Winston's world magazine

As they clink glasses they regard each other, at first with a knowing look in their eyes then just the hint of a smile but nothing more. Hetty and Charlotte go so far back that the new team members consider them as ‘precious antiques’, which they did not take as a compliment but rather an insight into their colleagues' thought process. Kinder comments they had heard and also much worse.

Charlotte does not drink the sparkly right away, she plays with it a bit, taking in the aroma then takes a ladylike sip. She senses Hetty glancing at her before swigging from her flute. Good old Hetty, Charlotte takes nothing for granted these days, least of all her best friend.

Hetty, standing there a few metres from the bar but not quite at the seated area with the rest of the work party, had experienced a sort of revolution, she recently explained to Charlotte. She had overheard a conversation from the meeting room on the third floor, where she would not normally be, except she was returning something to the room next door.

The Boss, Winston, was a loud talker anyway but especially at meetings. The area manager had mentioned that some redundancies would be necessary to maintain the financial security and quite suddenly she heard both their names along with Sarah from H.R. Sarah, like Hetty and Charlotte, was ‘of a certain age’.

“We’ll get that rogue for discrimination Hetty, if it comes to that, how dare he!” Charlotte had gone red in the face and felt sweaty with a racing pulse.

“When you think of all we have done for Winston, bloody running the show when he spent a month in the Bahamas, for goodness sake.”

Winston was seated and drinking whisky and he made a sudden toast to Teressa and Blake for their first feature article. Both the writers beamed with pleasure with this attention and public congratulations and quite right too thinks Charlotte, who had done the same. Many years later she could predict much of what Winston would say or do, but even this seemed too far, although he was visibly taken with the new recruits.

Charlotte recalls her first feature interview, fresh out of university, it went well and she felt on top of the world, one year later Hetty joined the magazine and that felt like the icing on the cake. Hetty was known as ‘the review lady’ and Charlotte as ‘the interrogator’ and both made a tight, reliable duo.

The duo were called the next day to meet with the Boss, the administrator was already seated to take the minutes and a pleasant coffee aroma lingered in the room. There was a knock at the door and Sarah entered looking sheepish.

Winston cleared his throat just like Charlotte knew he would.

“Straight to the point ladies! There are redundancies happening, all out of my hands of course, I will urge you all to take it voluntarily, now here are written copies of the package offered - you may be surprised”.

Later in the evening, sitting in Hetty’s living space with pizza boxes scattered down one side and the settlement papers on the other, the two sharing a bottle of fizzy juice, Charlotte hesitates then blurts

“Hetty, do you remember one drunken night we discussed setting up our own business hub?”

Hetty places her glass carefully on the carpet and nods, very seriously.

“I thought that you had forgotten, listen, this could be an opportunity and if we play this out correctly it could more than work in our favour…. What are your thoughts?”

“Frankly, travel baby, let’s say a year, time to reflect and maybe return” she laughs “Because who knows? Then consider setting up on our own, there is a risk but we know our stuff really well” Charlotte flushes, sips her drink, and with bright eyes she says “ I feel like a teenager Hetty!”

Several months later at duty free in the airport the reality of their plans register and excitement and nervousness overcomes Charlotte who becomes quite emotional, she sees that Hetty is on her phone, looking concerned.

“Charlotte, that’s the office, Winston has died, a heart attack just this morning, oh goodness….” Hetty, at once dazed and alert, points to the bar, where the two buy a bottle of sparkling wine and Charlotte listens to a message from the day before.

“Hi Charlotte, just Winston here, wishing you well with your travels, and just best wishes really, for your ongoing journey - and ‘thanks’ for all you have contributed, and may you continue to write, sharing your many talents with others….okay, bye”

The two clink glasses, smile through a few tears and Hetty suggests “ How about ‘Winston’s world magazine’ for when we set up?”

“Because you just never know,” Charlotte whispers.