Two words were written on the whiteboard at the front of the conference room: Corporate Induction. A dozen people were seated around the table, uncomfortable at being so close to each other. There had been some attempts at conversation, to find common grounds between them, but these had petered into an awkward silence.
At exactly 9 o'clock a jovial man in a suit entered the conference room. "Good morning!" he boomed. The sudden noise made the people at the table jump. "Good morning!" the jovial man repeated. "I'm Jack Trainor, your facilitator for this induction." He wrote his name on the whiteboard in flowing letters.
There was a scattered chorus of "Good Morning" in return. Mr Trainor smiled. "Not bad," he said. "Not bad, but there are rules our employees must follow." His smile changed to a scowl, and he pointed at a man whose name badge read 'Smithson'. "Why did you not greet me in return?"
Mr Smithson shrugged. "I didn't know it was compulsory."
The smile returned to Mr Trainor's face, but this time it had a menacing air. "It is. It's one of the company rules. But you'll learn. Consider this your first warning, Mr Smithson. Now, shall we get on with the morning? There are a number of subjects we must cover."
Mr Trainor handed out a number of sheets of yellowed paper. "The first item on our agenda is the loyalty oath. If you would all please stand up and raise your right hand."
There was some hesitation from the inductees. Mr Trainor waved his hands to encourage them, then glared at Mr Smithson, who was reading the document he had just been handed. "Sir! I must insist you stand up."
"I just want to see what this involves," Mr Smithson said. "I don't like to sign anything without reading it."
"It is a rule that we all must take the oath," Mr Trainor said sternly. "Everyone does so, from the chief executive down to the charlady. Please stand up and raise your right hand. This is your second warning."
Mr Smithson stood up and raised his right hand. "Very well."
Once again, Mr Trainor's air became more jovial. "Repeat after me. I - state your name."
Everyone repeated, "I state your name," and then dissolved into fits of laughter. Mr Trainor nodded. "Very good. Very original. You would not believe how many times I've heard that one. I shall let you all off - apart from you, Mr Smithson. You're a troublemaker."
Mr Smithson snorted. "So, what do I get? Another warning?"
"No," said Mr Trainor. "You shall be corrected." Two uniformed men entered the conference room and grabbed Mr Smithson.
"Hey! What - ?" Mr Smithson began; then there was a loud crackling, a smell of ozone and he went limp in the arms of the guards.
Mr Trainor nodded at the rest of the inductees. "A lesson for you. You won't get on here unless you follow the rules. Now, the oath."
