09-02-2020, 01:16 PM
Jim stood up and stuck out a hand. "I'd love to do business with you, Justin. Let's get together sometime after graduation when you have half a day or so and work something out. I've been looking at that market for some time now, but haven't had the capital, nor did I want to go to the bank for it. I have a young man in mind that I've been trying to find a place to put him, but he's worth more than I can afford as just a salesman or tech. Let me see if he's interested in the possibility." He looked over at Dad. "You know, I'm really glad I saved his life when I did!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Susie texted Michael, "I'm eating my first piece of fudge, but I don't know whether to eat it slowly to think of you, or if I eat it quickly will you be home sooner? Miss and love you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tom Meechum awoke with the alarm and began his morning preparations for work, but it wasn't until he was nearly done with his shower that he realized he was humming. He did not remember being as happy as this since returning from Iraq. The heaviness and the shadow were still on his mind, but they seemed to be lighter and less frightening than most days. His thoughts returned to the evening before and the way he broke down with Mary and Stephanie. Perhaps the therapists he saw had been correct, that he needed to get it off of his chest and talk to somebody he could trust.
Last night was some of the hardest times he faced since returning home, exacerbated by the experiences of the day. He always felt as if he had to hide from everyone because they didn't understand, they couldn't understand, and to break down and to bare one's soul showed weakness and made him less of a man. Last night he couldn't help it, yet they didn't revile him or push him away. Instead, they drew him closer and held him, trying to comfort his grief even in the midst of their own. Stephanie, bless her heart, trying to connect with her Daddy through the last man with him when he died, and Mary, who held him to her breast even as she wept, her tears dripping on his head.
Tom knew he didn't understand women. Since he returned home he had done all he could to shut himself off from women, afraid they would think any contact with him to be dirty because of all the things he had done and experienced. His contact with nurses was very proper and professional, and while he was friendly he did all he could to discourage any contact that didn't revolve around work. Why he had even bothered to pick up Mary's pocketbook in the cafeteria puzzled him, especially when he took it by her home rather than just to turn it in to lost and found. Was that an omen that he was supposed to meet her and through her resolve his grief over Winters' death?
Even as these thoughts coursed his mind he couldn't help the feeling of lightness and... could he really call it joy that flooded his soul? And besides all of that, Mary said she wanted to pursue a relationship with him, and said that Stephanie wanted them to. Winters had every right to be proud of his girl. Mary had obviously done a great job with Stephanie, but there was good stock there to work with. Suddenly, Tom interrupted his preparations for work to dig in his closet and pull out an old Eagle, Globe, and Anchor insignia one of the men in K Company gave him the last day before Tom rotated home. Corporal Ramirez shook his hand and took the EGA from his collar point and pressed it into his hand. "Doc, you can't wear this, but I just want you to know I think you ought to have it. You've earned it in my book. You would make one hell of a Marine!" Ramirez then turned and walked away.
Tom remembered sadly he had heard Ramirez was killed the next week in a firefight, dragging a wounded buddy to safety, and he wondered if he had been there if he could have saved him. He slipped the EGA into his pocket where he would feel it throughout the day, but he would give it to Stephanie this evening. It wouldn't be from her Dad, but it would be from one of his comrades, and maybe that would be something she would treasure. Looking at his watch he hurriedly got dressed and rushed out the door without even taking time for his Keurig to make a cup of coffee. He hated being late!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael carried his laptop case in his left hand as they entered the UP office building, hoping he looked the part of a seriously intent intern trying to learn his position in life and the pecking order of a large company. Having never had a job, other than cutting grass and a short one delivering newspapers before they started using drivers in cars to deliver them, he wasn't really sure how he was supposed to act. Basically he just followed where Pete led and tried to keep his eyes open.
Pete and Dave both had corporate ID badges, but Michael obviously didn't, so they had to stop at the Security desk and he had to sign in as a visitor. "Don't worry about it, Mike," Pete said just before he signed the register. Was he trying to remind him he was Mike Thibodeaux for the day? "We'll get your badge taken care of just as soon as we get back to the office." 'Mike' signed in and clipped the 'visitor' pass to his collar.
The security guard looked up at Pete and said, "This isn't good for everywhere in the building, Mr. Fleming. If you plan to take him with you inside he will have to stay with you, or else you will need to call us and get him an escort."
"I forgot that. Is there any way we can work around this? I have a couple of meetings lined up that I don't need him for, but I was going to have him working on a project that will need some flexibility."
"Just give us a call, and we will be happy to send someone along with him. It doesn't keep him from doing whatever you want, but it will have to be spelled out to the guard. I'm sorry, Sir. I don't make the rules, but I'll lose my job if I don't follow them."
"I understand. We are the ones that make the rules, but then we gripe when our own rules inconvenience us, don't we?"
"Thank you for understanding, Sir. Not everybody from headquarters is so understanding."
Pete reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a card wallet and removed his business card, which he handed to the guard. "I don't want you passing this around, but if you get any grief from anyone from headquarters call me. Understand?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Susie texted Michael, "I'm eating my first piece of fudge, but I don't know whether to eat it slowly to think of you, or if I eat it quickly will you be home sooner? Miss and love you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tom Meechum awoke with the alarm and began his morning preparations for work, but it wasn't until he was nearly done with his shower that he realized he was humming. He did not remember being as happy as this since returning from Iraq. The heaviness and the shadow were still on his mind, but they seemed to be lighter and less frightening than most days. His thoughts returned to the evening before and the way he broke down with Mary and Stephanie. Perhaps the therapists he saw had been correct, that he needed to get it off of his chest and talk to somebody he could trust.
Last night was some of the hardest times he faced since returning home, exacerbated by the experiences of the day. He always felt as if he had to hide from everyone because they didn't understand, they couldn't understand, and to break down and to bare one's soul showed weakness and made him less of a man. Last night he couldn't help it, yet they didn't revile him or push him away. Instead, they drew him closer and held him, trying to comfort his grief even in the midst of their own. Stephanie, bless her heart, trying to connect with her Daddy through the last man with him when he died, and Mary, who held him to her breast even as she wept, her tears dripping on his head.
Tom knew he didn't understand women. Since he returned home he had done all he could to shut himself off from women, afraid they would think any contact with him to be dirty because of all the things he had done and experienced. His contact with nurses was very proper and professional, and while he was friendly he did all he could to discourage any contact that didn't revolve around work. Why he had even bothered to pick up Mary's pocketbook in the cafeteria puzzled him, especially when he took it by her home rather than just to turn it in to lost and found. Was that an omen that he was supposed to meet her and through her resolve his grief over Winters' death?
Even as these thoughts coursed his mind he couldn't help the feeling of lightness and... could he really call it joy that flooded his soul? And besides all of that, Mary said she wanted to pursue a relationship with him, and said that Stephanie wanted them to. Winters had every right to be proud of his girl. Mary had obviously done a great job with Stephanie, but there was good stock there to work with. Suddenly, Tom interrupted his preparations for work to dig in his closet and pull out an old Eagle, Globe, and Anchor insignia one of the men in K Company gave him the last day before Tom rotated home. Corporal Ramirez shook his hand and took the EGA from his collar point and pressed it into his hand. "Doc, you can't wear this, but I just want you to know I think you ought to have it. You've earned it in my book. You would make one hell of a Marine!" Ramirez then turned and walked away.
Tom remembered sadly he had heard Ramirez was killed the next week in a firefight, dragging a wounded buddy to safety, and he wondered if he had been there if he could have saved him. He slipped the EGA into his pocket where he would feel it throughout the day, but he would give it to Stephanie this evening. It wouldn't be from her Dad, but it would be from one of his comrades, and maybe that would be something she would treasure. Looking at his watch he hurriedly got dressed and rushed out the door without even taking time for his Keurig to make a cup of coffee. He hated being late!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael carried his laptop case in his left hand as they entered the UP office building, hoping he looked the part of a seriously intent intern trying to learn his position in life and the pecking order of a large company. Having never had a job, other than cutting grass and a short one delivering newspapers before they started using drivers in cars to deliver them, he wasn't really sure how he was supposed to act. Basically he just followed where Pete led and tried to keep his eyes open.
Pete and Dave both had corporate ID badges, but Michael obviously didn't, so they had to stop at the Security desk and he had to sign in as a visitor. "Don't worry about it, Mike," Pete said just before he signed the register. Was he trying to remind him he was Mike Thibodeaux for the day? "We'll get your badge taken care of just as soon as we get back to the office." 'Mike' signed in and clipped the 'visitor' pass to his collar.
The security guard looked up at Pete and said, "This isn't good for everywhere in the building, Mr. Fleming. If you plan to take him with you inside he will have to stay with you, or else you will need to call us and get him an escort."
"I forgot that. Is there any way we can work around this? I have a couple of meetings lined up that I don't need him for, but I was going to have him working on a project that will need some flexibility."
"Just give us a call, and we will be happy to send someone along with him. It doesn't keep him from doing whatever you want, but it will have to be spelled out to the guard. I'm sorry, Sir. I don't make the rules, but I'll lose my job if I don't follow them."
"I understand. We are the ones that make the rules, but then we gripe when our own rules inconvenience us, don't we?"
"Thank you for understanding, Sir. Not everybody from headquarters is so understanding."
Pete reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a card wallet and removed his business card, which he handed to the guard. "I don't want you passing this around, but if you get any grief from anyone from headquarters call me. Understand?
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