Office Beaker – Progress onwards Part 2
Situated in a cosy office, Tracy was sipping a mug of tea. "Tea or coffee?" Mrs Jackson had asked her. Tracy recoiled when she mentioned 'Coffee' so she said "tea" without any hesitation.
"So, did you bring your Id application form?" asked Mrs Jackson. This woman looked more menacing than Tracy imagined her to be. But she was at least kind. Not strict or surly like usual bosses. The office walls were plain, but had picture frames of saying and quotations by authors that Tracy had never really heard of.
"Miss Beaker?" Mrs Jackson said, breaking into Tracy's thoughts.
"Oh yes. It's here," Tracy took out a paper from her bag.
"Ooh," Mrs Jackson said, her eyebrow curling. "It seems to be a bit stained with something."
Tracy saw that she was holding the original form, the coffee stained one. "Why didn't I throw this away?" Tracy thought. She said out loud, "Sorry, this is the wrong one. I got a new form right here," Tracy got the correct one. "Should I fill it in now?"
"If you must," said Mrs Jackson. "Take your time, we don't start the taster session until half three. I'm so excited to hear about your work with children."
"Well, once I start to talk about that, I can't stop. I've got so much to say about that," said Tracy, not looking up from the paper.
"We like that," said Mrs Jackson. "You have to be overflowing with ideas if you want to work here, at the Writers' Corner."
"Yes, and I heard that some workers here have written a whole magazine worth of news about the councils in London."
"That is true," Mrs Jackson said. "We aspire to have the best writers here Miss Beaker, and you seem to have a lot of influence and experience. After all, you've written an autobiography, columns for newspapers while working at a care home at the same time, and you're the daughter of Camilla Lawson."
Tracy smiled. Cam would be so pleased that her name was being mentioned in an office in London.
Mrs Jackson added, "So, Tracy. I'll explain what will happen today and then we can get along with it."
"So Tracy," said Mrs Jackson, now outside the office. "Time to meet your manager."
Mrs Jackson and Tracy walked down the hall and stepped into a little office. "Tracy, meet your new manager, Miss Karen Dove."
"Oh!" Tracy said, when she saw Miss Dove.
"Oh?" asked Mrs Jackson.
"Yes oh," said Miss Dove. "We met earlier on. Victoria Station toilets?"
"Yeah that was it," said Tracy. "She saw me drying my handbag out."
"So Tracy," said Miss Dove. People seemed to be saying this quite a lot. "I'm your manager in this place. You send all your works to me before publication. If you need any help, you come to me also, and when you start work, this is the place you come to first before your induction with Mrs Jackson."
"You got that Tracy?" Mrs Jackson took her out of the room. "Good. Now the taster session begins."
That day was quite a rapid move for Tracy. Various Things had to be done by her. And she had to learn how to utilise the services. She was taught how to use the intercom, send minor articles to her manager, and then finally got her ID card.
"Guard this with your life," Mrs Jackson told Tracy. "With this, you need to get into the building. And also, it gives you access to your own office."
"I have an office? My own one?"
"Yes, it's just around here. No one can get in without your permission, and all you need to do is put your ID card here," Mrs Jackson pointed at a bit in the wall. "You do that, and the office door opens automatically."
"OK, got that," said Tracy.
"Now," said Mrs Jackson, "The tour is officially over! I hope to see you working here in two days."
26 March 2012
Tracy Beaker sat in her gleaming new office. Her boss had not given her any work yet. So Tracy decided to sort out everything in her office.
She set it out as if it were her bedroom, comfortable as she wanted it to be. Her favourite posters to the side of her, her Notebook placed on the desk.
And right next to her photo of her and Cam, was the Tracy Beaker Memories book.
"You know what?" she thought to herself. I'm going to give this office a name. Office Beaker, that's a good one."
When Tracy had finished sorting out her office, she was thinking of what to do next.
"Since Mrs Jackson hasn't set me any tasks yet, I'll write a letter."
Tracy got out a pen and pad.
"Dear Dumping Ground, I have finally made it to my first day at The Writers' Corner. It has an excellent working atmosphere, very different to where you are now. I'm so glad I'm here, although I really did have fun with you guys over the years. How is everyone so far? I know I just left two days ago but I want to know how everyone is without me. OK, I have to go now; my boss could come to me in any minute. Bye everyone.
Tracy Beaker.
Mike Milligan picked up the Elm Tree post. He picked up the letter at the top.
"Hey, is that Tracy's handwriting? Everyone, I think we've got a letter from Tracy!" mike called.
Mike walked into the kitchen.
"What's that Mike?" asked Carmen.
"Letter from Tracy," he replied.
"Read it out!" said Lily and Tee.
"Ok guys." Mike ripped open the envelope and unfolded the paper. "Dear Dumping Ground…"
So, that's it. What do you think? It's my first double story and I only made it to fill in my series of Tracy Beaker Returns that I was writing every week while it was on.
