Patrick's Two On One

Patrick didn't want to go to the meeting

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‘‘Mr. Patrick, could you follow me to see Mr. Reno for your one-on-one?’’ asked Pam.

‘‘Sure.’’ answered a heavy-breathing Patrick.

Patrick released the lanky black car part in his hand and followed Pam into a loud warehouse filled with hard-working employees and noisy car parts which were from tiny to heavy. Patrick walked as coordinated as possible in his brown heavy boots and his white hard hat behind a comfortable-walking Pam, who also had a white hard hat on her head and purple Nikes on her feet.

Patrick hated one-on-ones based on his past experiences in other jobs. They made him feel like he was on trial, and that he had to put up a large wall in front of his interviewers. Patrick had these thoughts on his mind; as he exited off the work floor— and headed towards an exit door with the exit word in bright green lights, behind Pam.

The shiny sunlight, warm temperature, and breezy blue sky took some of the edge Patrick felt inside Star Car, a company where he had worked for two months. Pam stood in front of a grey 2025 Tundra Truck, waiting for Patrick to come up to her location.

‘‘Mr. Reno is in this truck. He’ll show you where to go once he’s finished his break. Good luck, Mr. Patrick.’’ said a gleeful Pam.

Pam slowly walked away from Patrick and back inside Star Car.

‘‘Okay, thanks.’’ said a nervous Patrick.

Patrick took light steps to the truck and saw a preoccupied Reno eating sour cream Pringles chips. Reno took a side glance at Patrick before deciding to give Patrick his undivided attention and put his Pringles chips down on the passenger seat beside him.

‘‘Are you, Patrick Pace?’’ asked Reno.

‘‘Yes, yes I’m Patrick Pace,’’ answered Patrick.

‘‘Well come on in, Patrick!’’ Reno said with emphasis.

Reno moved his Pringles ships to the back seat on the right. Patrick made his way towards the front passenger door. As he approached the door, he saw another person sitting in the seat behind Reno. It was a woman who looked like she was in her early 40s and was dressed professionally in her burgundy outfit, as was Reno in his black and white suit.

Patrick sat in the comfortable grey leather seat trying to keep his nerves at bay.

‘‘Mr. Patrick, how are you today, sir?’’ asked Reno.

‘‘I’m good. I’m doing good, just enjoying this beautiful weather right now,’’ answered Patrick.

‘‘I know right? It is beautiful. It’s too bad we have to work today…huh.’’ said Reno.

‘‘Yeah it is.’’ said Patrick.

‘‘Yes indeed. Well, as you know, I’m Reno…Reno Jones and this is my assistant, Janice Hines.’’

Patrick waved at Janice— and a smiling Janice waved back at Patrick.

‘‘Okay, let’s get this two-on-one started, shall we?’’ asked Reno.

‘‘Let’s do it!’’ Patrick said with a slightly thunderous voice.

‘‘Alright, here we go,’’ said Reno.

Reno pulled out a white sheet of paper from a light brown employee. Patrick's nerves increased after seeing the paper in Reno’s hand.

‘‘It’s okay, Patrick. It’s not a bad report,’’ said Janice.

‘‘I believe you.’’ said Patrick.

‘‘Well, good.’’ said Janice.

Janice’s smile and reassurance put Patrick at ease as he awaited to see what Reno had to say.

‘‘So, Patrick, for two-on-one scores at Star Car, the highest is a ten and the lowest is a one. Your score is a seven. Since you started working with the company you have done solid work and have a great attitude.’’

‘‘Oh wow, thank you,’’ said Patrick.

‘‘You’re very welcome, and now for the fun part.’’ said Reno.

‘‘Uh oh.’’ Patrick thought.

‘‘It’s nothing bad. Star Car just wants you to stress out a little more when you work like the other workers. If you can show stress on your face, that’ll go a long way in raising your score.’’ said Reno.

‘‘O-okay.’’ said a pondering Patrick.

‘‘Oh yeah, and if you can have your backbone come out of your back, that would be great too just to show us that you’re working hard,’’ said Reno.

‘‘I think I could work on that,’’ said Patrick.

‘‘Uh huh, oh yes, and if you could make sure your mental health is a little loose, that would work wonders in increasing your score as well,’’ said Reno.

‘‘Hmmm.’’ Patrick thought.

‘‘If you work on these three things, you’ll quickly rise at Star Car,’’ said Reno.

‘‘You can do it, Patrick. You got this,’’ said Janice.

‘‘Any questions for us, champ?’’ asked Reno.

‘‘No, no questions from me,’’ answered Patrick.

‘‘Well, you have yourself a wonderful afternoon, Mr. Patrick,’’ said Reno.

‘‘Thank you, y’all too,’’ said Patrick.

Patrick shook Reno’s right hand with his right hand before shaking Janice’s right hand. When Patrick locked his hand with Janice’s, he felt a sensual energy go through him. A shiver came over Patrick. He left the truck and felt bewildered by what just happened.

Reno and Janice watched Patrick slowly walk back inside Star Car before letting go of their human disguise and allowing their blue & green alien form to breathe again. Their long ears and feet grew back to their lengthy form. Besides their human outfits, they were their alien selves again.

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‘‘Whew, it feels good to be in my green skin again,’’ said Janice.

‘‘Who are you telling? I missed my blue,’’ said Reno.

‘‘How much longer do we have to stay on this planet, Captain Zero?’’ asked Janice.

‘‘We’ll leave when we have enough earthly resources to get our economy going again on Algabar, Number Two,’’ answered Reno.

‘‘Okay good, we have plenty of that. I’m ready to head back home,’’ said Janice.

‘‘I know, Number Two, me too,’’ said Reno.

‘‘That Patrick human is cute though. I wouldn’t mind talking him back with us when we leave Earth,’’ said Janice.

‘‘Uh huh. Sure, you can abduct him to Algabar. His loved ones may not like that idea once they discover he’s missing from here.’’ said Reno.

‘‘Sigh, yeah you're right, Captain,’’ said Janice.

‘‘You and earthly men, I tell ya,’’ said Reno.

‘‘Oh shush, how out you and Venus women!’’ shouted Janice.

‘‘Hey, now that’s different!’’ shouted Reno.

‘‘How is that different?!?’’ shouted Janice.

Reno (Captain Zero) and Janice (Number Two) continued arguing over their preference for men and women in their Algabarian form until they sensed humans coming near the Tundra Truck and turned back into their human disguises again.

Patrick was near his work area; still feeling confused about the two-on-one he had with Reno and Janice. Warden, a much older worker saw a distressed Patrick coming his way and felt he needed to speak to the younger man.

‘‘So how did it go, Pat?’’ asked Warden.

‘‘Ah, the usual. You’re doing okay, but you’re not doing okay. You can do better…ya de ya de yada.’’ answered Patrick.

‘‘Yeah, just keep doing you. You’re doing a good job here. Keep up the good work. Earth is better with souls like you on it.’’ said Warden.

‘‘Thanks, Warden, I need to hear that.’’

‘‘You got it.’’ said Warden.

Warden stared and smiled at Patrick. For two seconds, his brown alien eyes popped up before having his earth eyes returned.