Mother Nature Takes A Break
CHAPTER THREE
As soon as Mother Nature left, Cyan got to work. He kept Mother Nature’s aged secretary as his own, figuring she would know more about his job than he did. Maude, Mother Natures secretary was old, even by Naturalis’ standards, nearly as old as Mother Nature herself. Her once black hair was graying unevenly, her body stooped from too many hours spent at her desk. She was thin to the point of frailty and her clothes hung limply on her almost skeletal frame. What Cyan liked about this woman was her eyes: faded jade green with flecks of gold, slightly bloodshot but still showing signs of a great intelligence. She had been Mother Nature‘s secretary forever. “Yes!” Cyan thought. “Maude will definitely be an asset.” He surveyed the office and decided that he liked it. The room had a strong feel to it. Where the sandstone walls and heavy curtains in Mothers quarters were suffocating, in here they felt powerful, probably because there was more space. At one end of the room was a huge rectangular table surrounded by heavy wooden chairs. In the centre a cozy fireplace with high backed chairs and another of the teak coffee tables that Mother had in her sitting room. The dark blue carpet was unadorned and the bookshelves held myriad leather bound books on various subjects. There were potted plants everywhere, sitting on carved pedestals. Cyan hoped he didn't have to water them. He figured it would take hours to tend those plants. The actual work area was efficient looking. A large desk and comfortable office chair sat waiting for him to start. He took down the picture of flowers from behind the desk and replaced it with a portrait of his parents. His first order of business was the weather. There had just been a season change, so there was no hurry to work on the next one. Cyan called Maude into his office. She hurried in carrying paper and pencil. “Can you get Clime to come in for a meeting as soon as possible, please Maude”? Maude gave him a weak smile. “I have already spoken to Clime this morning, Mr. Cyan. He is not happy that Mother Nature has ’deserted her post’ and he says he won’t deal with you.” Maude sniffed at the thought of Clime’s arrogance,
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and then continued. “I am afraid he said he ‘won’t deal with a nit picking sub-ordinate.’ I am sorry Mr. Cyan.” “It’s alright Maude. I had a feeling Clime wouldn't be too pleased.” Maude heard Cyan sigh noisily as she went back to her desk. Cyan paced the floor uneasily scratching his chin, thinking. He knew he had made an enemy of Clime when in that man’s employ. Clime would make Cyan’s new position torture if he couldn't win the old man over. “There has to be a way to get Clime in here to talk. Together we can solve the problem of La Nina and El Nino.” “But how do I get him in here?” In the middle of his musings, he became aware of a racket in the outer office. “I said you can’t go in there! Mr. Cyan isn’t ready to meet with you two.” Maude‘s st \??Y[?][???[?HX\? ??Y? H???Y???8?'?H ?[? ? ?YH?X[?8?'H?[YH H?[\? ?\ K8?']8?&\?X??]?[YK?x?&\???\ H [?H????8?'\?H ???H ?\ ??\? HX]?H ???[??X?H??? ^H ?\?H ????[?[?[? ?[?Y?[?H[??[?? H \??X?H ?[?????X[?][??\?X??\?H ?? \?Y H??X[??\??[? ?[??[X]X??[??\?\? ?? ?[? Z\??] \? ?X?[?? ?]?[ ?K?H ???\??[? Z\?\\?Y[? ? ?\?H ]??[? Z\??Y? ? ??H ?\\?[?] H?\??H[??\?????H ?Y[YY ?]?H[?H?? ???\? Z\?X?[???[?]?[?[?\??] \?HY ???\?[? ?[? HZ\??^H ?\?H \? H ?\???X?H??[?\??] \?x?&\?X?[?[??X[ ??X[? ?YZ[?? H ?[?? ?X[\?YH???Y H[???\? ?\??[YH ??[K?8?'?X?H ? ?YH H ??? [?K8?'HH ?ZY??X[ K?X]YK ??Y?Y[?Y? ?[?[??[? H?[????^K ?Y?Y [???Y??X? K??X[? \??Y ?\?8?'X]YK ??[ [?H X\?HY ?\?H?[YH ]H[HYY][?? ?]?[?H[??[??[?\??[H ???[? \????[ [?H[ ??\??[??H ??YH ?Y??\?Y[? ? ?[H [?x?&\?H?] \?K X\?O??'H]?\? \??\ ]?KX]YH ?[??Y]?X[? ?H?]?^X? H ?]H ?\? [??[??[?Y? ?XZ?H H?[ ?\?? [? [?Z[?]\?]\??[YH ??YY[?? H??X?K Y??[??H???Y]?[?H[??[???????Y??X? H[?????Y[? H8?&????Z\???&K[??????