© 2025, All rights reserved -- mimaster
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I was having trouble concentrating. I sat at what had been my desk for the last four years, thinking about the decision Ann and I were making. Not the decision to married... that was easy. I couldn't wait to have her in my arms again. And that thought brought a warm smile to my heart. I'd be holding her before the night was over. But as wonderful as that thought was, I couldn't shake the feeling I was having.
It wasn't regret, really. I still thought the new job was the right decision. But I couldn't help but be a little melancholy about the thought of leaving a place I'd worked at for seven years, and a department that I'd built mostly by myself. It was my success story, especially if I landed the new customer I'd been courting for months. The fact that I'd never been given the proper credit for the successes of the department on my own merits, or that I had never received what I'd felt I deserved as far as compensation, left a bad taste in my mouth. But the reality was, this was my home... and I was leaving it. At least, that's what I thought. It was almost lunchtime, and I still hadn't gotten a call yet from Marlin that the compensation package had arrived.
"Maybe I'm not going anywhere," I thought to myself.
I had told Carol I needed the package by 10am. That would give Marlin time to get it to my house, so Dad and I could go over it during lunch. I had everything planned out, but it was all contingent on the package arriving on time. It was closing in on eleven o'clock, and nothing had happened of any significance during the day, other than the ordinary. I was hoping for a lot more than an ordinary day. I was hoping for extraordinary.
Dad stopped by my office around ten-thirty, popping his head around the door. "Anything?" he asked.
I shook my head and said, "Nope. I haven't heard from anybody about anything I was hoping to wrap up today. Not about the job, not about the contract... nothing. It's a little unnerving."
"Have faith, Neil. It's all going to work out. I'll see you at the house. I'm going to run down to the post office and see what I can find out."
"Okay, Dad. Thanks."
I was concerned. I had planned on leaving work a little early because I had to catch my flight, so there weren't that many hours left in my work day. I looked at the pile of things on my desk, which was no longer a pile at all. There wasn't much left to do. I'd worked my ass off during the week to try and leave my assistant, Howard, in good shape. I'd called my top ten customers, including my buddy Mark, to remind them I would be gone for a week. Howard was very good at running the floor. But I worried about his ability to interact with customers. Calling them was a preemptive strike to keep the department running smooth while I was gone.
As that thought passed through my mind, I wondered for the first time who my boss, Dan, would pick to take my place. I had always sort of naturally assumed it would be Howard. But as I gave it more serious thought, I knew that that wasn't going to be likely. The job was more about people skills than it was about machine skills, and that was certainly not Howard's strength. I felt a twinge of angst, and decided I wasn't going to say anything to him before I left for California about leaving the company. He'd want me to put in a good word for him, and I didn't want to lie to him and tell him he was the best man for the job.
It was only then that I totally realized that Howard wasn't cut out to be my successor. But it was true. If I had to go to such great lengths to cover the department just because I was leaving for a week... then that spoke volumes as to what would happen if I were going to leave forever. And Dan knew all of that. He knew it, because I'd let him know all of the things I was going to do before I left to ensure the department ran smoothly while I was gone. I always did that; setting things up so Dan could make a cursory check and just make sure there were no catastrophes that would end up on his lap unexpectedly before I would return.
Yet, as the bell rang to announce my lunchtime, the point seemed moot. I hadn't heard anything about the package, so I might not be dealing with it before I left. I might be dealing with calling Carol, and telling her I wouldn't be able to give notice until I got back from vacation.
The car drove itself towards my parent's house. My body was inside, sitting in the driver's seat. I'm not sure where exactly my head was at, but it didn't seem to be with me. More than halfway through my workday and nothing I'd hoped to accomplish had been resolved. My lousy morning was looking to morph into a crummy afternoon. It was not the way I wanted to head off to California. I sighed, and thought of Ann, somewhere on the west coast working her last day at her job. I prayed it was going better than mine was turning out to be.
That was, until I drove down my parent's street. There, in the driveway next to my dad's car, was Marlin's truck. I practically ran into the house to find the two of them sitting at the dinette table, both eating lunch. I glanced toward the family room and saw Jean and my mom talking and laughing as they ate their sandwiches.
"What's going on?" I asked as I looked at the guys.
Dad nodded toward the counter in the kitchen, and the various papers spread out for me to review. The package they came in was to the side, already opened.
"I looked them over, son. And if you don't sign the damn thing, I'm going to. They gave you one hell of a deal. You must have blown them away in the interviews for them to give you that kind of money and those kinds of benefits. Their 401K is amazing. And, they provide you with a life insurance rider that has a built in disability pay out."
Those were things Carol and I had never discussed. I stared slack jawed as I read the contents. "Holy fuck!" I said as I read the salary.
"Neil! We have company!" my mom snapped from the living room.
"Sorry Mom. But come here and look at this."
Looking at where my finger was pointing, she laughed and hugged me as she said, "Holy fuck is right! This is wonderful!"
It was. For whatever reason, Carol had added the entire five thousand dollars that Ann and I had
negotiated
. I knew I was going to have to ask Carol about it, wondering if she assumed that there would be more of an obligation just because she added it. It made me a bit nervous, but there was little I could do at the moment. After reading the rest of the proposal, I signed and dated in all the places it indicated.
Dad patted me on the back and stuck out his hand. "I'm proud of you, Neil. I'm sorry that you're moving away, but I'm so happy for you and Ann. What a wonderful way to start off your life together."
I sat down and had something to eat, sitting across from Marlin. He had this wonderful expression on his face. I think he was just as proud of me as my own father was.
"I suppose that's a load off your mind, isn't it Neil?" he asked.
"Yeah, it really is. I was thinking you would call me. I came home thinking it wasn't going to happen today."
"I'm sorry about putting you through that. I had to make a trip to Kokomo this morning to get it."
"Kokomo? Seriously?"
"Yeah. The plane from DC was delayed last night because of thunderstorms over Indianapolis. So, it didn't make it to the postal center until early this morning. I put in a call to a friend. Actually, I didn't go all the way to Kokomo... he met me halfway with it. That doesn't usually happen. The truth is, it probably would have been here in time, anyway... but I didn't want to take the chance."
"Wow... thanks Marlin. I can't believe you did that for me."
"Why not? You're family." Just his saying that made a chill run down my spine. He and Jean already treated me like I was their son-in-law, and the fact that they were at my parents house, and they all seemed to be getting along so well, was something I never imagined. It certainly wasn't something I had in my first marriage.
As I finished my sandwich, Dad put the papers I'd signed in a new mailer for Marlin to take. There was an extra set... a copy for me that he left on the counter. "You ought to take these with you to show Ann," he said.
"Good idea. I'll put them in my carryon," I said as I got up and walked back to my room to get my luggage. A minute later, Dad loaded my stuff in his trunk; the package of papers that needed to go back to Carol held secure in Marlin's strong grip. Dad was going to take me to the airport a couple of hours before the end of work so I could make it on time. Since Ann and I were driving back, there was no reason to take my car. The five of us stood outside next to Dad's car, knowing it was time for me to go back to work.
I got a big bear hug from Marlin, and I thanked him again for going the extra mile for me, literally.
