I do not own Cars, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. I do, however, own all the Original Characters.
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CHAPTER THREE
The constant ringing of the phones at the company was a sound that was etched in his memory. He could hear the infernal phones as he went to bed each night. Today was no exception; since it was Friday, the conversations between his co-workers were overwhelming loud. The maroon car found it difficult to concentrate on paperwork that needed to be submitted by tonight.
The cubical he worked in was an uncomfortably confined space. The walls around him were a light, unflattering beige under fluorescent lights. Despite the added difficulties, he was thankful to have his job at the company, especially since he had been moved to a desired and coveted top floor position. His placement was almost immediate after he found a system flaw that saved his boss thousands of dollars.
Dave's concentration was broken again by an outbreak of laughter just outside his work station. He slammed his pen down and poked his grille outside the cubical. "Hey- shut up!" he snapped, grabbing the attention of the group. "Some cars wanna keep their job!"
Without waiting for their response he returned to his paper. As he picked up his pen, he took a moment to gaze at a picture frame amongst piles of folders that contained his first black and white photo of Joanna. His chassis stirred in a mixture of nervousness and excitement at the thought of his upcoming wedding.
"Dave!" a deep, older, authoritative voice called out. It briefly silenced the busy commotion on the top floor.
The maroon car kicked himself into first gear and rushed out of his cubical, driving down the cramped hallway and maneuvering past co-workers and file cabinets. He came to a halt in front of a particular doorway and took a deep breath, turning to look inside. "Yes, Mr. Williams?"
The 1930's silver and black car behind the solid prestigious desk didn't bother to look up from the paperwork he was doing, not caring to greet his employee. "Come get these files, they're for you and I also need them done before you go home today…"
Dave nodded even though he knew Williams wasn't watching, and confidently drove forward into the spacious master office. His boss had his good days and bad; today was one of his worst. He always reacted well to the car's irritated and almost distracted attitude, taking careful note not to let it affect his workweek. He retrieved the folders and turned around to exit silently.
"I want you to attend today's meeting. You've got ten minutes to be there and I wouldn't be late," Williams warned, still not looking up to acknowledge Dave's presence.
Dave paused before leaving, wondering whether or not he'd heard his boss correctly. He had never been invited to a meeting, however he didn't question the statement. "Yes, sir," he told him, driving out of his office. He hooked a left back down the hallway, sighing as he readjusted the folders that were tucked away under his fender.
He made his way across the top floor of the company toward the conference room on the south end of the building. The room was built of clear glass walls; it was a sectioned off area near the windows that would allow certain cars to talk without the added annoyance of the others. As he approached the room, he could see that it was already filled. He would have to squeeze inside and find a parking space.
The maroon car proceeded to drive in, gaining a few stares in return; they were not used to seeing him. Dave ignored the looks and drove around the long oak desk in the middle of the room. He found a spot near the end and quickly took it. The other cars in the room continued their conversations.
Dave took this time to observe which cars he would be associating with this morning. Each of them were special executives with separate importance that made them valuable. Dave felt uneasy and unsure of why he was here. Once every two weeks these particular cars would gather to such meetings and discuss future business plans.
The cars in the room were as unique as the jobs they held - different shapes and sizes, coupes and sedans, each decorated in the fancy trimming and polished rims they proudly wore. Dave dreamed to afford similar attire, and he silently mused thoughts of a better future.
The most dignified was Williams. His metallic silver exterior gleamed in the sunlight coming from the windows. The car was approaching the enclosed space at a steady pace, entering the room without announcement and driving to the other side of the desk where his space was reserved for him. Everyone hushed to a silence, and all that could be heard was Williams' tired engine.
He parked, and settled on his frame. "Alright," he started in his deep, distinct voice. "All of you are aware that my company is already major, but it needs to be increased once again due to competition." A series of mumbled agreements followed. "The past few months have finally prodded me to take action and make changes. Start thinking of ideas."
The gentle conversations gradually increased into arguments due to the diversity in the room. Papers and documents were being traded, and sometimes brandished in front of someone's grille. A few began to shout at another across the table. Dave remained quiet, thinking deeply as he searched his own mind.
Williams rolled his eyes, knowing that giving his employees time to talk it through was a poor choice. "Okay, okay, shut up! Every one of you!" The silence returned as quickly as it had been lost. "If you can't do this civilized I'll throw you outta here myself." They recollected their papers.
Dave politely, and boldly, cleared his pipes, catching the attention of the room. "Mr. Williams, might I recommend something?" He watched Williams sigh impatiently and lazily gesture with one tire for him to continue. He placed himself into reverse and drove over to the map of South Carolina.
He began by pointing to certain cities neighboring their own. "The population growth in these cities are increasing and will most likely double by next summer." The maroon car turned to face his boss. "If we make an investment in spreading your company to these places now, we can stop our competition from getting there and selling locally before we do."
He noticed Williams' barely visible intrigued expression, and turned back to the map, flipping to the next page that gave the room a better and closer view of the surrounding area. "I've done the research, and I'm one hundred percent sure that the cities I've shown you will be profitable." For the second time, he turned to Williams. "I know we aren't the first to recognize this potential, so we would have to do this soon." A silence, stronger than the one previous, fell over the room.
Williams' expression grew into a smirk. All attention switched over to the owner. "That," he started. "is an excellent idea. I knew there was a reason I asked you to join the top floor. Now, slackers, this is a perfect example of someone who wants to make a difference…"
Dave held back his smile as his co-workers were insulted.
"And because you came up with the idea, Dave," Williams continued. "I'll grant you the privilege of managing the project. Once established, you'll maintain those new branches. You'll report to me, understood?" Dave nodded. "Good, because that satisfies my need for expansion. Any questions?" he asked; his employees shook their hoods. "Meeting is over…"
One by one the cars exited the conference room and retreated back to their work stations. Dave watched them drive by as he stayed parked near the map, still holding in his accomplished smile until they disappeared. After everyone had dispersed except for Williams, he returned to the desk to gather his papers.
As he was about to leave, he turned to greet Williams who was driving over to him. "Oh, don't worry, sir, I was just about to start these papers as soon as I got back to-"
Williams raised a tire to stop him, smiling. "Follow me," he told him, the stress in his voice no longer present. He drove out of the enclosed room and pulled Dave off to the side so that only they could hear him. "You introduced a terrific plan back there. I'm impressed."
"Thank you," Dave replied.
"Listen, it's no secret that I'm stressed; this company takes a lot out of me. But I've been monitoring your progress since you moved up here. How would you like to become my apprentice? You have the drive of a dedicated entrepreneur, and I need someone with your mind to absorb everything about this company."
Dave's thoughts raced with the benefits and opportunities the position would bring. "Wow," he breathed, recoiling. "Really?"
Williams nodded. "The cars in the meeting... they are good. But they are older, and their business practices are stale and traditional. They have been lacking the edge that I need; my confidence with them slips every now and then." The silver car turned away to leave. "Your new salary starts on Monday…"
Dave felt anchored, melted to the tile floor. He was numb. Joanna was his next thought; he couldn't wait to tell her the news. He dashed back to his desk to finish his paperwork.
Joanna was quietly sitting in front of one of the many boxes along the living room wall, sorting through the contents and placing them in piles. Her spirits were high as she browsed thoughts of marriage and a future with Dave.
The maroon car was thankful that the front door was unlocked; it gave him a chance to slam it open and give himself a grand entrance. "Joanna!" he yelled, and he saw her jump in surprise. However, she didn't automatically turn around to greet him so he sped over to her. "Guess what!"
She sighed and gave a small chuckle, picking up her pace and sorting faster. "No don't stop me now I've almost got this done…"
"Joanna!" Dave yelled again as he tugged at her rear fender. He laughed when she kicked at him with a tire to stop. "Joanna, just stop for one second, you're not gonna believe this!" She mumbled something in response but he didn't hear her. He rolled his eyes and, with careful force, spun her around, catching her off guard and embracing her with a kiss. When he was sure he had her attention, he let her go.
"Wow, okay," she said, snapped from her daze. "What do you have to tell me?"
Dave could hardly contain himself. "Mr. Williams gave me the apprentice position!" Her grille dropped. "Jo, do you know what this means? We're gonna be wealthy!" He drove away from her, circling around the room lost in thought. "We can buy all sorts of new things! I can afford that certain trimming you've always wanted!" He stopped, turning to face her. "I can get gold plated trimming!"
"Dave," she soothed as he began to pace again.
Dave came to an abrupt stop and gasped. "There's no need to unpack anymore; we can go out and look at houses- big houses!"
Joanna silenced him with a kiss of her own, backing away from him when she felt he was finally calm. "Dave, I'm so happy for you. But hold on a moment, would you?" She smiled at him, seeing his confused expression. "You're talking about great things, but, Dave, I don't need all that; I only need you."
Dave smiled warmly, looking deep into her sincere eyes. "The money doesn't matter to you, does it?" She shook her hood and drove over to his side, leaning against him. "But what do you think of a new place to live? What are your thoughts about that?" He sighed in relaxation when she snuggled into his fender.
"Does that mean I've gotta repack everything?" She felt him laugh inwardly. "Well, I guess that means yes. What ever you'd like to do is fine, I don't care where we are. Just promise me you won't change…"
The maroon car glanced sideways at her. "I love you, Joanna. We'll do this together."