1.---Selina sat at her desk, wiggling a loosened shoe about on her foot and chewing on the eraser tip of
her pencil, pondering over how a file could get so messed up.
The address came before the name, and the name after the area code, the conclusion in the middle of the
paragraph, and the introduction at the end.
"Umph," Selina flopped her head down on her arms.
"Problem Selina?"
"Wha…?" She looked up to find her boss, Max Shreck, looking over at her from the filing drawers.
"Nothing that I can fix with a few hours work and more patients than a doctor's office."
Max laughed. She flipped open the file again.
"Keep working on it. Mr. Wayne won't be happy if he has to wait for organization," he closed the drawer,"
Actually, I won't be happy if we have to wait. He's been pressing this whole idea on how we don't need
another power plant and," he fixed a bit of hair in the mirror, "I think we do. And we will," he amended
going into his office and closing the doors.
She rolled her eyes.
We don't need another power plant, she wanted to say.
Max wouldn't buy that though. If he thought he wasn't making as much money as he thought he should
be, he would be soon.
Hours passed, and she still sat at the file now twirling a strand of mahogany hair that hung loose at her temple.
"Good night Ms. Kyle," Max said, turning off his office lights.
"Good night sir," she squinted at a sentence, not looking up.
"You're going to work through your cat's nine lives if you don't go home soon," a tall slender blonde
woman leaned over her desk counter.
"Hello and good night Jean, but I'm almost done, see?" She dangled the last page she was working on.
"Get home to Miss Kitty! She needs a break from waiting for you!" she said as she stood waiting for the
elevator.
"Take care," she stepped in and the doors closed.
"Alone again," Selina breathed.
Selina hurried and shoved the report into a plastic casing.
Max had just called and wanted her to take the report to the section of the building where they work on
turning boring old reports into slide presentations and impressive portfolios.
She had ten minutes to do so until they closed.
Cramming the folder into her mouth, she slung her coat over her arm and clumsily turned off her desk
light and grabbed her lunch bag.
Her arms full she toed the elevator button and was still in the 'toe button pressing position' when the elevator doors opened and a man stepped out.
"Uhh…" they stared at each other a minute before blood returned to her head and she stood straight.
"Is Mr. Shreck still here?" he asked.
"Uh, no. He just left for the day. Can I get your name?" came he muffled reply.
"What was that? I didn't catch the last part, you ah," he motioned the folder.
She laughed.
"Your name," she did her best impression of name writing.
"Oh my name," he was amused.
He took a card from his breast pocket circled his home number and handed it to her when he
remembered…she had no hands.
"My names on there as well. Uh, here," he slid it under her teeth on the folder. She laughed.
"Have a good evening sir," she slipped in the elevator just as the doors were closing.
"Wait!" Before she could push the 'open doors' button, his hand was crunched. The doors opened back up
to reveal him rubbing his knuckles. She dropped her stuff on the elevator floor and took the files from her
mouth.
"Are you ok?" she asked, organizing her stuff. She seemed to be exceptionally clumsy today.
"Yeah, I think I'll be fine. Just some extensive surgery, that you'll pay for and I think I'll be fine," he teased.
"I'm sorry. What is your name? Your card went flying somewhere around here," she scanned to floor.
"Wayne. Bruce Wayne." He offered his hand.
"Bond. James Bond," she replied, with a sparkle in her eye.
"Selina Kyle," she shook his hand.
"You're quite funny," he smiled.
"Say, I apologize if this seems too forward, but would you like to join me for a cup of coffee? Since it is a
dreary day. My treat of course," the chime 'dinged' and they stepped out.
"I would Mr. Wayne, but I have to drop the report, your report as a matter of fact, to Presentations and
they leave in," she checked her watch. "Five minutes ago, all right then," she laughed, disbelievingly.
"Yes, it was all my plan. 'Meet Selina at elevator doors when in hurry. Wisk her away for coffee, impress
her with my car and charm," he smiled, "and conclude the night with knowing that I made her get fired,"
he puffed out his chest for dramatics.
"Don't worry," he said when he saw the look on her face. "It's my report anyway. I'll explain everything to
Mr. Shreck at tomorrow morning's meeting. Coffee?" He offered her her coat.
"With a drop of scotch; Mr. Shreck is going to kill me for not making that a presentation," she buttoned up
her khaki trench coat and fixed her hair. If that was possible.
--Her laughter filled the coffee house.
"Who would have thought that Bruce Wayne, Gotham's Golden Child, was suspended more times than a
pair of pants," she played with her coffee cup.
"That's quite an analogy," he grinned.
What perfect white teeth, she thought to herself.
She jumped, a roar of thunder sounded.
"Scared?" Bruce asked.
"No, I'm just not used to having a boulder roar down Port street," she tired to regain her composure. "I'll
give you a ride home," he pulled out his cell phone.
"Alfred. I need you to pick me up at the Port street coffee shop. Thanks," he placed the phone back in his
coat pocket.
"He's here," Bruce said, getting up and helping her with her coat again.
"That was fast," she said.
"He was out shopping."
"Ah Master Bruce, who might we have here?" the old butler inquired.
"Alfred, this is Ms. Kyle. Selina this is Alfred, my butler and friend," the two shook hands.
"Pleased to meet you miss," he opened the passenger door.
"Fancy car you've got here," Selina remarked once they were on their way.
"Thank you. It was my father's. He died when I was little," he looked out the window.
"I know. It's practically a Gotham City legend. A horrible truth though," she added. "I'm sorry about them;
your parents. I'm sure they were nice people. They made Gotham what it is today," Bruce continued to
look out the window and grimaced.
"Almost," he said as they passed about the fiftieth burned out building yet.
"Make a left on this street coming up," Selina called up to Alfred.
"Yes Ma'am."
"Right here," she informed. They stopped in front of a run down apartment complex.
"I need to talk to Max about getting you a raise," Bruce stated, getting out of the car and offered his
hand.
"Thank you. It's not that bad really," she stood back to asses it herself. Plastic bags were the main form of
window and paint might as well have been the price of gold for there was barely any left. The climbing
vines could have given a chimpanzee a run for its money.
"We look like idiots standing out here in the rain," she stated.
"Yes, but even in the gloomiest of times it's good to sit back and observe," he said.
Was that ever the truth, he thought
"Good night Mr. Wayne," she held out her hand in closure.
"It's Bruce," he corrected shaking her hand, "and good night to you Miss Kyle."
"It's Selina," she called as he hopped back in the car.
What a good evening this was, she smiled to herself.