Lauren
Six
Summer in a college town is fairly quiet; Students are out of classes, faculty off on vacations, and the locals enjoying the peace and quiet.
I was in Eugene, the client a shop specializing in electronic sales and repairs. Once again, I don't know any more about electronics than how to use them, but these guys were having difficulties with retaining staff through a school year.
Of course when I came in most of the staff had disappeared for the summer. I did find a couple that were still local so I just sat with them and talked.
They knew the what and why of my visit, and were quite willing to talk.
Basically, they said one of the owners was an ass hole who skimped on wages and hours, expected twenty-four hour availability, but wouldn't give a days's advance notice of scheduling. There was more, including racist and misogynistic jokes.
From the company files I pulled several more names and phone numbers. Of the five, three agreed to talk, but anonymously. They confirmed what I had already heard, and one - a woman - related actual groping by the one owner.
Doing some basic research of Oregon law I knew she, and probably the others could make serious charges against the firm, but all liked the older, original, owner and didn't want to harm him.
After several days I sat down with one of the owners and explained the problem was his partner. (I should tell you the partners were father and son-in-law, and I sat with the father.) But first I asked why they had called me in; their problem was pretty obvious. I didn't understand how the other partner even agreed to me coming in.
"Look," he said, "He's my son-in-law. I knew about the shit he was doing, and he doesn't know I called you in, but if I'm going to avoid a hell storm from my wife and daughter I need documentation. The sort of thing they can't argue with or blame me."
He took a sip of coffee. "The guy is great technically, he can fix anything and understands code better than I ever will. But he has no people skills, he's an asshole."
Another sip of coffee. "Damn I wish I still smoked. Anyway, Your fee is well worth the price of dumping him and at least my wife will accept it. My daughter - who knows?"
~~~
While all that was going on Lauren and I would talk a couple times a week by phone.
Nothing outrageous, just the quiet recounting of our days, the problems - and the little victories. We were getting to know each other, albeit long distance.
The night she asked when I would be home, Thursday, I asked if she'd ever been sailing. When the answer was 'no' I asked if she'd like to.
~~~
On a bright Saturday morning we boarded Blue Moon. I led Lauren through the pre -sailing checklist: while the mainsail cover was removed and stowed, the bilge blower was ensuring no gas vapors below. Mooring line midship removed, fore and aft eased.
