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

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

Stan, from the brokerage office, called before I left for the day to tell me the redemption of my bond was “in the works” and, per my request to Lynda, he’d come up with some suggestions on where to reinvest the money. Since the interest the bond paid wasn’t all that much thought I’d be better off investing in stocks that had some potential for growth. He said he’d pulled out some S&P stock reviews for me to peruse and to stop by on my way home and pick them up. Back when I still lived in the mobile home park I’d been a part of an small investment club which had exposed me to the S&P print outs. I hadn’t done any investing since buying the house and was somewhat excited but apprehensive about doing it. However, I felt, at the least, it was a prudent way to get back involved. By the time I got to the brokerage office Stan was gone but Lynda was there. I think that was the first time I’d been alone with her and I was somewhat surprised at the difference in her demeanor. Always bright and cheerful, well dressed and mannered, she seemed like a different person. I can’t think of the right descriptive word right now and the only one that comes to mind is ’sultry’. She didn’t ‘come on’ to me but it was a different Lynda I was talking with. I didn’t stay long and got the impression she was disappointed.

I had until July first to make a decision but took the materials home to study them. Of the five or six companies I was reviewing there was only one I’d ever heard of. Back when I was in the investment club the leader, a retired broker, had advised that neophytes, like we all were, a good starting place was to buy companies that made products that we knew and liked. I decided I’d go with that company as my choice. It was Taylor Instrument Company and made all kinds of gauges for all kinds of businesses. I recognized the name from some of the instruments my father used in his weather forecasting and also from the thermometer out on my patio. By the time I went to bed I was excited but had to wait for over a week to make the purchase.

Not that reading about stocks took up the whole evening because after the kids were in bed Elle and I discussed the one thing among all the others that distressed me the most. Our oldest, Jean, had pleaded with us to get a “big girl” bicycle for her birthday to replace the first two wheeler she got when she was five. Going to be nine, she’d been teased by her friends for still riding the smaller wheel type. My problem was that from the time she was four and Anne was three they were both the same physical size and had remained that way. It had meant buying double when it came to clothes and we’d pretty much resigned ourselves to that. But, if we got Jean a “big girl” bike and didn’t get one for Anne there would be a lot of discord between the two of them. Anne wouldn't be nine for a little over a year and, if we got one for Anne before that same age the discord would come from the other direction. We didn’t come to an agreement which pretty much ruled out any ‘amour’ upon our retiring for the night.

The full Board of Trustees meeting had been the prior Wednesday which meant it was only to be a mortgage committee meeting that day. I pretty much knew which Trustees were on each committee and when I saw members of the branch committee walking across the lobby that afternoon I wondered why. Hobie was nearby so I asked him and he just shrugged indicating he didn’t know as well. It turned out to be for a good reason.

I’ve written about my concerns on signage for the new branch… or, to be more exact, the lack of. Zoning regulations for the township where the branch was located were very strict and limited. Going by the way they were written, only one sign was allowed on the property and one on the building itself. Because of the weird dimensions of the property and location of the building on it, the sign would have to be placed on the East side and before the entrance to the parking lot. That meant cars approaching from the West would be almost past it before seeing the sign. It was not a good situation for a new business. When the Board added the two newest Trustees one was an attorney from the area the branch was to service. Hobie had told me he’d been selected because he was active in local politics and it was hoped it would help us get a ‘footing’ in the community. The choice paid its first dividend when he reported to the branch committee he’d been able to get the town trustees to grant the bank an exception to the sign rule. We'd be allowed to put lighted signs on both the East and West sides of the building.

I was not invited to the meeting but heard about it before heading for home. I was pleased but also realized I would now be tasked with getting the signs made up and installed before the branch opened, only a month away. I remember taking a deep breath and wondering if it were even possible. I was already concerned about the previously approved signs being ready and installed and that order had been place months earlier.

I’ve previously written that I ‘dabbled’ in sign painting. I was always looking at roadside signs, critiquing them as I did, and looking for ideas. I also looked to see who painted them and, on my way home, saw a sign painted by the husband of one of my cousins. He and his father ran a small shop and I wondered if I could use ‘familial’ influence to get the job done. I was on the phone right after I walked into the house.

To be continued…