The Smog by David Longhorn

Author:David Longhorn
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: ScareStreet.com
Published: 2016-08-19T04:00:00+00:00

***

“Yes,” says Garmouth, “he wants a temporary change in policy. Quite. But he insists, and you know Winston.”

Garmouth's secretary, listening to her boss's call through his open office door, smiles to herself. She knows Winston, too.

Serves you right, Mister Smuggypants, she thinks. About time somebody put you in your place.

“Well, of course,” Garmouth goes on, “it's going to take a week or two to feed through. After the relevant orders are issued, they'll have to cancel existing orders, or put them back. That'll cause offense, as well as fiscal penalties. I know, but try telling him that.”

Garmouth goes on fussily explaining that the switch to high quality coal will happen before Christmas, but only just. Then her boss's voice drops, and he says a few words she can't make out. There's a silence, and she hears footsteps padding on the plush carpet.

Garmouth appears, smiles his oily smile, and says, “Ah, Janice, still busy filing, I see? Why not go home early tonight? It's terribly foggy out there, traffic will be a nightmare.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,” she replies, getting her coat.

Garmouth gives another oily smile then steps back inside in his office, closes the door. Janice wrestles with her conscience for a moment, then tiptoes quickly to the door, presses an ear to varnished oak.

Damn! He's talking too quietly. “Already ... phase ... irrelevant ...” Usual boring stuff, she thinks. She makes out another word, a very familiar one in the political jargon of the day.

She shrugs, annoyed, starts buttoning her coat, gathers up her purse. It's all very well going on about sacrifices, she thinks. But it's never that lot that makes them, I notice.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.