A LOT OF WORK... & play too (Part 158j)

A LOT OF WORK… & play too (Part 158j)

Bret returned from lunch just about the time I dismissed the sales rep. He knew I was upset about the guy being late when he left and wanted to know what had happened. I probably took some of my frustration out on him as I challenged him on just what he’d said when the rep and engineer were there the previous week. As I’d thought, all he did was to show both of them where our phones were located and where we wanted the new ones. I showed him the ‘bottom line’ on the proposal and his reaction to it was similar to mine… disbelief. I was still trying to figure out just what to do next when Bret reminded me that when I’d been talking with his friend who was an officer at the bank where Gina now worked the guy had mentioned something about them going to an outside manufacturer for their phone equipment. When he did I felt sort of foolish and realized that my frustration had taken away my sense of reason. I immediately dialed him up.

Northern Telecom was the company. Bret’s friend gave me his contact's name and number and within minutes I was talking to him. His name was Norman and he was a willing listener as I ‘let it all out’ about my experience with the telephone company. Bottom line… he’d be at my desk Friday morning. By the time I hung up with him I’d calmed down a bit. In  my conversation with Bret’s friend he volunteered that his bank had paid about $15,000 for 20 phones. That was about half of the quote I’d received.

With my mind and time consumed with the phone system I’d completely forgotten about Gertrude and her promise to provide me with information about Bermuda. When I saw her at the gate to the platform it still didn’t register with me. I did wave her in to my desk and she started talking even before she reached it. She was telling me she was leaving the material because she’d closed early for the day and didn’t want me to stop by and think she’d forgotten about it. I told her appreciated her effort and thought she’d leave. But, she asked if there was any chance I’d be willing to move the date of our travel from October back to September as I’d mentioned tying the trip to our anniversary date of October 5th. I asked her why and she said she could save us some money by having us going in September. I didn’t understand and she proceeded to explain that the Bermuda Tourism Board had established ‘in season’ dates and ‘out of season’ dates. October was ‘in season’ and the rates would go up. She pulled a booklet out of the envelope she was holding and told me it contained information on each and every type of lodging in Bermuda, from large hotels to places with guest cottages and all the way down to places that we, today, call B and B’s. She told me to look it over, pick out some places that looked interesting and that she’d get us detailed info on them. As she headed for the gate to leave she, again, mentioned that she’d “take care of me”.

Right after I’d found the money I’d thought about telling Elle about my plan for our anniversary but didn’t. Now I was glad I hadn’t. Now I had material to show Elle and that way she’d have a part in deciding just where we’d stay. I was hoping that it would lead to an ‘interesting and stimulating’ night. The one thing I couldn’t control was just what kind of day she experienced. I was sure hoping she had a good one.

Wednesday meant that the mortgage committee would be meeting. Being that this was the first Wednesday in the month (May) it also meant that the branch committee would be meeting. I’d been in Florida for the last full Trustee’s meeting and because I’d been running around like a chicken with my head cut off I’d not taken the time to read the minutes of that meeting until that afternoon. I was surprised to see that “Polak Joe” had had the sanctions against him as far as voting on Board matters lifted. I knew it had just been a formality because he wasn’t barred from talking, individually, with other Board members. So, he was still able to be disruptive only not in a forum setting. Up to that time I’d not been involved with any of his machinations… but that was to change on that day.

He’d talked his way into being placed on the branch committee. When that happened he wanted to see the gift/premiums that I’d chosen and expressed displeasure with them. It was a bit of a blind-side to me because the other committee members had already approved them as well as the ‘consulting contract’ for Morris that would allow us to cover the amount over $10 we had to pay for each item. When I got the call to report to the Board room I was unprepared for both Joe and to defend the choice of the gift/premiums. By the time I left I’d been told to add blankets to the other choices. I had no say in the matter. I was not a ‘happy camper’.

When I got home, thankfully, Elle had had a good day. I was exited to show her the Bermuda booklet but decided not to say anything about it until after supper. After eating and sending the kids in to watch TV, usually a ’no no’ on a school night, she told me about her day. She’d had a doctor’s appointment because she was concerned that her ‘dribbles’ were becoming more than just that. She’d gone to her gynecologist who said it would probably be best to see a urologist but as far as she could determine it wasn’t anything major. Not entirely happy with that diagnosis she was at least relieved that there was nothing major happening. As I listened to her and saw she wasn’t stressed I motioned for her to come over and to sit on my lap. I still had on my suit pants and, when standing in front of me, asked if I really wanted her to do that. I smiled and patted my lap and she complied.

To be continued...