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Writer's pictureRobert Sadler

Seeing is Believing 3

Updated: Nov 26, 2022

(You may wish to refer to earlier blogs: SIB I and SIB II)


AUTHOR'S NOTE: Although I strive to give the reader specific detail, through the eyes and experience of the characters, to fill-in their own mental picture detailed by the manuscript's text. I recognize that over time, in a series such as this details previously mentioned may not be in the specific scene you are reading--particularly since I am writing down what the characters see, feel and do in a scene in which they my not have a need to express or detail all that they see or encounter. Therefore, so that readers (and the author) can see the MG&A office environment as the characters describe and live it, I have created various diagrams for everyone's benefit.


In Cat With One White Stocking, Michael Grant realizes what should be a fatal flaw in this management style, the inability to see and anticipate the personal needs of his office staff.


It was all well and good that after Tom Darrow was made Partner and EVP of Michael Grant and Associates, some years ago, Michael took the opportunity to not only provide Tom with a spacious and modern tricked-out office but to enhance his office environment. He had built between his and Tom's office suite a large bathroom and a kitchen. Both rooms were individually accessible from either office through sliding pocket doors.


These two conveniences greatly enhanced the work environment of Michael and Tom. And true, when the new buildout of the MG&A offices was completed, the work space of each of the employees was significantly enhanced both in company-specific function and personal comfort.


Then one day, when Michael was waiting, overlong he thought, for a summoned employee to appear as requested, he was apprised that said employee had to "use the facilities" on the floor below, as they all had had to do since MG&A first occupied Suite 300 of the Oil & Cattlemen's Executive Suites.


Once made aware of this long-time faux pas he set about to correct it by consolidating enough space from other 'rooms' to create a staff-only bathroom. It contains a toilet, shower, counter with sink and vanity mirror and a coat closet, with individual locking storage areas for employees.


Due to the secure nature of Suite 300, the room is to be accessible only by MG&A employees. The room, whose signage reads: "Maintenance MG&A Staff Only" is accessible by Marnie Violante pressing a button to release the door's MagLocks or, in her absence, the use of the employee's individual five digit door code.



If you look closely (to the west of Marnie's reception Counter/Desk) you can see in the latest build out (diagram below) of MG&A what rooms were changed (from the diagram in "SIB I" to accommodate the installation of the employee's bathroom. You can read more about it in Cat With One White Stocking. [Note: you can click on the images to make them larger.]



You may also note what is identified as "Security Station 1", which was the specially designed and 'hardened' space for Pepper Washington to perform his security function while in the MG&A offices. The walls of his cubicle (though half-walls, in height) were uniquely shielded to stop most projectiles. The station played a significant part in the defense of MG&A, Marnie, and himself when Fat Trianni and his 'gang' of thugs attempted to take out Marnie and Pepper.


Here is a three-way view of Security Station 1:

Note the diagram's orientation. South is at the top and North at the bottom. This just the opposite of the orientation of the diagram of the full office above.

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Guest
Nov 22, 2022

Cool drawings, Robert. I did something like that for my Arzachel 1 lunar colony. Great fun, thinking it all through and then putting it on paper.

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Robert Sadler
Robert Sadler
Nov 27, 2022
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I’m glad you found my author’s blog site. I thank you for visiting and leaving your comment.

Though words are the medium of expression for fiction—photos, images, illustrations and diagrams have been part of story telling and book making even before the printing press.


From cave walls, to bark, to papyrus, etc., to today, stories both oral and written have been illustrated. Thus I often use some form of illustration in my novels.


That said, in general, each of the illustrations are formed from the description provided by the characters as the live the story. It is only later, after the fact, so I don’t forget where or what something is and you, the reader, get to see, in text…


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