SUMMER FUN... July (Part 71a)

PLEASE NOTE: Try as I might, I’ve been unable to put together a reasonable time line for July (and maybe August). I’m going to revert to something I’ve done in a similar situation in the past... write about “topics” and not worry about the order they fell in.
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WORK: I was definitely not in a good mood when I arrived at work on Monday. The fourth of July was on Wednesday, the worst possible day for a holiday to fall on. I was going to have to ask Leo, the Deputy Controller, for permission to work overtime to complete the payroll (the bigger of the two) on time. Jay and I hated having to talk to Leo with him being clueless as to the realities of his responsibilities and his smug attitude. When I’d see him headed in the direction of the DP department I’d often go hide behind the computer. However, the attitude changed the minute that Jay walked in. He had a big smile on his face and was waving a couple of small pieces of paper over his head. They were the two checks for having done the clean up out at the barrier beach. He and Jo had finished the work up over the weekend and the owner showed up with the second $500 check. Jay said he was going to deposit them and that he’d be able to pay us, cash, on Friday after the checks had cleared. The timing was perfect because my new sails were being delivered, C.O.D., on Friday.

Knowing that I was going to be “under the gun” as far as payroll was concerned, both Jay and Jo offered to help me out. We’d been going to lunch together almost every day but decided we needed to maximize our time. We, independently, took short breaks to just get a bite to eat hoping that it would make a difference even though it wasn’t going to eliminate the need for me to still get permission from Leo to work late (or to come in on the 4th). I decided to wait until Tuesday afternoon to do it.

I disliked Leo so much I had to really concentrate on what I was actually going to say when I did get to see him. When I went over to his secretary I was taken somewhat aback when she told me that he’d decided to take the day off. It was just another example of how he lived in his own little world, not concerned with anything or anybody but himself. That meant I had to make a decision as to weather to stay late and not get paid or to just go home and see what the fallout would be.

It wasn’t much a decision. There was no way I was going to jeopardize the fiscal lives of so many people but I can tell you I was more that a little “hot”. I was the exact opposite of Jay in that, when something like this happened, I would get very vocal. Jay would keep it all inside. After Jay let me “spout off” he volunteered to stay and help me out. Jo quickly volunteered as well.

We, collectively, decided who would do what. With three of us working together we managed to get everything done but print the checks before leaving. I was pleased with that but still couldn’t let my intense dislike of Leo. Jo, in leaving, had said she’d come in early on Thursday and start printing the checks. As I lay in bed I was able to calm down enough to recognize how good Jay, Jo and I worked together and was thankful that we did.

Jo had the printer up and running when I got there on Thursday. I actually had the checks to the Treasurer’s office ahead of schedule. Now it was my turn to repay the favor that Jo had done for me. She’d deferred running all her quarter end reports to help me out so I jumped in to help her get caught up. Jay was also trying to get caught up but he told us that on his way back from using the rest room he’d run into the Controller. He asked Jay how the payroll was going. Jay told him it went well but there was bit of a problem in that, because of the day off, we’d had to work overtime without permission. Jay said the Controller was puzzled about the “permission” and Jay explained about Leo’s requirement. Then the Controller asked how planning was going for the new space that the Board of Supervisors had allocated for Data Processing. Jay told him it was complete and he’d given the plans to Leo over a week ago. The Controller then asked Jay to walk him through the space. In the process Jay mentioned the new equipment the we’d gone into the city to see. The Controller then asked what he was doing about it and Jay said it, too, was in Leo’s office. Jay told us that the Controller seemed concerned but didn’t say anything.

It was sometime about mid afternoon when Gina, Leo’s secretary, came into the room and asked Jay to go over to Leo’s office. Since there were windows in the partitions we could see the door to the office close behind him. That was never a good sign, especially in Leo’s case. He was in there for over an hour and when he returned I knew it hadn’t been a fun experience by the look on Jay’s face. I also knew it was not a good idea to say anything to him but I really wanted to know. Jo and I tried to figure out what had precipitated it.

The following day, Jay was “no show”. I asked Jo if she’d heard from him and she said something that was a bit of a surprise. She said they were supposed to meet up but he didn’t show up and she hadn’t a word from him. Even though I’d only known him for nine months, something was wrong. That wasn't the Jay that I'd come to know.

To be continued...