Chapter 287
The folks at HR didn’t exactly know why; they just knew it was a top-down decision to let Harmon go. Considering Harmon was always busting his chops at work, they said, “We’re just carrying out orders) Don’t you have a clue why they’re giving you the boot? On the bright side, you got two months’ severance. You can hunt for a job somewhere else.”
Harmon was genuinely clueless about why he was canned. He thought about the near brawl he had with a colleague at a promotion party, and his past stalking of Anastasia. He was sure his termination had something to do with these incidents, but he wasn’t sure who stabbed him in the back.
With his severance in hand, Harmon dragged himself to the break room, changed his clothes, packed his things and left. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. Upon leaving, he paused at the entrance and took one last look at the company building.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAt this moment, the male colleague with whom Harmon had clashed at the promotion party happened to pass by. He saw Harmon holding something and mocked him, “Ha, got the axe, huh? Need help finding a job? Security guard positions are open in my neighborhood, and you seem like a perfect fit.”
Harmon shot the guy a withering look. “Back off.”
“Well, are you mad? Gonna deck me now? Aren’t you scared of the pokey? Come on, take a swing,” the guy taunted, “Chicken.”
Harmon clutched his box tighter, his anger reaching a boiling point. He strode towards the guy, looking ready to rumble. Another colleague quickly pulled the guy away, “Why are you messing with him? The guy’s unhinged.”
Harmon shot them a murderous glare, and they beat it.
Harmon was feeling pretty lousy when his phone rang. It was the dating site, “Mr. Alstrom, are you free? Ms. Jewell is available tonight. We’ve set a meeting place at Spirits & Suds, eight o’clock.”
Harmon asked, “Is this Anastasia, the one you introduced me to before?”
“Yes, Ms. Anastasia.” The person from the dating site replied cheerfully, “Are you free tonight?”
“Yes, eight o’clock, Spirits & Suds, I’ll be there on the dot.” Harmon was over the moon
His mind was a whirlwind of emotions. On one hand, he felt that Anastasia was a scammer. On the other, the thought of a date with her made him giddy.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmHe even fantasized about what if Anastasia liked him and wanted to marry him. He was certain he could be a better man than her husband.
With this in mind, Harmon rushed home, snatched up his severance, and went shopping for a new outfit, followed by a trip to the barbershop. The barber took advantage of Harmon’s good mood and managed to sell him a bunch of products with flattery. “Sir, you’re quite the looker. If you style your hair right, you’lNook even hotter. Women will be all over you.”
Harmon was flattered and kept nodding, imagining how much Anastasia would like his stylish hair. It was only when he saw the bill that he realized how much he had been swindled. “The total is $8500, sir.”
Harmon’s face darkened, his eyes flashing with disapproval. “What? Come again? Isn’t a wash, cut, and blow dry $128?”
“Your total is $8500.” The barber answered cheerily, “You opted for a hair treatment using imported products, so naturally, the price is higher. I did explain this to you.”
Harmon was livid. “You said the hair treatment was $200. How is it possible that it all adds up to $8500?”
“Sir, please calm down. You must have misunderstood. The $200 is for one section of your hair. We divided your hair into forty sections, each meticulously treated. Look at your hair now, so smooth and shiny. We even gave you a discount, so it’s only $8500.”
Upon hearing this explanation, Harmon was ready to blow his top. “This is highway robbery. Riverdale doesn’t even have forty sections, yet you divided my hair into forty. You’re nothing but thieves. I’m calling the cops.”
Harmon had just been fired, and now he was being scammed by a shady barbershop. His pent-up anger reached its peak and he lost it.