W.T. RAMSEY

    This street was familiar to me. More than likely I’d been here before on business.  It still never ceased to amaze me though; the tall buildings holding thousands of people glimmering in the afternoon sun.  Hordes of people came in and out of offices and apartments filling the crowded sidewalks.
    I turned left at the next corner and looked at the building where I was to be going. Being one of the tallest buildings on the block I knew this was it as I strained my neck to see the very top reaching into the clouds
    The glass doors opened mechanically slid open and I walked in to the vast lobby.  A guest relations agent sat at the desk reading the paper while people walked in all directions.  I strolled by with ease and headed for the elevators since I knew exactly where to go without asking.  A young woman had already hit the button and we waited together for the doors to open.  
    In the mirrored doors of the elevator I could see a reflection of myself; the black suit and tie looked great.  Quickly, I set down my briefcase to adjust my tie before the elevator opened.  People piled in and I took a place in the back after hitting the button for the 66th floor.  
    My mind drifted on to business.  I had been to this city many times before and it was one of my favorite places to visit even though it had always been for work.  My job may seem easy to many people but don’t be mistaken, sometimes it can get very difficult.  The calls can come at any time of the day or night and I must be ready at a moments notice to go where needed.  It paid on commission, but the extra benefits suited me just fine.
    The elevator was slowly clearing out with each stop.  One man gave me a strange look as he stepped off, as if he recognized me.  It’s completely possible that he knew me, but I deal with so many people that it’s hard to remember everyone’s face.  A few stops later, I heard the ding for the 66th floor and stepped off.  
    A hallway opened before me with very few people.  Offices on both sides had people busy with work finishing out the day.  The office at the end of the hall was where I needed to go.  Before going in I made sure I had all I needed.  Everything was set and I was ready for my presentation.  By looking at the office doors I assumed this would be an easy sale.
    The door opened into a very elaborate lounge.  To one side was a large leather couch where a young man and an old man both sat waiting to go in.  The younger one was reading a magazine from the stack on the table next to the couch.  On the other side was a receptionist at a large desk.  She was focused on work and not once did she look up to see who entered.  I strode straight across the room to the large oak doors that led to my destination.  I looked back and noticed the older man watch me as I entered the office.  
    The door shut behind me as I found myself in a beautiful office.  Just by looking around, I could tell this guy was doing very well for himself financially.  In the middle of the hardwood floor was a very ornate rug, oak paneling covered the walls, and marble pillars were throughout the large room.  The far end was one big window giving a great view of the city’s skyline.  In the middle of all this sat a young man in a large leather chair.  He was busy yelling at someone over the phone when he noticed me walk in.
    He paused in his conversation and glared at me.  Immediately he began to yell at me and demand who I was and how I got in.  Casually I walked towards his desk, stopping feet away.  His eyes studied me and I noticed a trace of shock appear on his face before the anger returned.  With a calmer voice he returned to the phone and told the person on the other end he would call them back.  He hung up the phone and focused all his attention to me.  It was time to start dealing.
    I set the briefcase on the desk, opened it up, and pulled out a stack of papers.  Quickly I explained the terms of the deal.  This felt like an easy sale if a sale is what you would like to call it.  Most people would call it a bargaining.  He read the papers and made sure everything was in order, but then he gave a look of doubt.
I asked what was wrong.  After all, it was a good deal and he was being offered much more than he deserved.  We went over the terms together.  After more discussion I was beginning to get tired of this.  I had more places to go today and didn’t want to waste my time with this.  Either he would sign or I’d have wasted my time.  He was asking for more and out of pure frustration I gave in to his demands.  
    The deal was almost complete.  I made the changes to the contract and showed him where to sign.  He searched his desk for a pen so I handed him the fountain pen out of my chest pocket.  His signature was complete and I grinned with joy.  It was done with and he would soon receive what he wanted.  I would have to wait four months for what I wanted even though he didn’t know that.  He took his copy of the contract and I took mine.  A smile spread across his face as he went back to work while I gathered my things to leave.
    I walked out the way I had come in and the receptionist still never looked at me while the old man watched my every move.  The wait for the elevator was not nearly as long as before.  On the way to the bottom floor people piled in, clambering to end the work day and get home.  I arrived in the lobby and walked past the guest relations agent again.  He was checking over papers on a clipboard with one of the security guards and neither seemed to notice me.
    The sun was setting by now and the sidewalks weren’t nearly as full as before.  People were going home by now.  I wouldn’t be going home for a while.  There was much more work to be done today.  
    There was still some time before my next appointment so I sat down on a bench for a break.  Since I felt like I had caved a little on that deal I decided to take another look at the contract.  The terms didn’t seem too bad after reading through a second time but I still figured I could make up for it at the next appointment.  He’d have what he wanted now, but it wouldn’t be long before my end would cash in.  My eyes scrolled down to the end where the signatures were scribbled in.  Below his jagged signature, in dark, bold writing was my name in perfectly scrolled; Lucifer.