Come and have a drink, Gaius."
Steady on, Marcus; I have to be at my post."
You're the supervisor. Give your staff an opportunity to make mistakes. How can you put them right otherwise? This is for their own good The underlings gazed at me with mixed feelings. A small queue of traders let out an ironic cheer. Oh Hades. Junia had made Gaius have Ajax for the afternoon. When I pulled him from his seat behind the tablets and money caskets, the dreadful dog came too. An uncontrollable tail knocked over two inkwells, as Gaius lifted off his wide-beamed backside and stood up reluctantly from his stool. That enormous wet tongue caught the back of my knees as the loopy creature bumbled after us. Every time we passed a porter with a handcart, Ajax had to bark.
Leaving the desk is bad practice, Marcus."
Have a breather. Enjoy bumming off for once, like everyone else."