PHRASAL VERBS AND IDIOMS IN CONTEXT ~ 03
GIANCARLO
Giancarlo had been working in the auditing company for just over a month and was enjoying his job more than he could possibly have imagined. He was also making rapid progress. He’d been assigned various tasks and had been asked to take on an important project with a thirty-day deadline.
‘Do you feel up to the task?’ his boss Mr Spampinato had asked.
‘Of course I do,’ Giancarlo had replied. ‘I’ve always loved a really good challenge.’
‘Here you are then. Bring me the final results in thirty days’ time.’
‘Okay Mr Spampinato. I won’t let you down. Even if I have to work night and day, I’ll make sure I meet the deadline.’
Three days later there was a knock on Mr Spampinato’s door.
‘Come in’, he called.
Mr Spampinato was a large, burly, good natured Sicilian man.
‘Here’s the project Mr Spampinato.’
‘Bring it to me once it’s completed,’ was his reply.
‘I’ve already completed it.’
‘You can’t have. It’s impossible. I only gave it to you a few days ago.’
‘Nothing’s impossible when you put your mind to it Mr Spampinato.’
‘Ok, leave it with me and I’ll call you once I’ve gone over it.’
Mr Spampinato, as good natured as he was, was not at all happy. To complete such a large project in such a short space of time could only mean one thing – shoddy work. He sat back in his large padded swirling chair and read it through.
‘How on earth had he been able to complete it so quickly – and to such perfection?’ The boy was a genius. He went over it again. He recognized that this was a boy worth his weight in gold; someone who would be of great value to the company.
Giancarlo was promoted and given a salary increase. Mr Spampinato could not risk this young man being snapped up by another employer. Word got round the auditing company. Giancarlo became a bit of a hero and was lapping up all the attention.
He had the attention of all the girls but there was one in particular. Her name was Gianna. He’d seen Gianna in the passing and couldn’t help but notice her beauty and elegance She was tall, slim and there was something in the way she moved. She dressed with such feminine elegance. She reminded him of Isabella Rossellina in her younger days.
Now everywhere he turned she seemed to be there. Gianna hadn’t failed to notice Giancarlo. He was tall in height and excessively lean making him appear to be considerably taller than he actually was. His eyes were small and bead-like with an air of intelligence and determination as he peered over his glasses to observe anyone who entered his office. His prominent chin and eagle shaped nose gave the impression of a sharp minded person – in short, as a whole he was quite a fascinating character. Gianna observed his crisp white shirts – never without cuff-links – something not so common nowadays.
Of late, Gianna had been day-dreaming about how wonderful it would be to have a boyfriend who had some goals in life. And when word got round about his promotion and how much of a genius he was, that’s when Gianna had the idea – to make him hers. He soon became the object of her affection.
Gianna was doing an internship and would be working in the company for another ten weeks then what would happen to her? She cringed at the mere thought of going back to her small town close to Naples. Of course she missed her mamma and papa but she was happy in Rome especially now that she was far away from Sergio. She felt safe and didn’t have to keep looking over her shoulder every time she left the house. Giancarlo was everything that Sergio wasn’t.
She needed a real man in her life. Someone who could protect her like papa had always done; someone like Giancarlo – a provider, a man with some substance.
Sergio was a layabout who did nothing all day every day. He was angry, aggressive and dangerous. She shuddered when she thought back to that awful day when he’d attacked her so viciously.
Papa had never approved of the slob Sergio and would be ever so proud of his daughter were she to introduce him to a real man like Giancarlo.
So that was that. Gianna started to make herself look even more attractive than what she was. The dresses got shorter and she’d turn up for work wearing lipstick and eye make-up to highlight her beautiful green eyes. Giancarlo had tried to put her to the back of his mind. After all, he had a girlfriend back in his hometown. They’d been together for seven years and she’d be joining him in Rome in the not too distant future. She’d struck it lucky when one of the teaching positions
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