Expansion

Some months later ...

Agenda item 6 - Steamy Leisure Inc Management Team

Lefty - Right gents, now that Pinkie has brought us up to date with cash flow, bank interest, operating margins and reminded us of our corporate implementation plan for increasing utilisation rates, it's time for Baldy to introduce our expansion plans.

Baldy - Thanks L. Right, now that the Executive place is up and running, we have to think about our latest venture at the other end of Rose Street Lane. As ever, we have the problem of what to call it. Now, Executive's got the classy end of the market taken care of so I was thinking this place could do something a bit different.

Geezer - How about Angels? (sings) And through it aaalll she offers me protection, to put on my ...

Lefty - cutting in Now, Geezer, you know we've just had our equalities policy independently audited. Don't you think we would just be pandering to a sexist stereotype? Everybody knows that in popular discourse 'angel' is synonymous with nurses. Who can forget that popular and gritty hospital-based drama of the 1970s showing student nurses facing up to their independent lifestyles and the demands of their new profession. Didn't Channel 4's No Angels do the same. And in comedies they're either battleaxes or sluts. You're probably too young to remember the Carry On films, Doctor in the House and all those other so called comedies. Geezer, it's 2010 mate: the world's moved on. Don't you think that we'd just be continuing an out-moded, patriarchal, Ann Summers portrayal of nurses as over-sexualised bimbos? No, the persistence of old, hackneyed stereotypes does nothing to enhance the attractiveness of nursing as an occupational option and hampers nurses' ability to make nursing a long-term satisfying career. Any other ideas?

Everyone else looks at each other utterly bemused. They look back to Lefty. He looks back at them, not understanding what they don't understand. No one speaks for a few minutes. Finally, Baldy coughs.

Baldy - Are ... you ... alright L? I mean, our punters, err, would probably quite fancy a bit of a rubdown from a nurse.

Geezer (relieved) - No boss, not nurses. Angels. With wings and harps. I just thought it would an amusing juxtaposition, incorporating popular religious iconography and associating God's traditional earthy messengers with getting a wank.

Lefty - Oh, I see. Well that's alright then. Next item?