ANOTHER YEAR... More adventures (Part 168i)

ANOTHER YEAR… More adventures (Part 168i)

While eating lunch after returning from church Elle got a phone call from the principal at the school that had just been annexed into the school district. Because it had been done without long term planning the school (K through 6) was allowed to be run semi-autonomously. The principal was allowed to operate pretty much on his own, especially when it came to substitute teachers. Elle had impressed him with her time there in November and he was hoping that she, at short notice, could fill in for at least a week if not more. One of his teachers had gotten hurt while skiing over the holidays. For Elle it was a ’no-brainer’ even though it would mean scrambling to find someone to watch Kaye, our youngest. Elle’s mother, with enough lead time, was willing but here it was, Sunday afternoon, when Elle called her. My ’take’ on the matter was positive, for two reasons. First, it meant added income and second, it would occupy Elle for a period of time thus receiving the potential ‘pressure’ on me. I knew it would take a bunch of phone calls to line up sitters and then she’d have to pretty much plan out the meals for the week. I was a happy man!

Monday, at work, I was just getting started when the phone rang. Joanie wasn’t at her desk so I picked it up not knowing who was on the line. “Can you come right over?” was what I heard Lynda’s voice ask. Timing is everything in life and, for me, that request was going to be difficult. The bank was in the middle of “busy period” and it was a Monday, a traditionally busy day. But… I said I’d be there in just a few minutes. I saw Bret at the teller counter and told him I had a “mini emergency” and would be back in about fifteen minutes. Of course I had no idea how long it would be and headed for the front door without my overcoat. I jogged over to the brokerage office and was there in less than five minutes. Lynda was standing in Stan’s work area when I walked in. As soon as she saw me she indicated that I should follow her to the back of the office where the reference materials were kept. I wondered about Stan but she whispered that he’d join us in a minute or two. I whispered back to her asking if he knew what this was about and she shook her head, negatively. All I could do was stand there, nervously waiting to see what transpired. Stan seemed jovial as he approached and wished me a Happy New Year and said he missed seeing me at the party. Before I could respond Lynda assured him that I’d come, but had arrived later… and then she was ‘off and running’.

I could see Lynda was blushing even before she started in. Her words came tumbling out of her mouth so fast I couldn’t really understand her and it appeared Stan couldn’t either. He told her to “slow down” and get to the point. It was obvious Lynda had prepared what she wanted to say and was going to do it. She set the ‘stage’ by saying that this was the first Christmas holiday season that she’d not been with either her family or her husband and had become a bit depressed. At the party, with the drinks flowing freely, she found herself somewhat “happy” and wanted to keep the feeling going. She then apologized to Stan saying that she’d not only embarrassed herself but also the office by her actions. I looked at Stan as he absorbed that admission but didn’t see a change of expression. He stood there and continued to listen as Lynda went on how Michael, the restaurant owner, had tried to find someone to take her home and when I walked in he showed me the shape Lynda was in and I'd volunteered. I was surprised by what she said next. She told Stan that she insisted that I drive her home in her car… and that I did. But, it  had created a big problem for me… how to get back to town or to get home. At this point Stan looked over at me and asked what I did then. Not expecting that all I could do was stand there looking sort of foolish.

I finally started by saying that there was no way I could call home and tell my wife that I’d just driven a female home and was stuck at her house… just no way. I went on to tell how I’d walked to the bar and come up with the idea of telling her that I’d driven him home and hoping she’d ‘buy’ it. I moved on to my concern that should Elle ever meet up with him and the subject come up that he needed to know what I’d told her. It didn’t take long for me to say my piece and during the whole time I was talking I kept my eyes on Stan. I don’t remember if he said anything to me before he looked over at Lynda. That was when I realized that I’d put Lynda in a bad position. What I do remember is him saying that he didn’t believe in lying but he also realized that my action in helping Lynda had put me in a bad position. He went on that he felt the chances of what I feared happening were slim but, knowing the background, he’d try to “handle the situation”. He then turned and headed back to his desk leaving Lynda and I standing there not knowing what to say to each other. I distinctly remember thinking that my idea had been a mistake and feeling badly for Lynda. I started to apologize to her and she put her hand to her mouth to indicate for me to stop. She sort of whispered that it would be OK and that she’d handle it. At that point I thanked her and started walking towards the door. As I passed Stan’s area he made no effort to look at me when I tried to thank him for his time. Outside, I looked at my watch and I’d been there for less than ten minutes. I jogged back to the bank and tried to settle in at work but it was hard to do.

Aside from the normal hustle and bustle of the “busy period” the rest off the day went well until I got a phone call from the minister at the church. It was to tell me that there appeared to be some sort of discrepancy in the financial records of the church. Being a banker he wanted me to stop by the manse and get them to review before the special vestry meeting called for the next night. I sat there shaking my head wondering how it was that I went from one crisis to another. On my way home I stopped and got the ‘books’ for the church to peruse. I was definitely not looking forward to it.

I’d almost forgotten that Elle was back teaching again. It was obvious that she was tired and her ’shortness’ with me had nothing to do with the New Years Eve situation. Even with the task of trying to make sense of the accounting records of the church, I went out of my way to help her out. She’d already fed the kids so it was just the two of us while I ate. I made sure the conversation focused on her day and on the upcoming days. In spite of her tiredness she was upbeat and excited about working with the principal at the school. By the time we got up from the table I was convinced New Years Eve was clearly in the ‘rear view mirror’.(72)

To be continued…