Diaper References

NAUGHTY OR NICE. By Alec Leamus. “What do you mean he left?!” Marsha screamed into the phone. “It’s Christmas Eve!” Marsha Strickland stood up commandingly behind her desk and bark further orders. It was not unusual for her to yell at her underlings. Lovingly referred to as “3M”. The three “m” s stood for “maniac marketing matron”. Over time it had been shortened to “3M”. A code for employee conversations filled with complaints when supervisors were nearby. Marsha Strickland filled the position as manager three years ago. She instantly cleaned house and fired fifteen seasoned employees. Afterward she bullied and terrorized the remaining staff with longer hours, more duties, and reduced wages. She was only thirty-two but had already created the kind of hardened reputation normally relegated to senior supervisors. Marsha’s age was part of her deceptive armor. She appeared to the staff as a young friendly woman. A sympathetic ear in the world of retail. This misconception quickly turned on the staff. Most employees hated her, but jobs were scarce, so they stayed and grumbled all the way home to their significant others. This gregarious image was routinely shattered by her sharp acidic tongue. She related to the staff like they were mere peasants in her kingdom. To compound her outrageous behavior, she grabbed unearned credit at every opportunity to impress her bosses. “If I have to be here so do you and so does Trevor! The Christmas parade is tomorrow. Find him and finish that window! I’m coming down in five minutes and I better see some major progress.” Nelson Mathis shrugged as he hung up the phone. After a lackluster search for Trevor, he walked to his car and left for home. It was 10:47pm on Christmas Eve. There was no way he was staying any later. His family was waiting. He was forty - five and didn’t care anymore. Besides, Trevor oversaw window B not him. Nelson guessed he probably went for a smoke. Trevor had assumed Nelson would finish the job. He too, had left. Only a few employees remained at Finkelman Bros. department store. Finkelman Bros. was the crown jewel of the downtown shopping district. It stood four stories high. It was filled with everything one could wish for in one stop shopping. From camping gear to ladies’ lingerie. There was even a grocery store, a bank, a bakery, and a travel agency. Christmastime was a peak season for the store and Finkelman Bros. did not disappoint. The Christmas experience was not to be missed. Santa’s wonderland brought thousands of shoppers downtown. The highlight of this event was the Christmas parade followed by the unveiling of the new or second Christmas windows. Hundreds of visitors crowded ear to ear to view the new and wondrous displays. Finkelman Bros. window displays were legendary. There were five of them. Each giant window depicted a different theme: snow, toys, sleigh ride, Santa’s workshop, and cozy Christmas. Each window cleverly marketed the current trends and tastes wrapped in a commercial Christmas bow. The “cozy Christmas” window was a country living room scene complete with a blazing fireplace and a ten-foot tree. This window marketed the latest decorating fashion from throw pillows to ottomans. Practically everything in the window was for sale inside the store. The “Snow” window showed people skiing, sledding and a family engaged in snow-ball fight. All the mannequins were dressed in the latest winter fashions. The “Toys” window was a smorgasbord of every popular toy and several which needed a commercial push. The “sleigh ride” window had a life size horse pulling a family in an ornate sleigh filled with high end items. And finally, the most popular window was littered with seven elves building toys. Each of the windows had been on full display since the top of November completely ignoring Thanksgiving. But at 11am on Christmas Eve the velvet curtains went up and obscured each scene. Then the staff worked tirelessly on each display. Every window was plussed several times. It was a dramatic transformation. In the snow scenes, a steady snow would be falling. And the families would be replaced with live actors. The living room would reveal that Santa had visited, and the room would be filled with gifts. The toy window also added live child actors opening gifts and playing with the toys. The fifth window, “Santa’s Workshop” would reveal the big man himself standing next to a full-sized sleigh as the elves loaded presents. Marsha snatched the two-way radio from the cradle on her desk and stormed down the hall to the freight elevator. She liked riding the service elevator. It was usually empty. It also created a surprise strategic entry into the employee areas. This was a perfect way to catch them slacking or to eavesdrop on a conversation. But especially at Christmas Marsha like the freight elevator because there was no music. She didn’t hate Christmas, but the sentimental side of the holiday did not agree with her career goals. It was distraction. She had a job to do and expected others to do the same. Marsha Strickland reached the ground floor and navigated through the empty store to the door for window number five. All the other windows were in order. She had checked them earlier in the day. It was only Trevor Dorsette’s window which required scrutinization. A fact that irked her more and more. “Mr. Dorsette?” she called. There was no answer. “Trevor?” she tried again. She engaged the walkie. “Nelson, do you copy?” But Nelson was humming in the car to Nat King Cole, halfway home. “Nelson do you copy?” No answer. “Trevor, do you copy?” Static. Exasperated she abandoned her attempts. The morning was fast approaching. Soon the sidewalks would be filled as shoppers pressed up against Finkelman Bros’ amazing window displays. So, with great trepidation Marsha opened the hidden door to window number five. In truth it didn’t look half bad, but it was by no means finished. She would roll heads tomorrow but now reputations were on the line. It wasn’t the first time Marsha Strickland had rolled up her sleeves to take up the slack for others. It was late but there was no one waiting at home except for her cat. “Dammit Dorsette!” All the heavy scenery flats were leaning against the back wall. Marsha looked around and sighed in relief. Fortunately, everything else seemed to be set. The sleigh was in place on the far right of the window. The half human sized mannequin elves were there. And the main show piece, the conveyor belt, was assembled. It carried the gifts through the window and dropped them into Santa’s sleigh. The gift conveyor belt was a bit of magic one of the designers dreamed up. The elves stood at one end of the window. They operated on a simple turning mechanism which created the illusion of loading various presents on the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt stretched across the width of the window. The belt rose approximately eight feet to a high window on the far side. The presents would ride up then drop through the window into Santa’s sleigh. The magic happened underneath. The presents were not fixed to the conveyor belt. Santa’s bag was solid and remained open. The gifts free fell into the open bag and below it funneled the boxes singly back onto a separate conveyor underneath. They emerged again at the beginning and repeated their journey. The illusion created a bottomless Santa bag with endless presents being poured into it. To prevent any slippage as the gifts rode up the belt there were small wooden dividers. They passed through a slot in the wall under the window and circled back to the beginning of the route. The previous methods of the past had the presents fixed to a single rotating conveyor. The underneath was hidden by scenery. However, marketing was always looking for ways to plus the window display. This was their triumphant and magical design. The scale model looked beautiful in the presentation, but no one had built the full-scale set. Some of the set pieces were ten feet high. This included the decorative window for Santa’s sleigh. The panels were backed with welded aluminum and fastened onto a steel base. These panels joined together with hinge pins and created the workshop. “Unbelievable!” Ms. Strickland exclaimed. The panels were not connected, and they were turned in all directions. Additionally, the elves were not dressed, the false presents were stacked in a corner and the fake snow was still bagged. Marsha tore off her jacket and toss it aside. It would be an involved under-taking but the scene was essentially a giant puzzle piece. She wasn’t pleased but knew it had to be done. Cold air swirled through the giant room. The window offered little protection from the outside temperature. However, it didn’t matter, within a half an hour Marsha was sweating. She tried the two-way radio again. No answer. She cursed Trevor and Nelson and swore they would pay. Fortunately, Marsha had stayed in relatively good shape. She visited the gym, jogged, and watched her calorie intake. So, moving the heavy equipment and set panels was not beyond her strength. She also felt she possessed a good decorating style. After she positioned the set panels, dressed the elves, and laid the snow throughout the scene; Marsha stepped back to assess her progress. She wanted the best vantage point. She pressed back against the curtain and the window. She contemplated braving the weather outside but that meant raising the large velvet Austrian curtain. This meant resetting the whole system because all the curtains for all the windows were set to go up at 9am. She reached for her phone to check the weather but realized she had left it on her desk. She dismissed the idea. She was sure it was very cold outside and probably snowing. She was right. Marsha Strickland squeezed between the colorfully dressed elf and the conveyor controls. She flipped the switch and watched the belt and dividers rattle upward. She placed a present on the belt. It traveled up and disappeared through the window. Marsha heard the gift clatter down into the sleigh. She waited. In a few moments, the gift popped up from the stage and was pushed on the conveyor belt for its return trip. Marsha smiled at her success. But her pleasure was short lived. The machine emitted a groan. Marsha bent down and inspected the issue. One of the gears wobbled and was minus a cotter pin. She peered inside the compartment. She spotted several pins which had been lazily tossed in a collection at the bottom. She turned the mechanism off and inserted the pin to prevent the gear from wobbling. As she checked the other gears her hand slipped onto a piston. It moved and like a whale exhaling a generous stream of grease spurted all over her. Shocked Marsha staggered backward and slammed into a section of the set. It creaked loudly. “No, no, no, no!” Marsha shouted. But it was too late. The panel was top heavy and despite its steel base it slowly tipped backward and pulled the adjacent panel with it. “Dammit!” The panel had fallen in the worst way. It lay wedged against the door. Marsha raced to door but found there way no way to approach the exit. She started to walk on top of the flat panel, but it moved dramatically. She feared she would damage it. She managed to work to the side of the panel and strained to move it. It was no use. She pulled, pushed, and bounced the panel but it remained motionless. Marsha sighed and abandoned her efforts. She was trapped. The door was the only entrance and exit into the window display. She shivered. The large white room felt even colder. She inspected the massive oil stain on her blouse and pants. The grease ran all down her right leg and covered her entire front. It looked as thought she had been hit with an oversized brown paintball. It was nasty and it was beginning to stick to her skin. She tried the two way again, but no one answered. Security operated on a different channel. She switched several times, but the display window was located on the ground floor. Unless they were nearby it was long shot, they would respond. “The lazy bastards,” she murmured. “Probably drinking spiked eggnog in the security office.” Then an idea hit her. She scrambled past the set pieces to the curtain and carefully worked her body between the curtain and the window. As she slithered, she was careful not to get the curtain dirty. In the window she hoped to capture someone’s attention. Marsha stood up and peered through the snowfall. The street was dead quiet. There were no pedestrians and no cars. It was Christmas Eve. Marsha then realized against the dark curtain she was barely visible. Frustrated, she ducked back under the curtain and into the room. She sat down on the floor to think. She lifted her head and scoured every corner for an escape. She contemplated the ventilation system, but the ceiling was too high. She doubted the ladder could reach. And apart from the two work light switches there was nothing else. The best she could hope was the early shift. They would arrive prior to the parade but with enough time for her to signal an employee. Meanwhile she would finish the scene. Then she would hide behind one of the flats. Her most pressing issue was her clothes. They were beginning to stick to her body. She was extremely uncomfortable and not prepared to spend the night layered in grease. The faux wood floor was hard. Marsha stood up and weighed her options. “The snow? The left-over wrapping paper?” she thought. Her eyes wandered to the right. Standing there in perpetual jolliness was Santa. “Santa’s suit!” Marsha exclaimed. She moved the big man and began to remove his coat, but it was attached directly to his plastic body. However, it sparked an idea. Santa had to appear fully dressed, but elves are expendable. There were six of them and their costumes were removeable. The fabric was corduroy which had been sewn together a few days ago. The costumes were made for stationary wear not movement. She was familiar with the low quality. She had dressed them all only a few hours ago. She surveyed the army of little dummies and chose the largest one. She dragged it behind a panel. It was smart. When the window display was revealed in the morning it wouldn’t be missed. She removed the elves’ colorful green jacket and pants trimmed in white fur. Then she peeled off her own blouse, slacks, and hose. She had hoped to keep her bra and panties. However, the oil had soaked through the undergarments and her skin was beginning to itch. It felt strange to stand in the wide-open window display completely naked. She shivered and quickly used her own clothes as a towel. She blotted and scrubbed away as much of the grease as possible. She would seek compensation later. Although chilly, she was grateful to be out of her oily ensemble. She slipped on the whimsical green jacket. The sleeves were short. The fur trim arrived just above her elbow. The pants were the same. They felt like short culottes. She slipped on the elves’ shoes too since her shoes were filled with a greasy mix. There was no way she could erect the fallen panel. So, she covered it with the remaining snow. It was a ridiculous site. The oversized elf moved among the miniature set like a monster picking through the motionless factory. Cautiously Marsha reexamined the mechanism of the conveyor belt. She smiled briefly as she remembered late afternoons in the garage with her father. Her smile faded quickly. She discovered one of the pistons had been rotated. She carefully adjusted it. She made sure to stand at an angle to avoid a repeat attack. She fired up the motor and listened to it hum for a minute or two. It was late. Marsha could feel her heavy eyes burn and her energy wane. It had been hours since she entered the room. She had no idea of the time. She had to remain clear-headed and calm. She dressed the set as much as she could. It looked good although it didn’t reflect the original design. It would do until after tomorrow’s parade. Lastly, Marsha plugged everything into the board. Each window was controlled by a master control board. So, all the windows were revealed simultaneously to the music. There was nothing to do but wait. Marsha chose the most comfortable place, Santa’s sleigh. A quick nap was in order. In the morning she would step behind the scenery and try the two way again. Simple. “Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Finkelman Brothers Christmas celebration!” The faint familiar phrase echoed through the sleeping woman’s brain. It burrowed and activated the woman’s internal alarm. Marsha sprang out of the sleigh like a tightly wound jack in the box. Her short nap had slipped into a deep slumber. Now it was morning! “Oh no! Oh no!” she repeated as she scrambled to the cache of gifts. Frantically, Marsha loaded the gift line and switched on the machine. Unfortunately, unknown to her in there were two sizes of presents. One was designated for the conveyor belt. The other was designed for display around the scene. A grinding sound distracted Marsha. She turned in horror and watched the large green foiled box crushed into the window. It was too big. The realization suddenly hit her. The gifts were sized differently. Marsha pulled the remaining gifts off the rotating belt. The ones out of reach travelled up the conveyor. They collided with the large gift wedged in the window then dropped to the floor. Marsha dove for the ladder. There was still time to remove the obstruction and reset. Marsha scaled the aluminum ladder, her eyes fixed on the green box. The ladder barely reached the window. Marsha balanced on the outer lip of the conveyor belt. First, she tried to pull back the oversized package, but the force of the previous gifts and dividers had knocked it further into the opening. Now it was stuck. Marsha pushed on the box, but her angle from the ladder made it difficult. She needed more leverage. So, Marsha swung one foot over the conveyor belt. Her right foot dangled mid-air for a moment before it found footing on the decorative outer ridge. She leaned into the box and felt it move.

The Norm

The idea that doesn't win will get made but I'll wait a few months to start posting it

"Stop calling me princess i am not a little kid" i huff a bit as i was getting tired of hearing the word princess as i was 16 not some toddler as i roll my eyes seeing the bunny as i haven't slept with it since i was little. Eventually i go back to sleep curling up under the covers as i hoped you don't snoop through my phone as i didn't want you seeing the school notice about the placement testing that was happening today.

its not that bad my girlfriend uses the women's cvs style depends lol tranquility atns are  a little better