BACK TO WORK... surprises & changes (Part 137a)

BACK AT WORK... surprises & changes (Part 137a)

I know it’s hard to believe but I was actually looking forward to getting back to work. Walking across the lobby towards the entry gate to the ‘platform’ where Hobie, Bret and I worked, I saw Trish standing by it with the phone in her hand. She thrust it towards me and I certainly wasn’t expecting Elle to be on the line. There was obvious concern in her voice which wasn’t like her. The men who had come to work on Sabrina’s house were there and wanted to be able to use our bathroom. With three kids in the house I told her “no way!”. I then heard a sigh and the words “Thank you” and the phone hanging up. I was trying to collect my thoughts on that when I saw Bret impatiently standing there. Now, Bret was a very ‘laid back’ individual and this was not like him at all. His first words were “Bad news.”

He motioned for me to follow him. Still with my briefcase in hand I followed him to the back work area where the bookkeeping machine (computer?) was located. I saw a pile of ledger cards on the table and the machine cover off with various pieces lying on the floor. The short story was that the print mechanism had become jammed and that Robby, the equipment service man, would be back sometime during the day. It had ‘died’ on Thursday afternoon so there was all of that day’s work plus all of Friday’s yet to be processed. Bret told me that Robby had mentioned to him that the machine was running on “borrowed time” and that we (the bank) had to do something, and soon. I knew that and Hobie knew that but the message hadn’t gotten through to the Trustees.

When the issue with the machine first came up it was decided to explore having a service bureau process all our transactions. I’d visited three of them and had returned with a recommendation that we break from tradition and go with a commercial bank rather than with a thrift institution. There were a few of the ‘old timers’ who thought the idea to be blasphemous and it was put on hold. Then, the idea for a branch office took their interest and it never went anywhere. In my mind, the addition of a branch was all the more reason to use a service bureau but, according to Hobie, they didn’t want to mix "apples and oranges" together.

Walking back to my desk I saw Hobie arriving and went right to his desk. I still was carrying my briefcase. He noticed the concerned look on my face and asked what was wrong. I went over the whole scene again and, with me standing there he picked up the phone and made a call. My desk was right in front of his and when I turned to put my briefcase down he told me to wait. Dutifully, I obeyed and turned back to him. I immediately knew who he was talking to... the Trustee who was a local attorney and had been one of my ‘backers’ in a few instances where things I’d presented to the board had run into opposition. Hobie called him Gee. I knew that the two of them played golf most weekends and were pretty close. I heard Hobie tell him that he was “sitting on a time bomb” and that he needed to talk with him. The call ended at that point and then Hobie stood up and motioned for me to follow him.

The attorney’s office, located in an old house, was just two short blocks away. I’d never been there but in approaching it I remembered my father telling me once that he had dated a girl that lived there back when he was in high school. The building had recently been determined to be a historic landmark and I noticed the designation next to the front door. It was a grand example of Victorian architecture. Climbing the steps I imagined my father coming to call some 40 plus years earlier and being intimidated by the size of it. Once inside the receptionist directed us to the room immediately to our left. I knew enough about old homes to know that this room had been the parlor where guests were greeted and often entertained. I actually wondered if my father had ever been in there.

Gee got up from his desk to greet us. I’d always been in awe of him for the way he handled himself in board meetings. He was the same way on that day. Hobie gave a brief description of the problem and in so doing reminded Gee that the matter had been brought to the Trustees attention but had been pushed aside in favor of the branch office matter. He told him that I’d written a detailed report of my visitations with the three service bureaus. At that point Gee looked at me and asked if I had come to a conclusion as to which one the bank should go with. I was impressed with the way he put it making it sound that going with a service bureau was definite. I told him of the one I preferred and the reasons why. With both Hobie and I in the room he picked up the phone and called the Chairman of the Board. We listened as he painted a picture of the situation at the bank as if he was there and telling him that a decision had to be made at the full board meeting on Wednesday.

As a result of the call, Gee told Hobie to go take a look at the facilities with me and if he liked the operation to be prepared to make a presentation... and to also be prepared to defend it. I couldn’t believe my ears. It was  refreshing to see a board member, Gee, make a bold decision because it hadn’t happened since I’d joined the bank.

I must’ve made a dozen calls by noon but had made arrangements for Hobie and I to meet with all the people at the service facility the next day. It was exciting! I’d talked with some important people at the facility and told them to have contract papers drawn up for us. They had done some preliminary work on them after I’d visited with them in the Spring so, in spite of the short turn-around I was told they’d be ready and waiting. Hobie had told me “Mum’s the word.” as we walked back to the bank. I really wanted to tell Bret but knew I shouldn’t. It was going to be hard to explain why I was going to be out the next day, especially with Hobie not being there as well.

To be continued...