The Greenfields County Club dining room looked just as I remembered it twenty years ago. A few improvements and changes, but nothing radical.

“John! Over here.” Don Wilson was waving to me from a small table by the window, overlooking the first green.

We exchanged the usual greetings and got settled in.

“So, John, what brings you back home after such a long time?”

“Nothing in particular. The wife and I just decided that we were ready for a change after both kids started college. We weren’t old enough for Florida, so we thought we would spend a few years at home. We are just renting for the time being.”

“Are you working?”

“Yeah! I am still with Sanders Chemical. I was able to swing a transfer back. It is almost like I never left. Sharon got a secretarial job with a local company. Yourself?”

“Still selling Chevy’s. I can’t imagine doing anything else. For some reason, I feel like I found my calling. When you think about trading give me a call.”

“Hey! No fair. You are not allowed to do business at lunch.”

Our meals came and we continued to chat about family, kids, and old friends. It was light and comfortable. It was good to be back.

As we were finishing up, Don motioned across the room toward a couple that had just come in.

“That’s a new addition to the community. I am sure you will be meeting him around soon. That is B.J. Stryker and his wife Rose.”

The name sounded familiar. “What is his claim to fame?”

“He is the marketing VP over at Gilbert Industrial.” Now I knew why the name sounded so familiar.

Don took a sip of coffee and continued. “Stryker is an HR nightmare. Everybody is just waiting for the ax to drop”

“Okay, Don. Get to it. What are you trying to say?”

“The guy is a sleaze and he is getting away with it. He is constantly hiring new personal assistants. They usually last less than a month. Every once in a while he gets one that will stay and they seem happy for about a year, and then he fires them.”

“Is he that bad to work for or what?”

“As I said; he is a sleaze.”

I gave Don a funny look, so he leaned forward and started talking quietly. “After he hires them he starts sweet-talking them. As I understand it he tries to convince them to give him blow jobs. He is cool and does it very slowly. They are all hired on a sixty-day probation period. If he can convince them to suck him off within the sixty days, they get a promotion and a raise. If not, they are let go. So far there have been a few complaints made, but nothing strong enough that they can bring charges against him.”

“Does he screw them too?”

“Nope! Never happen. He claims that he loves his wife and will not cheat on her. As far as we know all he ever does is get them to suck him.”

“And after a year, he gets tired of them, and goes looking for a new one?”

“Yeah! He is particular, however. He will only hire married women. I think he feels safer that way,”

We chatted a while longer and I kept watching Stryker. He was good looking and seemed to be quite charismatic. It was easy to see how he could be successful at what he was doing. Before leaving, Don and I made plans to get together later in the month.

I was pretty useless at work for the rest of the day. By the time I got home, Sharon had just finished getting supper on the table.

“So how did your lunch with Don go? I am sure you guys had a lot to talk about.”

“It was great. Don and June will be coming over next Sunday afternoon for supper. You guys can spend all evening catching up.”

“Is he still selling cars?”

“Yes, and he seems to enjoy it. And how was your day? Any interesting news from Gilbert Industrial?”

“I was going to wait till after desert to tell you, but, yes, I do have some really good news.”

My wife had a big smile on her face as she gave me her news.

“I got a raise and a promotion at work today. I think I am going to enjoy working for Mr. Stryker.”