THE HEAT GOES ON... August (Part 163j)

THE HEAT GOES ON… August (Part 163j)

To a true sailor, rain is just part of the experience… annoying, but not a ’deal breaker’. On the other hand, lack of wind is. On this Sunday we had both. The end result was being very wet, very annoyed and unsatisfied. About the only thing I accomplished was to cement my growing friendship with Marty. Racing the Comet class sailboat had been a new experience, even for someone who’d been racing most of his adult life. The difference was most of his experience was in bigger boats or in much smaller ones with only one sail. He asked if I could spend and evening sailing with him to go over some of the salient points about the Comet. I’d secretly wished that he’d invite me back on the day he’d first brought the boat to the club so it was an easy decision. Weather (wind) permitting, we’d meet at the club on Thursday evening around 6:30pm. I was anxious to get back in a boat with two sails (Sunfish only had one).

At home Elle was making fun of me for having attempted to race telling me how nice and comfortable she’d been all afternoon. Thankfully, being August, the temperature had been somewhat moderate so I wasn’t shaking cold when I arrived. After showering I headed for my recliner to relax before supper. It was then that my mind went back to the incident next door. I’d managed to get to attic to put the new to me panties in my ’stash’ but I began to wonder just what had taken place in the house that a girl/woman would leave her underwear behind like that. Actually, it was like a game to me trying to come up with various scenarios. About the best I came up with was that they’d seen the flashing lights, panicked with the girl just grabbing her shorts and blouse and the guy his pants and got out as fast as they could.I knew I’d never know the answer or who they were but I was also pretty sure  they wouldn’t be back.

With the full Board meeting coming on Wednesday Trish had her hands full exposing Joanie to all the parts and pieces for preparing for it. Other than fretting about not having heard from Morris, I had an easy two days. Not worrying about what Jerry was up to made my life a lot easier, for sure. Bret had picked up the slack and I didn’t want to pester him with ‘blow by blow’ details of what was going on there. It was late Tuesday afternoon when my phone rang. Usually Trish would take the call to screen it and, if appropriate, pass it on to me by pushing a buzzer that came with the new phone system. But, Trish was now working out of the desk in front of Bret’s and as I looked up I saw Joanie was with her. I decided to take the call without it being screened and knew immediately it was Morris. A prayer answered.

He sounded agitated and as soon as he started he warned me, again, not to let anyone know he’d spoken to me about the branch report to the Board. He reminded me that it was the Board who was paying him and that the information, critical, was proprietary to them. I assured him that I understood and wouldn’t share the information. He said his written report would be delivered by messenger the following morning. He then hesitated for a few seconds and finally I heard him mumble something like “They should just close the damn thing down and start over.” I barely heard what he said but was reluctant to say anything for fear of getting him more upset. I remember him taking a few more seconds before he told me I’d only be getting the “overview”. That was all I wanted so continued to keep my mouth shut.

The gist of his comments were that the location that the Board had chosen probably wouldn’t be a viable site for a free standing branch for at least three years and probably five. The demographics showed that there weren’t housing developments even in the planning stages that would support a branch like we had. To exacerbate the situation there was no clearly defined media (radio or newspapers) for that area and we’d be spending a ton of money advertising our services and products to a population that wouldn’t care. He added that the point that had been made to him about the branch being close to a regional mall should never have been considered. The mall would be a destination and no one would be stopping at the branch to get money to shop there. At this point I had some questions for him but, like before, didn’t want to upset him. I pretty much thought he’d finished but he did add a couple of ‘asides’. He said that in the years he’d been doing this type of work and of all the branches he’d seen either in person or on paper none looked like the one we had. He had a name for it and I honestly don’t remember what it was but it wasn’t complimentary. He closed by making a comment about Jerry that was also uncomplimentary. I have to admit I was smiling when I hung up. The hard part was in knowing I’d not be able to discuss the information with anyone.

The full Board of Trustees met monthly on the third Wednesday at 3pm. If any subcommittee were to meet the meeting would usually start around 2:30pm. However, I knew something was up when I saw almost all of the members of the branch committee there at 2pm. I remembered that Morris had said his report would be at the bank in the morning so I wondered if the early arrivals were to go over the report. If it was then they weren’t wasting any time to address it. The only question in my mind was would they do anything with it. My only hope was to go ‘fishing’ for information with Hobie after the Board meeting. Joanie was a nervous wreck trying to get all the materials for the Board meeting together. I observed Trish letting Joanie struggle a bit and not jumping back in to do it for her. It was the proper approach and I was proud of her for it.

I was going to wait for the meeting to end before going home knowing the Mike, the messenger/custodian, would leave at 5:30pm. But when I told him I’d stay to let the members out he told me Hobie had instructed him to stay to do it. To me, it was a ‘message’ to go home… and I took it. The last thing I wanted to do was upset any of the Trustees and, knowing I was on something like probation because of run ins with Jerry, I left. Thinking about what Morris had shared with me on the drive home had made my day, regardless if anything ever came of it. But, it was definitely going to be hard keeping it to myself.

To be continued…