A startled Fielding Allen Dawgbrush spilled hot coffee from his Mickey Mouse mug all over himself when the phone on his desk rang.

“Hello, Fielding Allen Dawgbrush, attorney- at- law, how may I help you?,” he said in his fake cheerful morning voice.

Fielding Allen Dawgbrush was however anything but cheerful that crisp November morning, as his latest secretary Grizella Gardenbook, was late, again.

“Mmhmm, yes.. oh yes of course, tomorrow .. that sounds.. mmhm yes.. I agree, we might get snow.. mmhmm, ok.. I’ll pencil you in for …mmm shall we say noon? Wonderful.. see you then Mother,” said a decidedly nervous Fielding Allen Dawgbrush, staring at her very photo that she gave him for his 50th birthday.

“Sorry I’m late Mr. Dawgbrush,” Grizella Gardenbook said as she plopped her latest Robert B. Parker book upon her cluttered desk.

Fielding Allen Dawgbrush gave her his most withering stare.

She ignored him of course, as was her custom, and began to type ‘I quit’ on her Gateway laptop computer.