She was so good on the phone that one of my clients asked me to bring my "new partner" to a meeting. I agreed on the spot, and then nearly had a panic attack. Not only was my client Whitman Truman Incorporated, the most prestigious firm in the country, but I just agreed to have my trashy secretary meet their CEO!
I realized that I had barely a day and a half to find a replacement. But Amanda was now on a first-name basis with one of the most powerful men in America! I couldn't just go find a vogue staffer to show off to him, I needed to make Amanda presentable. I bolted out of my office to find her charming the technician installing her new computer.
Once the computer was installed, I decided to take her out to lunch. I couldn't work up the nerve to tell her that she dressed too sexily - so I explained it in terms of label-consciousness, that CEO-level people expect a certain designer look. Instead of being hurt by my comments, she took it in stride. "I guess I could polish up my look," she replied. I gave her my charge card and we agreed that she would take the afternoon off and get an outfit at Bergdorf Goodman. Looking at her stretch vinyl boots, I added "and shoes!"
next