Hi Everyone,
Thanks for nominating me as best new author last summer!
I've been plotting away, learning more all the time and now I need your feedback on this one. It's what happens to Clark when he lands up in Perry's doghouse for not meeting deadlines...again.
Boy does Lois get jealous!
If you give me feedback, I plan to post Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Happy reading,
Nancy
The Cat’s Meow
By Nancy V. Sont
Part 1
Twenty-three reporters sat around the conference room table. Chatter and the shuffle of papers drowned out the sound of Lois and Clark as they talked in low tones. “So you’ll come as my date to the reception on Friday evening?” Clark asked, verifying what she’d agreed to a few minutes earlier beside her desk. Lois nodded, lowering her eyes to his hands where they fiddled with a pencil.
Clark smiled, “Great. I’ll pick you up at seven.” He’d wanted to ask Lois out for a long time. When she’d accepted this morning, it had been too good to be true, so he’d had to ask her again just to be sure he’d heard her correctly. The rest of the reporters were oblivious to the arrangement the reporting team had just confirmed. Lois wouldn’t have spoken about it if there had been a chance anyone could have overheard them. She had no patience for newsroom gossip.
The door slammed behind Perry, snapping all eyes to attention. He stopped to stand at the head of the conference room table, his hand balled in fists at his side. In his deep southern drawl, his angry voice boomed across the table.
“Now listen up, gang! When I say, ‘get the story in by deadline’, I mean it! Monday’s paper ran without three stories that we’d discussed, that reporters had ASSURED me would be in on time.” Perry leaned forward, splaying both palms on the dark wooden table and raising his already loud voice. “We don’t advertise about stories that aren’t going to be there!” He slammed his fist on the table and straightened up. “Heads are going to roll! Some of you think you are ‘too busy’ to give the paper what it is paying you for!” he glanced at Lois. “Some of you change your minds about what you’re going to be writing about.” His eyes met Meyerson’s, then moved to Davis’. “Some of you have to run off to appointments!”
“The Daily Planet is the best newspaper in the world! That didn’t just happen. That’s because it’s a well-oiled machine. I’m the editor. You’re the writers. I make the decisions what to print. Together we decide what we will cover. The suits upstairs decide what they will advertise. Right now, they’re each as mad as a ‘possum with an egg in its mouth and buckshot in its backside. They want me to fire some of you. I had to do a lot of belly crawling to save a few of your jobs.” He looked pointedly at Smith, the newest hire who’d ignored deadline all week.
“Now get out there, and GET ME THE NEWS and GET IT IN ON TIME!”
Lois’s arms bounced visibly as Perry’s fist slammed down on the table. The hushed reporters gathered their papers and headed out of Perry’s earshot. As Lois and Clark stood to leave, Perry blurted, “KENT, I’m not finished with you! Wait for me in my office!” Clark turned and nodded to his editor’s scowl.
Lois looked at her handsome, dark haired partner who she had finally agreed to start dating. She was visibly shaken by Perry’s demand to see Clark, right after threatening to fire people. She looked toward her father figure boss, her eyebrows raised.
“This doesn’t concern you, Lois. Just get to work.” Perry’s fingers were finding the pulse beneath his chin.
Clark squeezed Lois’ hand where it hung beside his. “It’ll be fine, Lois,” he whispered. “He likes us, remember?” Clark winked and smiled broadly at the woman who’d stolen his heart the moment he’d seen her practically two years ago.
While he headed for Perry’s office his confidence wavered and he wondering what he’d done. The door slammed behind him as he stood in the Elvis-decorated office. He turned to his tense editor. He’d never seen Perry this upset.
“Now, Kent,” Perry tried to control himself. He waved at a chair and circled the desk to sit in his large comfortable one. Clark swallowed and sat down, his eyes on his editor. “This running out of the office has always been an annoying little thing you do.” Clark froze. It had been too good to be true, to have a boss that didn’t need to know his whereabouts at all times.
“I’ve overlooked it for the most part, because you’re a good writer. You also bring in lots of Superman stories. But why in TARNATION don’t you ever take along a camera? You and I both know that a story sings a whole lot sweeter if there’s a picture. I don’t suppose you’ve noticed that the Star always runs a photo with its Superman’s stories. You, however, are never prepared.” The fifty year old gruff editor waited for a response.
Clark shifted slightly in his chair finally nodding. What was he supposed to say to that? He imagined himself pushing the button on a camera, zipping into place for a photo then returning to retrieve the camera before it hit the pavement. What kind of an example would Superman be if he photographed himself lifted a burning beam? He mentally rolled his eyes at the absurdity of it. Not only was it vain, a camera would be ruined at a disaster. For Pete’s sake, what if the Star got a picture of Superman taking photos of himself? He met his editor’s eyes and swallowed.
“Just why you run into Superman nearly every day is beyond me. No other reporters do, but that’s not why I called you in here. Perhaps you could take Jimmy along with you wherever you go.” To Clark’s surprised look, Perry waved him off. “I know; Jimmy would never get a lick of research done if he had to follow you every time you disappeared.” Perry paused and took a deep breath.
“I want a camera on you at all times. I’ve ordered a digital one you can keep in your pocket or on your belt. It’s a good, high-resolution camera. It should be on your desk by now.” He looked through the picture windows towards Clark’s desk and saw Lois watching. “I don’t want another Superman story without a picture, you got that?”
“Yes, sir.” Clark’s mind was reeling.
“Now get out of here and get me that story I just assigned you.” He looked at his watch. “The press conference is in an hour at city hall. I want that announcement in the afternoon edition. You have half an hour after the conference to phone in your story. Got it?”
