MAYHEM IN MAY... life goes on (Part 159k)

MAYHEM IN MAY… life goes on (Part 159k)

Kelcy had another appointment to get to so as soon as she was on her way I ran across the street to the luncheonette for a quick bite to eat. Returning to the bank I followed two of the Trustees through the door. They made straight for the elevator and, I, seeing Hobie alone, headed for his area. I told him about my being called up to see Bert and that I had no idea why. He said he didn’t know either but he added that Bert wasn’t taking the news about the chairman very well. I thought that was the end of our conversation but he motioned for me to take a seat at the side chair. I had no idea what that was going to be about.

Hobie proceeded to give me some background on the relationship between the two men. The chairman had been instrumental in getting Bert a job with the bank and then proceeded to mentor him into being the mortgage officer. Bert’s father was killed in WWI and Hobie kind of indicated that the chairman had somewhat filled that void. Hobie added that they had been very close for as long as he’d been at the bank… about fifteen years. And that was all he had to say. I was still puzzled about my visit with Bert but Hobie had no more to add. Walking back to my desk I just had a strange feeling.

Jerry was waiting for me when I got there. He wanted to know how soon the interviews were to take place. I actually laughed when I told him the want ads still had to be run in the papers. However, his question brought up something of importance to me… I had to hire some temporary help to open new accounts at this office since the premium/gifts were being offered at both offices. I’d had some good luck the last time by going to the guidance office at the high school so made contact with the director. She wasn’t the same one I’d dealt with before which meant me having to take time to establish a relationship with her. It was time that I needed for other things but it had to be done.

I felt like a juggler with many ‘balls’ in the air. Bret was helping out by following up on some of the pending items while continuing to wait on customers. Jerry was proving to be a problem because he attempted to make friends with each and every customer that came to his desk. I’d made Hobie aware of it and all I got in return was a wan smile and a palms up motion indicating there was nothing he could do about it.

Over the weekend Elle and I had made a decision on what hotel to stay at on our Bermuda trip. It was one of the ones Gertrude (the travel agency lady) had suggested. The name of the place was Elbow Beach Resort Hotel. I’d planned on stopping at the agency during my lunch hour but that didn’t come to pass. We’d decided on the week after Labor Day as the kids would be settled into school by then plus we’d both still have a Summer tan and wouldn’t have to face getting sunburned while there. We had three and a half months to wait but with all we had going during the Summer we knew the time would pass quickly. I’d calculated what six days and five nights would cost me determined by the prices in the brochure. But, what I was really curious about was what kind of a “break’ Gertrud could/would give us and that was the primary reason for wanting to get our decision to Gertrude as soon as possible. By mid afternoon I was getting ‘antsy’ about it and hoped I could leave a little early.

Seeing the two Trustees walk in ahead of me at lunch time was just the beginning. By 2pm Trish had counted ten of them having gone upstairs. No official word had been disseminated to the staff about the chairman which I thought a bit strange. Hobie had been summoned and went upstairs to the Board room without saying anything to me. The whole situation was weird but all I could do was wait for some sort of announcement. By 5pm none had come down and as far as the employees it was all just rumor and conjecture. Bret and I decided that the best course of action was to just stay and wait.

It was a somber group of Trustees that filed out the back door around 5:30pm or so. I’d asked Mike, the messenger/custodian, to stay a little late to let them out as I didn’t want that job, especially under those circumstances. For once, Hobie sought me out and I asked if Bret could be a part of it. The official word was that the chairman had suffered a massive stroke but was still alive. He was being sent, via ambulance, (they didn’t use helicopters for that in those days) to a special cardiac hospital facility in the city. The reason for the meeting of the Trustees was to ratify the emergency succession plan should the chairman not survive. It was also to appoint Bert as acting chairman until the health of the chairman could be fully determined. It was a most sobering experience hearing all the ‘what ifs’. When Bret and I left for the night it put some of the trivial things we had to deal with on a day to day basis in the proper perspective.

Monday night was when the crew for the racecar were to meet at the garage and to unload it from the hauler, to asses any damage and to begin to make repairs. I no more wanted to go that night than I’d want to jump off a moving train but, much to my surprise, it was Elle that suggested that it would be good for me. On my way to the garage I thought back on it and sort of agreed. Staying home, I would probably not have been good company for Elle or the kids. Cliffy was backing the hauler up to the door when I pulled up. As soon as I saw the car I forgot about work. Elle had been right.(112)

To be continued…