New Story - again written exclusively on Steemit - WiP - Bouncer Part 15

I started a new story to share on Steemit. It's not my usual type of tale, but I decided it has legs so I'm going to let it run.

Meet Zack, my newest character. I hope you like him.

The first part was written a few weeks ago and since then, I've been mulling it over in my head where the story needs to go.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
Part 13
Part 14

Pictures from Google free to use search

Please note: This is the FIRST DRAFT, no editing, written straight onto paper. I don't know how to highlight that any more than it is. I'll NOT be making any alterations to what's already been written. As a good friend and excellent author has said, First draft is a race to get the story down before it decides to stop telling itself to you. Thanks Glenn. @alienbutt

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“With all due respect,” Crackers said.

“Oh, here we go,” Taylor said, interrupting him.

“Fuck you, Taylor,” Crackers said and turned to go.

“Taylor, shut the fuck up. You’re supposed to be a businessman. Fucking grow up and start acting like a professional. You’ve not worked with these men, I have, and I respect them, that’s why they’re here. If you have nothing constructive to say, keep it shut,” Zack said. “That goes for any of you. We’re determined to make this work. You can either be in on it at the start or you can jog on right now. What did you want to say, Crackers?”

Crackers stopped and turned back at Zack’s words. “I’m not speaking for anyone here, but myself, OK?” he said.

Zack nodded and Taylor stepped back to show he would do as Zack told him.

“What’s all this about a proper full-time job? You’ve got that much work? I thought you didn’t have any contracts yet?” Crackers said.

A murmur of agreement went up from the audience.

Zack nodded. “We have training courses in place, we’ve invested a lot of time and money into this. Anyone that works for us will be expected to keep up their First Aid certificates and the like. There are qualifications to be had and we’re willing to have everyone trained up for those qualifications. This company is investing in our employees and we want highly-trained, professional Doormen not the bouncers we’re used to seeing. Not shirt-fillers or runners either. We want every man on our team to be confident that the man on either side of him will stand by him if there’s trouble and not cause it if there is a way to deal with a situation in any other way.”

“So what’s the rate of pay?” Crackers asked.

“Depending on your qualifications, you’ll get a fair rate. It will never be minimum wage, I can promise you that much,” Zack said.

“We’re not asking you to sign-up right now, but we are asking that you keep this to yourselves. If you want a job with the firm, confidentiality is high up on our list of priorities,” Taylor said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Crackers said, snapping at Taylor.

Zack held up his hands to ask for calm. “For fuck’s sake! This is a new business, we have a lot of competition,” he said. “In fact, we are the competition and if word gets around about this, about us trying to improve working conditions, pay and prospects for you guys, then we’ll be run out of town and you’ll be stuck working for the same pay, with the same shirt-fillers that you can’t count on, and with no prospects.”

The muttering grew in volume and Zack and Taylor could do nothing more but wait.

“I’m in,” Joe said. “I’ve worked with Zack for years. He’s never steered us wrong. He works as hard as we do and if there are extra shifts, he gives them to the lads that need the money and can do the job. If he thinks he can get me trained-up for something else, as well as door-work, I’m willing to give it a try.”

“Thanks Joe,” Zack said. “There’s not only the opportunity for door-work, either. Once you’ve qualified, you can actually train other people, and that pays a lot better than standing on the door in the cold, having to be polite to a bunch of snot-nosed kids with a coke habit and an attitude.”

Silence dropped over the audience like a thick blanket. Conversations stopped and the men all turned to look at Zack.

“Training to teach others?” Crackers said.

Taylor nodded.

“To do what?”

Taylor seemed to slip into his more professional outlook and stepped forward. “The training you’d be taking would entail teaching new doormen and taking them through the process of gaining their door licence. First Aid, fire safety, venue security, the list is endless. There are companies that pay for their entire staff to gain qualifications in various things that I bet you’ve not even thought of – I know I was amazed when we looked into it,” he said.

“Plus, when we’re supplying the clubs and pubs with our guys, you’ll always know there’s a higher standard of doormen. We need to weed out the dealers and smack-heads. They can go to the pubs and clubs that we don’t supply. They can have all the trouble. We can just deal with the drunks. Druggies are way too much trouble.”

“Good luck with that one, Zack,” Crackers said.

“Yeah, I know. It’s all been tried before,” Zack said. “But this time, we have an added advantage. This time, we’re not wholly reliant on door work for our income. I have a few bookings for team-building courses and that looks like a new string to our bow.”

“I’ve been on one of those things,” a voice they’d not heard before spoke up. “I’m not sure it did any good, but it was a day out and a good laugh.”