This weeks challenging words: Swelter Scorpion Ventilation Shrink Cactus Desert Drumble (moving a slow or sluggish manner) Spectrum Delitescent (hidden or concealed) Vile Bead Bankrupt
Herbert Drumble moved across the office floor on his way to deliver his usual bad news. If you saw Herbert lumbering his way towards you, you could be assured he was bringing not pleasant news with him. For though Herbert moved in a way that suggested movement of any kind was a laborious act, his mind was far from slow.
If anything his nickname of ‘Cactus’ told you plenty about his character. He was without doubt a prickly man, he lacked any semblance of a sense of humour and the permanent frown on his brow rarely moved anywhere else. His personality was far from delitescent, what you saw with Herbert was what you got.
In the twenty years that Herbert had worked for Swindle, Cheetham and Diddle Accountants and Actuaries he had developed a reputation for handling bankruptcies. He could walk into a room look at you and remark in his droll languid way that bankruptcy was just around the corner waiting for you.
He never shrank from any role assigned to him. There was nothing more vile to Herbert than the man who stole from his employer. His own pursuit of such corporate crime led him to encounter the full spectrum of personalities that exist in the financial world.
His one job that stayed with him always was the time he was sent to the desert to conduct an audit of the Scorpion company whose practices had drawn the attention of the Taxation department who in turn engaged Herbert Drumble as he was known as a man who always got to the bottom of things. In the sweltering office in the dingy back room of a demountable building where ventilation had yet to be discovered he unearth what was to forever cement his name as an accountant who stuck to his job no matter what.
It was as the last bead of perspiration dripped from his rather long and pointy nose that Herbert knew he had hit the jackpot. The Scorpion company whose delitescent practices had led them to be in a position of near bankruptcy had been caught, their sting removed, their bosses jailed.
Herbert received a handsome commission from this case, enough to pay for a well-earned trip to Paris.
As Herbert positioned himself in front of me and looked down his afore mentioned nose, a small bead of sweat ran down my neck.
‘Mr Tommy,’ he droned, ‘I appear to have found an anomaly in your accounts.’
Written for: http://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2014/12/22/wordle-40-december-22-2014/
Morpethroad 
Herbert is one of those characters that one loves to hate. An excellent creation!
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You are most welcome and merry Christmas.
I’m sure I’ve met one or two Herbets in my time. Another well written Wordle my friend.
Yes Jenny they are everywhere…..thanks for your comment.
A really rich piece of writing. The required words inserted themselves fluidly. Something about Herbert reminds me of how Annie Proulx describes Quoyle’s way of moving in “The Shipping News”. Would love to read a longer piece of Herbert.
Hmmm…yes well maybe Herbert may live again….thank you so much for your encouraging and lovely comment. Merry Christmas to you.
Oh dear, Mr Tommy, what have you been up to. Give ‘im a handful of words and he builds a story of excellence.
Thank you so much Lyn. Enjoy your Christmas break.
Excellent. Scrooge just before the holidays!
One can, though with effort recover from bankruptcy.
Though they may never recover from meeting Mr. Brumble.
I played here: http://julesinflashyfiction.wordpress.com/2014/12/22/a-magical-tree-a-haibun-12-22-for-mlm-fairytale-39-and-wordle-40/
Thank you Jules. Enjoy the Christmas break.
Herbert is quite the character very vivid indeed! Your use of the words was outstanding!
Thank you so much Yves. Merry Christmas.
I think it was Herbert who got me fired from my last job. D**mn that Cactus man!
Great story with a well-drawn, fully-developed character.
Have a writerly Christmas and a penmenshipish new year.
You too. Tomorrow is Christmas Day here. I am hoping for a coolish day.