Page 10 of The Bathhouse
Reed waited for Joseph to say more.Finally, he prompted him.“But?”
Joseph’s well-marked black brows pulled together in a frown.“Things changed after the pandemic.”
“Of course.We were closed for a while, but that couldn’t be helped.”There was another prolonged silence and Reed pressed Joseph.“Did something happen when the office closed?”
Joseph looked down at his plate.“I don’t want to make trouble.”
Reed felt a prickle of unease.“You won’t if you tell me the truth.Whatever you say here is between us.”
There was a long pause as they looked warily at one another and then Joseph spoke.“The call center did not close.”
Reed stiffened.“That can’t be right.”
“Our manager decided to keep the office open for workers who were able to stay in the building.Maybe one quarter to one-half of the employees, including me.”
“Are you telling me that you didn’t leave the building?That’s absurd.Who made this decision?”
“Dave Torres.”
Why am I not surprised?“Did he stay in the office as well?”
“No.He put me in charge.He brought us food and left it at the door.We wore masks and slept on the floor in sleeping bags.”
Reed was furious.He hadn’t been told any of this.“Did anyone get sick?”
Joseph shrugged.“A few left.They may have been sick.Or maybe they were fired because they couldn’t keep up.”
Incredulous, Reed shook his head.“How could so few workers keep up with the calls?”
“We stopped working shifts and took calls day and night.I was forced to set hourly quotas for each employee.We were promised bonuses, but we never got them.Mr.Torres threatened to fire those who couldn’t make the quotas.”Joseph tried to cover his anxiety.“Please don’t say anything.The pandemic is over, and I don’t want to lose my job.”
“Don’t you worry.Someone will be fired, but it won’t be you.”
“I don’t want anyone to lose their job because of me.”
Reed took a calming breath.Perhaps this was what Joseph had wanted all along.Torres’ job.He’d consider that possibility when he had time to think.For now, he wouldn’t let it spoil the evening.“Let me worry about this.I want to talk to the team members, and then I’ll decide how to proceed.”
Joseph sighed heavily.“Can I say something?”
“Please do.”
“Thank you.I wanted to work from home.It would have been easier to quarantine in my apartment, and I believe others would have done so as well.I tried to talk to Mr.Torres about it, but he wouldn’t listen.Even today, it would be helpful because our workspace is so crowded.It would be less expensive than moving to another building.”
Impressive.Why hadn’t Reed’s manager mentioned this at the meeting?Joseph wasn’t just a handsome face.He was smart and enterprising.“I like the way you think, Joseph.”
A smile split Joseph’s face.“We are a good team.”
A team?Reed’s brow furrowed, but his thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of an ensemble of Filipino folk singers.The group started to serenade them.
Joseph made eye contact and pressed his knee against Reed’s.Reed didn’t move away.Under the table, he rubbed his leg against Joseph’s.
“What do you think?”Joseph asked as the trio moved on to another table.
Reed grinned.He was thinking about some after dinner delights.“I think I’m ready for dessert.”
“Let me order the dessert.I guarantee you will love it.”
What Reed had in mind wasn’t on the menu, but he could wait.“Go ahead.I trust you.”
