jan looked up and saw them coming, she immediately started crying, and Reed begged off. Situations like this made him too uncomfortable.

  "Jan, can we talk now?"

  Jan nodded, Lydia motioned to her old office, and Jan followed, sniffling and dabbing at her eyes with a crumbled tissue. "I'm sorry, Miss Lydia. It's just..."

  Lydia motioned for her to have a seat and walked over to the window to give the woman a moment to collect herself. "Jan, if it's something I said, something I've done."

  "It's not you," Jan said, blowing her nose. "It's me. I never do anything right."

  "Who's complaining?"

  "You! You're always yelling at me."

  "Yelling?!" Lydia said, hearing herself and then lowering her voice. "Yelling? Me?"

  "Yes, you." Jan sniffled, then wheezed, and blew her nose again. "I know it's because you're under so much pressure, but I think I add to it. A good secretary wouldn't..."

  "Jan, I don't even need a secretary."

  "See what I mean?!"

  Lydia cringed. She'd meant to imply Jan could just be Reed's secretary and forget all about her. But, boy, was that the wrong thing to say. She walked over and sat down. "Reed says I make you nervous, and if I do, I'm sorry."

  "No, it's me. That's why I'm giving you my two weeks' notice."

  Lydia leaned back in her chair, sighing as she stared up at the ceiling. "That's nice. I'm sure I can pay you for at least one of them."

  Jan started crying again.

  Lydia felt helpless. What could she say? "Jan, I think if you give us a little more time, this'll all work out. Come on, I'll even try to yell less; not that I thought I was yelling. Stay...you'll see. I don't want you to leave, you do a wonder­ful job."

  Jan looked at her accusingly. "How do you know? You never let me do anything for you."

  Lydia couldn't believe this conversation. Well, Reed says..." she began, which, judging from Jan's immediate reaction, was another wrong thing to say. She threw her hands up. "All right! You win! You want to be my secretary? The job's yours! It's settled. Now let's go get something to eat."

  Jan's eyes widened. "I can't leave."

  "Why not? You afraid of getting fired? Come on, get with the program! You and me are a team now!"

  A strangeness came over Jan's face, one Lydia made the most of. "Christ, Jan, I think you're smiling. Wait ! I can't tell for sure! Don't move! I'll call Reed and get a second opinion."

  Jan laughed self-consciously. Lydia dialed Reed's exten­sion. "Jan smiled," she told him when he answered. "And we're going out to dinner to celebrate. Want to join us?"

  "Sounds good to me," he said, with a sigh of relief. "Are you going now?"

  Lydia glanced at her watch. "No, Tony promised me a show, and I'm not leaving till I see it. You two meet me down there." Hanging up, she looked at Jan and grew serious. "There is one more thing," she said. "And I mean this, from here on in, please...call me Lydia."

  * * *

  Tony, meanwhile, had things well underway. He'd dropped some carefully worded bombs in a few strategic areas, and was now walking down the main aisle, making notations on a clipboard, appearing preoccupied. He stopped about halfway, just listening for a moment. One of the machines was struggling, and figuring which one it might be, he tucked his pencil behind his ear and walked over. He was right.

  He tapped the operator on the arm, motioning for him to step back out of the way and disengaged the clutch. "What the fuck are you running it like this for?"

  The man looked away, shrugging as he mumbled something.

  "When's the last time you changed the bit?"

  "Dave from first said he changed it."

  Tony shook his head critically, turned the machine off, and glanced down at the man's tool box. "You wouldn't happen to have any in there, would you?"

  "No

  "Then you won't mind if I take a look."

  "You can't do that, Tony. That's my personal property," the man said, looking around to see if anyone was listening and raising his voice. "You're not allowed to touch our stuff."

  By now, four other operators had stopped running their machines and were teaming up with similar looks of defiance.

  Tony was undaunted, though. He opened the tool box anyway and right on top were three carbide drill bits. "I suppose they jumped in there on their own."

  Several more operators stopped to listen. “Come on, everybody does it, Tony. You probably do too!"

  Tony stepped close, looking him right in the eyes. "No, I don't. And you won't anymore either." He leaned down, took the drill bits out, and motioned to the door. "Get your

  stuff together and get out of here."

  "What? Why you firin' me? You know damned well if you checked everyone and fired 'em all, this fuckin' place' d be shut down!"

  Tony stepped a little closer, glaring at him. "Yeah, well that may just happen soon enough. Now do yourself a favor…get out of my face."

  The man was angry, but not stupid, and backed out of the way. Tony walked on, staring down each operator as he passed. Then he headed for shipping, knowing exactly who he wanted to single out there as well.

  Back in her office, Lydia looked out over the shop and marveled. She couldn't see Tony anywhere, but as he'd pre­dicted, the sludge was out, clinging together and filling the aisles.

  Reed and Jan walked up behind her.

  "Well, I don't know what he did," she told them, motion­ing. "But whatever it was, it worked."

  Reed nodded, smiling. "He has a way about him. He doesn't say much, but he can definitely make a point."

  Lydia had to agree. "All right, let's go. I'll drive."

  Jan was in for a ride, a convertible ride, her very first. "What are you hungry for?" Lydia asked, holding the seat forward so she could get in back.

  "Oh..." Jan said, sounding giddy. "I don't know. I guess a salad."

  "Jesus!" Lydia said. "Do you eat a salad everyday?"

  "Um...no, but it is Friday, and I am Catholic."

  "Hmph," Lydia said. "I didn't think they did that meat thing anymore. Didn't that go out with the charm bracelet?"

  Reed laughed. "Where's the connection there?"

  "Shit, I don't know! But it was the same year, I think."

  This even had Jan laughing, and when they passed the picketers, who whistled and waved, she found it impossible to keep from smiling. The wind was in her face, her hair was blowing everywhere, and she was enjoying herself for the first time since she could remember.

  During dinner, they talked about everything from their favorite movies to their least favorite foods. Merchant Manu­facturing wasn't mentioned once. When the waitress brought the check over and Lydia took it from Reed, saying, "That's mine," Jan took the opportunity to thank her and apologize.

  "I'm sorry I made so much of things. I do have a tendency to exaggerate."

  Lydia smiled. "That makes two of us. So, if you don't let my overreacting get to you, I
won't let yours get to me. Okay?"

  "Okay."

  "Good. Now let's go see how Tony's doing."

  Jan went home after they dropped her at her car, Reed offered to go look for Tony, and Lydia went upstairs. Reed came in a few minutes later. "He'll be right up," he

  said, sitting down across from her.

  Lydia nodded, glancing at her watch, and Reed started swooning again. He had done it all through dinner, and now here. "That was really nice what you did for Jan."

  Lydia shrugged. It seemed like the least she could do. "I had no idea I rattled her so much. I guess I thought she was like that with everyone."

  Tony came in then, and Lydia turned, somewhat mellow from the three Scotches she had at dinner, and greeted him with a sincere smile, as if they were old friends.

  "Well, are you gonna tell me anything about your technique?"

  Tony finished wiping his hands on a shop rag, smiling back at her. "No...I think I'll keep that to myself."

  Reed glanced from one to the other several times during this, hating the way they were looking at each other, and quickly decided he liked it better when they were going for each other's throats. Much better. "Well then..." Lydia stood up, yawning. "Since you're not going to fess up, I think I'll go home."

  Tony turned with her as she walked past him, and when she stopped at the door, looking back at both of them, he crossed his arms and smiled.

  "Remember, I may be a little late Monday, but keep the morning open so we can go to Forrester."

  Reed nodded, dying inside. Having to watch her and Tony gazing at each other as if they' d just paired off in a crowded bar was bad enough, let one being reminded she'd be in bed with Greg this weekend. "Do you want me to have Jan set up an appointment?"

  "No, I think we'll just drop in on them. The element of surprise and all that." She waved. "You guys have a nice weekend."

  Reed said, "You too." Tony only nodded. When the door closed behind her, a silence filled the room, an awkward silence. One Tony chose to walk out on. Reed stopped him. "How long have we been friends, Tony?"

  Tony drew a breath, staring down at the floor, and turned back around. "A long time, why?"

  Reed motioned to the door. "I want her."