"David Moody - Straight to You" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moody David)

'I understand what you're saying,' he said slowly, choosing his words carefully. 'I really don't want to
lose my job.'
'I've got to be honest, Ian,' I said, quickly slipping back into company mode, 'you're not giving me that
impression at the moment.'
He was quiet again for a second and I could see that there was something that he wanted to say. He
shuffled in his seat and looked away from me and out through the window before beginning to speak
slowly and with some trepidation.
'It's just that…' he began before stopping mid-sentence with uncertainty.
'Just what?' I asked, keen to find out what was on his mind.
'It's just that I can't see any point in doing any more than I need to.' Ian struggled to find the right
words to express how he felt without, I presumed, sounding anti-company (which most, if not all of the
staff in the office were).
He fell silent again and I was about to speak when he interrupted.
'You've told me before now that if I apply myself and work hard, then I could be sitting where you
are and…'
'…and?'
'…and I'm not sure if I want to be.'
Ian relaxed when he had finished speaking and looked anxiously towards me for a response. He had
caught me off guard and I struggled to find anything to say in reply.
'As long as I get my money at the end of the month, I don't care what happens,' he added,
emphasising his point.
It was my turn to fidget in my seat as I tried to force myself to act as a responsible company
employee and to do the job that I had been paid to do. I could not help agreeing with and admiring Ian's
views but I had to make the company's position known.
'I've been told to give you a month - after that we'll review the situation,' I said, hiding my doubts idly
behind the threats of others.
'That's fair enough,' Ian replied, seemingly relieved that I had not taken his words badly. 'Believe me,'
he continued, 'I really don't want to lose my job I just think that there's a lot more to life than slogging
your guts out all day and getting home in such a state that you're too tired to do anything else.'
Once more he looked cautiously towards me for a reaction before adding,
'You can see what I mean, can't you?'
Unfortunately, I could see all too well what Ian meant. I nodded and stood to let him out of the room.
It was difficult to stop myself from telling him just to what extent I had agreed with his comments and so,
to prevent any embarrassment, I decided to finish the meeting and avoid any further conversation. I could
not help feeling deflated and somewhat depressed - I had let down the company and, much more
importantly, I had let my own morals and ideals slip.
 'Please, Ian. Please just try and make a little more effort,' I said as I led him across the room. 'I'm not
asking for one hundred percent dedication, just a little co-operation.'
Ian managed a relieved smile and left the office. I shut the door behind him and leant against the wall,
glad that our meeting had passed without any real incident.
Although I made no conscious attempt to eavesdrop on the conversations out in the main office, I
stood quietly next to the door for a short while and could not help but listen to what the staff were saying
to their reprimanded friend. Through the frosted glass I could see them gathering around Ian for shreds of
gossip and information like gannets after the tiniest scraps of food. I hated being cast as the enemy and
strained to try and hear what was being said above the noise of the office. Although most of the words
were nothing more than garbled mumbles, I distinctly heard Ian's voice telling the others that I had been a
pushover.
I walked back from the door and sat down at my desk again. I swivelled the chair around so that I
could look outside, leant back and stared lazily into the deep and clear blue sky. Ian had been right, of
course, I had been a pushover. But how could I be possibly be expected to argue against something that