Chapter 1

An opportune snowfall allows the boss to take advantage of her employee

This a true story from a time over fifty years ago - things really were more than a little different then.

Back when this event happened, I was in my early twenties and working for a now-defunct company in the north of England.

That the tale came back to mind is the fault, if there is such a thing, of Facebook. A mutual friend, from the same time, told me the lady in the tale had passed. Not a surprise in some ways as she was about ten years older than I was. It’s still a tale worth recalling, even if subsequently, writers of erotica have tended to make the whole idea rather clichéd.

So back we go. I was a fairly junior employee in pecking order terms, but was useful to the company as I had skills in, what was then a very new area, Computing. I was actually a machine code programmer and reasonably good at what I did. Working for a fairly small section, we programmed the early CAD machines that were eventually used to manufacture the patterns for the clothing we produced. In those days it could and often was not a little tedious and rather long-winded - but it worked.

Our boss, Lucy, was, shall we say, different. Now we would simply call her a lesbian, but back then that was a rather derogatory term and not used. We just knew she hated men, although she did, of course, put up with us as we were fairly essential to the working of the company.

So we got on, did what was wanted and got paid at the end of the week.

Being fairly junior I was uncertain as to why I might have been invited to the head of the department’s office. You know the feeling, ‘Hey ho! Nice while it lasted - I’m off to find another job... ‘

Entering the office, Lucy, my section head and the lady ‘who hated men’ was seated off to one side with just the manager, who was actually stood in front of and leaning against the front of his desk. ‘Hmm. Not a dismissal then... ?’

“Good morning Sven. Lucy tells me you’re doing very well just now.” My only thought, apart from surprise at this comment, was the smarmy git wants something.

Mr Granger went on, “There’s a short conference at which some new technology is being demonstrated, and we both think that you have the expertise to decide whether it would be of use to us. It’s quite expensive but may well be able to allow us to streamline and save time on some of the processes we currently use. It’s only one day and I want you and Lucy to go, have look and then report back to me and some of the other Board members.

He continued, “It’ll be a long day, this Friday, and you probably won’t be back ‘til quite late, but you’ll have Saturday and Sunday to get over things. I’ll leave you and Lucy to make the arrangements.”

He turned and went back behind his desk, sat down and It was obvious I was expected to leave. As I thanked him and was leaving, Lucy said that she’d catch up with me a little later.

It was probably an hour or so later when Lucy came into my office - don’t get any ideas, room for a desk, my chair and another on the other side - the window looked out on an inner courtyard - not big or inspiring in any way. She perched on the corner of my desk.

“Sven, you can drive can’t you?” I nodded and she carried on, “Rather than go by train Frank has allowed us to use his car.” Frank was ‘Mr Granger’, so Lucy was obviously a lot further up the tree than me! “As I haven’t passed my test yet, Frank will give you the keys on Thursday evening. The plan is that you take it home and then pick me up about half-past five on Friday morning. I know it’s an ungodly hour but that’ll just about give is time to get there before things start.”

I asked when things ‘kicked off’ and was told a meet up for coffee at nine-thirty with a ten o’clock start. Now bear in mind that this was fifty plus odd years ago, the cars were not like today and the roads over the hills and to the east coast were less than impressive. Four hours was going to be tight to make.

Five-twenty five the next, cold, grey, still dark autumn morning saw me drawing up quietly outside the house where Lucy lived. She was waiting, came out and climbed in. As we set off I was grateful to notice the map book in her hand.

An hour later a transport ‘greasy spoon’ stop got us a couple of bacon sandwiches which we ate as we drove. Otherwise, conversation with Lucy was intermittent and functional as she gave me directions. ‘Chatting’ didn’t happen - remember, this was Lucy, ‘the man-hater’. It was going to be a fun day.

We got there just in time to grab a pretty grim coffee and join the others in a small classroom. Actually, the day was interesting for me, did I mention I was a ‘geek’? And it became obvious that if we didn’t purchase the machine and our competitors did, such were the advances, we’d be out of business in six months. And I could program it easily. Useful for both me and the company.

The day wound up at nearly six in the evening. Lucy told me she had a company expense card for us and that we should have a pub meal on the way home. She also knew a pub up in the hills that served reasonable food.

Reaching it a couple of hours later, we parked and started across the car park. In the cold east wind, we could both feel the snow in the air. I hesitated and asked if we might not be better pressing on. Lucy said no, she was hungry, the firm was paying the bill, “let’s eat.” So we did.

About half an hour later, Lucy, looked over my shoulder. I had my back to the window and she suddenly went, “Damn! Look at that...”

I turned and looked at what had caught her attention - we could no longer see the other side of the courtyard in the blizzard that was now occupying our attention.

Lucy said, “wait a moment,” and shot off to the bar. She came back a few minutes later.

“Well - that was fortunate I got the last room - just pipped someone else at the post. When you look out there’s almost a foot of snow already - we won’t be going anywhere tonight.”

I got up to look out and had to agree. “Just as well you had that card.”

“Yes,” she replied, “however, there is one problem we’ll have to overcome - the last room has a double and a single only with a basic en-suite.” This was the sixties don’t forget. En-suites in England back then were a tad like hen’s teeth...

I laughed and just said, “I won’t peek if you don’t,” rather looking forward to how we would manage tonight.

Lucy went all serious. “If you’re off having fun and thinking of telling anyone - you can join that other bloke on the settee in front of the fire...”

So, of course, I promised. We also decided that as I wasn’t now going to be driving, I could have a drink - so we bought a bottle of wine. I have to say that Lucy drank most of it, but I certainly had enough to give me a little bit of a buzz.