Beautific

I really didn;t feel like being there. The office required a certain amount of these retreats every year, and it was nearly December. I had to get three more under my belt by the end of the year or face a demotion. So, i came here, to a "Improving Relationships, Adjusting Timelines, Efficiency" (IRATE) conference. It did get me out of the office, but I would still have to make up my work when I got back. Still, it was only a few hours away and at a fairly nice resort.
"So, you see by Chart A-17, Page 65 in your conference workbooks, that the main production line blah blah blah..." I kinda zoned out after the first few charts. They were all big colorful graphs and tables that showed a bunch of arbitrary information I' never use. I had people who did that for me, after all.

It was just after three when the meetings for the day ended, and I took my little notebook, filled with doodles and random thoughts I'd written to the bar. I got myself a Scotch and soda and went to stare out the big bay window that separated us civilized folk from the joys of nature. I missed the days camping with my family, back when we used to live in Montana. but, sending me and my sisters to college had left my family in a financial bind, and when the bank raised our mortgage on the ranch, we were forced to sell. that's why I'd gotten into business in the first place, and I'm working on a deal to get that ranch back. It had been several years since we'd even seen the place, but I wanted to give it to my parents for their retirement. I hoped to do so early.
"Pardon me, Mr. Coogan?"
I looked up, into the face of an absolute angel. She wore a cute little outfit, the kind you might find in a risque' stage show, her tight bluejean shorts hugging her hips, and her checkered shirt was about a size too small. A brown cowboy hat and slick leather boots finished out the outfit, and her beatific smile brought me right into comfort. I slid over on the bench but she just smiled and stood there, her bright blue eyes sparkling in the florescent lighting of the lounge.
She leaned up against the window, her long shapely legs crossed at the ankle and she removed her hat, letting long auburn hair fall over her shoulders. She never took her eyes off me.
I looked around a bit, but it seems that nobody else had noticed her. I was a little surprised, given how beautiful and out-of-place she seemed in a place like this.
She tossed her hat in my direction and it landed just to my left side on the arm of the couch.
"I hear you're looking to reacquire the ranch your family lost some years back. I figure I can help you out with that, if you're willing to do something for me that is."
I smiled and stood, finishing my drink.
"Depends on what it is you want," I said to her, giving her my best sly smile.
"Not a whole lot, really, when you think about it. You'll never even miss it."