It was Wednesday, The Yamada Company was busy as they got a great deal with the Europe customers.
The President's Personal Secretary called Yuzuha Mishima on internal phone and asked me to meet Hasegawa Orochi, the new president at five sharp in his chamber.
Mishima became nervous, since though she have been known as a highly efficient in the Company, two months ago she had blottedher record with a silly but grave error. She had been warned and fined a day's salary for that mistake by the previous CEO. Would this new president, who came to her branch where she worked, known to be a strict fellow. As she entered, stood a man in a military cut and broad shoulders in a suit
"Please sit down, Mrs. Mishima" he welcomed her into his chamber with a benign smile. After initial formalities he came directly to the topic.
"I have proposed to transfer you to my office as Special Assistant. You will have to do the bulk of the secretarial work. If appointed, your working hours will be 9 to 7, five days a week and quite often may extend a little more. You have to be around when there are corporate guests and official parties, even if it is late in the night or a Company holiday. And you may have to travel outside once in a while along with me when work demands it."
She was relieved that he did not dismiss her from work but became alarmed on mention of 'travel outside'
"Your salary will get a quarterly jump of 9000 yen from the current, if your performance is good, may be faster if exceptionally good. Do you own a car?
" No sir"
"Then, you should come by car to maintain the prestige of the company. You will get a huge salary segment with fuel cost. The car will be in your name but mortgaged to the company. After 3 years of service, the mortgage will be cleared and it will be your property. You will have to drive it yourself or hire a chauffeur at your cost."
A rare kind of happiness surged through Mishima as her salary had increased, a Company financed car with adequate fuel! For a middle class family like her with aging parents, this would be a dream come true! But the long working hours and travelling outside would be a challenge. But she controlled her emotions since she knew such things would come with a 'price tag', so kept quiet.
Then the President stood and continued" And, I heard that two months ago you did a blunder causing deep embarrassment to your previous boss. And you were let off with a mild punishment by my predecessor."
"Sir,… I….I….." she stammered
"Ok. Leave it aside, for the time being. I do agree that your attire and hairdo are all highly graceful. But that is a shortcoming for 'this' job. I want my employees to be disciplined and admired by the customers. To be of international corporate class in looks, attire and practices. I will not impose those things on an elderly lady like Mrs. Yamamoto who will retire in two years. But you are just twenty five years old energetic and efficient youngster like you has to adapt to changing requirements. So, my proposal for you is that you will have to cut your hair to a short boy cut with clippered back and sides. And you must wear high heeled footwear, a short dress well above your knees and trendy ear hangings. any doubts?"
Mishima horrified at what all he just told she said No.
"Great So, you can accept it only if you are happy with the package. You have time till 12 noon on Monday to tell me yes or no. A 'yes' will make you my assistant from Tuesday. A 'no' will land you in our Osaka office in the existing pay level on 1st of September.
She was mummed by hearing all of this and said "Thank you, sir. I will let you know on Monday."
She came out perspiring, a sense of fear showing in her eyes. As previously, her colleagues put some courage in hrt to handle the situation. She walked back to her seat and pondered over what the president told her
When she got married to her boyfriend, an English lecturer in a local college, about 2 years ago she was already working in this company as a secretarial staff for about 1 year. Her in-laws are middle class people but like to improve their finances by a royal route. So when she wanted to quit the job after marriage, get children and look after the house, but convinced her not to. So she continued and got used to it. Based on her and her husband's incomes they made commitments like a 3 bedroom apartment So, there would be no looking back on the job front now. It was needed.
With all these thoughts, she sat in her place and brooded over what President told her. Saying 'no' will put her in another branch. Her Whole family shifting to Osaka is out of question. She going there alone also is not possible. Quitting the job is no option at all with the mortgage on the apartment running for three more years. Nobody would give her a secretarial job in Tokyo .
Well, The president has caught her in a situation from where she could not wriggle out. But, if she opt to change as per his requirement, she would really come up professionally and her family would move into upper middle class status.
Their apartment mortgage can be cleared within a year. The plan to purchase a car in EMI can be happily dropped. But imagining herself with a boy cut, a short dress repulsed her like anything at that moment. With this confused mind, she returned home.
That evening she made some discrete enquiries with a few known contacts inoffice about the president. All gave him a clean chit on his relations with women employees. So that is one big relief. Then she told her folks about the new offer from the president. others was initially very happy when she said about becoming an assistant to the president and the added financial package.
But she became speechless for a while when she said about the need to cut her hair short, wear short trendy dress to office So as expected, her husband said "What is the big deal? It is a very good offer and I will be a proud husband of a modernised lady. Accept it happily."
she was expecting her husband to hit the roof shouting things against the company. And she was banking on her rejection to propel her to find a new job, lower income notwithstanding. But when he said "I feel that it is good to accept this offer" she was shocked. she shot back "Oka-san, in our household it is taboo for women to cut their hair except may be for a vow. How can you or he permit it? And wearing those short revealing clothes, how out-of-place I will look! I will be setting a bad example to the kids. And what will all the relatives and neighbours talk? I feel that I should quit this job and find a new one, even if I get less income."
Her mother who rarely speaks, said "what your husband say is correct. Do not let go of this opportunity to make it big in your line. Cutting your hair short or wearing trendy clothes is a very small price for it. As long as you are in limits and it does not become an obsession, there is no harm, dear." Her husband with a benign smile caressed her head and said "Dear, you know that I have a weakness for money and status but in this case, as your president said, you will be making it big in your line by this change. So I suggest that you happily agree to the package and enjoy the new life."
Every time that she was in distress or doubt, her husband's loving caress clears it and makes her happy. This time also the same thing happened. Suddenly, she lost whatever inhibition that she had and hugged her mother
"Okay,. Since you are all okay with it, I will happily do it." Having come out of confusion, she felt a rare surge of happiness in her.
She old them that the president wanted her to have a boy cut with back and sides machined close. Her husband searched out and got a Emma Watson pixie cut where her back and sides are machined close. He preferred that style. It looked cute. She put it in her mobile. Now her mood was totally changed to a happy anticipation.
The next day, Thursday, she told the president that she was accepting his offer and the conditions. She showed him the boy cut photo.
He was all smiles and said "Yes, this is good. Get a cut like her – a real boy cut. And I want you to wear a dress like this to office on most occasions. Saree only occasionally. You are to report here on Tuesday. By then be comfortable in your new dress, high heeled sandals and new hairdo. This Saturday the Company is giving me a welcome party . I will send invitation to you also.." I
She agreed but requested to allow her to report on some occasion since her folks would not agree to start the new role.
He agreed. The dress shown by him extended from the shoulder of the model to just middle of her thighs and the arms were fully open.
In the afternoon, my contract paper and the acceptance letter with all the conditions were before her. It only mentioned in the undertaking that "I shall maintain a suitable hairstyle, proper attire and practices befitting the importance and prestige of the position I would be managing".
She happily signed the undertaking smiling at the things these simple words were hiding.
As Sunday came, Her husband and she went to the Kejoro as their house was near to the shop. She carried the photo showed it and told the barberette to cut her hair like this.
Agreeing she sat the chair and was caped as her husband filmed it as the president asked. Mishima told her to cut her braid as close to my head as possible.
The black kimono lady agreed and neatly combed it and braided it close to her head. she was gradually feeling more and more elated with her impending boy cut. With a pair of big scissors the Kejoro started cutting her braid.
Mishima could see through the mirror shock, anger, surprise, etc. she gave a damn for that and started enjoying the cutting. Finally, the braid came off her head which her husband collected in a cover. She felt a big wave of happiness going through her.
Then the barberette combed her remaining hair with a right parting which she requested. With comb and scissors she cut off long lengths to bring it to a rough boy cut shape. This took about ten minutes. Then she took clippers in her hand and switched it on which started making humming noise. The woman bent her head down, gently pressed the teeth of the machine on her nape and started moving it up. The noise changed to one of cutting something, obviously her hair.
The feeling of getting the hair cut so close to her scalp was really great. The Kejoro repeated this several times on her nape which Mishima could not see but only could feel and was feeling great.
Then the barberette bent her head to left and ran that machine in front, behind and above her right ear to about 2 inches above her ear.
Very small dark hair remained while longer portion was mowed off. The same thing was repeated on the left side also. The barberette again took scissors and comb and cut the top hair a little shorter.
She was really loving this – a veritable young boyish look. She was silently and happily giggling at the emerging new image of myself.
Then, the barberette took the machine again, removed the plastic piece on its teeth and bent her head to the left. She placed the teeth of the machine in front of her right ear and moved it up to an inch above the top of the ear making it bald! Another great feeling! the Kejoro continued this above and behind the ear, on the nape and on the left side.
Then merged the different portions neatly with comb and the machine. Finishing with clippered back and sides resulted.
The Kejoro dusted her and we went out with the cut braid. Thus Mishima now with her new look was accepted as the new secretary of the company.