Odious Displays of Insignificant Power Redux

The Best of the Zola System

Recently, while relaxing after a shift, I found myself sitting next to a young professional couple in a bar. I didn’t pay much attention to their banter during my first few sips of Guinness. Frankly, it was mostly inane pseudo-flirtation about how many coats of lipstick it took for this girl to coat her lips and why the couple was sitting so far apart. It all seemed like the usual dialogue you hear all the time in a bar between two people who don’t seem to have the social skills to meet someone sober and need booze to open up.

They really started to hang all over each other when their discussion turned to work.

Guy: I’m firing that little bitch tomorrow. You should wear your little white skirt so you can like whip her.

Girl: I should.

She turned towards him and crossed and uncrossed her legs several times, hiking her short skirt some.

Guy: Then you can enjoy firing her.

Girl: She’s so f****** stupid. Her job is like here’s the report, send it to the other one.

Guy: Where did she go to school?

Girl: Smith.

Guy: Really. You can’t teach common sense.

Girl: I called my HR person.

His hand is on her knee. She rubbed his forearm as they further discussed this poor woman’s inevitable dismissal.

Guy: How long have you been her boss?

Girl: Five years.

Guy: How many people have you fired?

His hand is high on her thigh now, her hand on his knee, slowly working its way to his crotch.

Girl: A few.

Guy: Hot. You are a brunette. At least it’s the right color.

They nuzzle a bit and make out for an extended period.

I was totally taken aback by their attitude. It wasn’t so much that they were discussing the firing of an underling, I’m sure that happens in bars all over the city. No, it was how the discussion made them hot for each other. It seemed the only way they could relate and feel any sort of emotion or passion is by discussing the misfortune soon to befall someone else.

So this is what seduction has come to – odious displays of insignificant power. And it was working, they were conning each other into bed.