Going In His Place (Patreon)

My boss hates meetings, especially when they're with Mr Hardgrove, the CEO of the company we work for. Mr Hardgrove is notoriously dull to listen to, with a droning voice and the tendency to repeat himself a number of times throughout a conversation. I've only had the misfortune of talking to him once before but Geoff (my boss) has to meet with him every two weeks and every time he comes back in a foul mood. It usually results in us being yelled at which is never fun either. 

Apparently reaching his breaking point when it came to suffering through another dull meeting with Mr Hardgrove and the other company executives, my boss summoned me into the office with the promise of a proposition that could earn me a bonus. I've been pretty strapped for cash for pretty much my entire adult life so I jumped at the chance, only to be completely blindsided by exactly what his proposition was. 

To make a long story short, Geoff had decided that his time was wasted in those meetings and it would be much more beneficial for somebody to go in his place. The company however wouldn't just accept anybody walking in and declaring themselves a representative so his body would have to be present. He wanted me to go in his place - meaning in his body - while he stayed back at the office in mine and continued to work.

Now Geoff's not exactly known for his sense of humor but I couldn't stop myself from laughing because it was honestly the craziest thing I'd ever heard - and my nephew writes stories about alien possessions on the internet! Besides, Geoff really isn't known for having a particularly strong work ethic either so the story was ridiculous from all sides and the only reason I hesitated to consider it was the stern look that crossed his face when I laughed. 

"Well? Will you do it?" he asked, his voice leaving little room for argument. I thought back to his suggestion that helping him out would earn me a bonus and that really was the selling point for me. I agreed verbally, followed it up with a handshake and even signed my name on a letter he had already drafted up. I was already contemplating telling somebody that Geoff had clearly lost the plot when he slipped a a small mechanical device shaped like a glove over his hand and then grasped mine again.

Things went dark for a while after that and when I woke up... well, I woke up to quite the surprise! I was sat in a comfortable chair behind a mahogany desk and staring at a dark laptop screen that reflected by boss' face back at me. "Holy shit." Geoff hadn't just been talking crazy, he'd been talking the truth the whole time I had even signed an agreement letter! I had to go to the meeting in his place!

That was all a few hours ago and now I'm waiting for my flight to the CEO's headquarters in New York so I can endure Mr Hardgrove's croaking voice for who knows how long. Geoff already made it quite clear that he's not going to be getting much work done - in fact he's going to be using my body to chat up his secretary. If he's having a bit - potentially even a lot - of fun then why can't I? After all, I have full control of his finances right now so what's to stop me from cancelling the flight home and enjoying a few days in New York as my boss? 

That sounds like a plan to me. Perhaps agreeing to go to this boring meeting will be worth it after all!