. 06

Chapter 06: Too Late

I turned back into the house. Phil and Denny stood in the hall and silently watched me. We trouped into their living room, still in silence.

I turned to them, "I'm sorry that you got caught up in that."

"We heard some of it, we couldn't help it." said Denny.

"And we were listening." added the more honest Phil.

I smiled, "I would have been, if I'd been you."

"Is this all about these ultimatums that you gave her. Can you tell us what they are about?" asked Denny, sitting down, obviously expecting a full answer. Phil sat on the arm of her chair, his arm around her shoulders. I sat opposite them.

I explained, "Well she has come up trumps on the first one. I told her that she must tell you the truth."

Denny looked indignant, "You mean that Friday's confession was only because you made her?"

"I'm sure she would have told you in her own good time. She needs you as a friend. She would have got round to it. I just motivated her." I tried to smooth Denny's ego, before I added "And I've insisted that she tells her parents as well."

"Ooh, I don't envy her that one." Phil instantly saw Beth's problem. "That will be rough."

"Yes, it will be. But at the moment they think I'm the biggest shit in Christendom, if they are half the loving parents I think they are, they must be telling her to make a clean break and dump me. That doesn't help. And even if Beth and I do patch things up despite that advice from them, think what my relationship with my in-laws will be like. They'll think their darling daughter has reconciled with an absolute arsehole. How's that as a stepping stone to happy families? And, I think confession might be good for Beth, and maybe her parents can understand why she did it. Maybe they know some deep reason for it all. You never know."

I looked at Phil and Denny, hoping they would see my demand as reasonable. Phil guessed there was more "And are those your only reasons?"

"Well I have to admit, it really galls me that she professes her undying love for me at the same time as she is perfectly happy to let the two people who she loves and respects the most think of me as a shit. It doesn't make sense, and my ego certainly doesn't like it."

Denny looked at me "Have you explained all that to her? My guess is she is just frightened at the horrid difficulty of having to do it. I can't think of much worse for a ghastly half hour's chat around the family table. You have to tell her why you want her to do it. And are there any other conditions?"

"Yes. I want a written commitment for her to tell the whole truth. Beth is a master, or mistress I suppose, at glossing things over, steering conversations away from things she doesn't want to talk about or have to admit to. I want a clear understanding that we have to talk about all that's happened and what caused it."

"Oh I'm sure she must realise that." Denny exclaimed.

"No, I don't think she does. You heard her. It was all about building a new future, nothing about looking at what went wrong in the past. Just admit that it happened and it was your fault and move on. That's Beth's way. It's a '15% less fat' issue, Phil."

Denny looked at her husband who squeezed her shoulder, "I'll explain later."

Denny looked back at me "Well I don't know what all that is about, but... I know we said we wouldn't.." she looked up at Phil "...but maybe I could have a word. Maybe she'll listen to me and I can explain why you want her to talk to her parents. I could try to see her on Tuesday when Phil's out at cricket practice."

That struck me as a good idea, it would relieve me of trying to find a way to explain what I wanted without getting into other issues. "Well, if you could. And I do think she needs a friend. She must be terribly alone, with only her own thoughts for company."

Phil hugged Denny into himself, showing his approval. Then Denny stood up "I said I was going to get some coffee and I guess we could all do with it, and maybe something stronger to go with it."

---

I was nearly late for the office on Monday. My lack of domesticity had caught up with me, when dressing I found I had no decent ironed shirt, plenty of clean but crumpled ones, not one was ironed. Beth always ironed my shirts, it was one of the things she took pride in. So I started the day with ironing a shirt, not very well either, I hadn't done it in years, and it nearly made me late.

The office was fairly routine. I kept thinking that I must send Beth an email to say I was sticking by my rule that she must tell her parents, but I was wavering on the written commitment to truth bit. I promised myself I would make up my mind before I went to lunch and email her then.

At about eleven thirty I had a call from Personnel, could I go along to see Charlie immediately. I wondered why, but it sounded urgent.

I waited, sitting in the visitor's chair at his desk, drinking a cup of coffee. He calls me along on something urgent, and then he isn't there! Eventually he comes in "Sorry Tim, I've kept you waiting. I hope someone gave you ... Oh yes."

He sat down behind his desk and looked at me. "I've just come from a meeting in Neil's office with Perry. Perry has resigned with immediate effect. He's in his office at the moment with one of my team, signing some papers and clearing his personal items."

"Good God! I knew things were a bit stressed, but I didn't expect that. Oh..." I looked at Charlie who just sat watching me. "What do you want me to do? Tell the department?"

Charlie leant back in his chair. "The company now has a problem - what to do next."

"Advertise and recruit I suppose. I might even apply myself. It would be good interview practice and show that I am still ambitious." I told him.

Charlie looked at me, but ignored what I said "We have the ITP contract going sick on us. It's running late, but not too late yet. Financially, it's break even at best, and may make us a loss. ITP are cutting up rough, rougher than they really should. But there you are, they are the customer. But, they are starving us of cash by delaying the next instalment payments. We have to get that project back on the straight and narrow and with ITP happy again, or we'll have real problems."

"I'd heard that it was going a bit pear shaped."

"So we have a vacancy for head of department, and a real urgency on the ITP project." Charlie continued, "So, we face some choices. We don't have time to recruit, so that's out. We could transfer Darren or Sheila across from either Banking or Investments. But they've got their own problems, and neither of them has any insurance experience whatsoever. We could hire in a senior interim manager but he will not know this company or the project, and he'll cost a fortune on a project where we are likely to make a loss on. Or we could promote you." Charlie just looked at me.

"Oh!"

Charlie just looked at me. I just looked at Charlie. There was no doubt in my mind. I'd say Yes if the job was offered, and I felt pretty sure that I could do it.

Before I shaped the words and voiced my thoughts, Charlie was speaking again, "Now, there are those who think that you are a very good project manager, that you will be an excellent company manager, but it's all a bit early in your career. You're not quite due this promotion yet. Others are concerned that you don't carry the necessary weight to give ITP the confidence they need. And, of course, everyone knows about your marital problems and they are rightly concerned that you are not in the right frame of mind to take on this challenge, that your mind will be elsewhere."

"So what should I do?" I asked, I didn't realise until afterwards that this was a good open question. I had meant 'what should I do to get the job'.

Charlie took it differently. "I can't tell you that, Tim. We are going to hold a Board Meeting for all Director's that are around today, at three o'clock this afternoon to decide what we are going to do. You are invited to come along and tell us what you think we should do, or what you want to do. You can come along and just say it doesn't interest you, or you could give us a full pitch on why you deserve the job. We'll listen either way."

"OK. Three o'clock you say. That doesn't give me much time."

Charlie smiled at me, "No, it doesn't. Life's like that sometimes. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a long lunch to go to with Neil out at the Golf Club. I'll see you at three o'clock." And he got up and left.

I went back to the department, straight to Perry's office. As I came through the door to his outer office, Stella was just dialling someone on the phone. I heard her say "Oh Janice..." That meant Janice Conroy in accounts, another gossip monger.

"Have the decency to let him get out of the building, Stella" I sharply admonish her.

As I walked passed her towards Perry's office, I heard her say "I'll phone you back" and she smiled at me sweetly.

Perry was packing things into a cardboard box at his desk. One of the personnel guys was standing leaning against the wall, watching him. "I'm sorry Perry. I didn't know it was this bad."

He looked up at me "I was a bit surprised myself. ITP is a bit late, but nothing serious. They've just got a bee in their bonnet about it and I got stung."

"Well, all I can say is, that as far as I was concerned, you were a good boss. I learnt a lot from you. Thank you." I smiled, hoping to cheer him up a bit.

"It's ironic, Tim. I know I was a good departmental manager. And how did I get to be a manager, because I was a good project manager. And what's let me down this time - project management."

"They're wondering whether they should give me the job."

"Do you want it?"

"Yes."

He stopped his packing to look at me, "Then go for it. You'll do it well. You've still got a bit to learn on the management side, but you're exactly what they're looking for - someone to dig them out of the hole their in with ITP. I'd give it to you."

"Thanks. I wanted to know what you thought. Are you having a booze up?"

"No.....not my style." he said, looking pleased that I'd asked.

I shook his hand, and told him to let me know where he ends up. I left in search of Dave.

"Dave, time for a stroll along the riverbank" I whispered as he was passing some schedule charts to one of his team.

"Again!?!" he muttered under his breath, but he followed me out of the office.

When we got to the seat by the river I sat down. Dave waited, he hadn't asked once what this was all about. I told him the situation.

Dave listened and then responded, "You've got to go for it. You can't let some interim guy who doesn't know us from Adam, and doesn't know the system, come in. And, anyway, you may show the occasional hint of ability, not often, but occasionally."

"Thanks. But how do I get it?"

"You've got to show them that you can do it. Show them how you would go about it, and that you are the man for the job. Now is not the time for lights under bushels, you've got to blow your own trumpet, and mix your metaphors all at the same time."

"How? I haven't exactly got a lot of time."

"How about using that presentation you did about a year ago. 'If God was an insurance project manager' or something."

"Great! Well done, David! I'll let you go on working here! I know those slides well, I ended up doing that talk about three times. A quick mix and match on that and I can have a PowerPoint presentation to be proud of."

For the next couple of hours Dave and myself worked hard at our screens. At ten to three I was satisfied with the presentation and what I had to say. I went down to the Boardroom, no one had arrived yet, so I plugged in my laptop to the projector, booted it up and was ready to go. I sat and waited.

The first to arrive was Don McIntyre, the sales and marketing director. Big bluff Don, six foot four, always cheerful and known throughout the industry. He was quickly followed by Andrew Tweedsman, the technology and research director, someone who always looked to me as if he would be happier in the fields of academe than industry, but I'd had very little to do with him. Then Neil Timmons, the managing director and Charlie arrived together, accompanied by a third man that I didn't recognise.

Neil introduced me to him, Sir Philip Cochran. Tall, about sixty years old, immaculately dressed, reeking of money, but with a kind and humorous twinkle in very pale blue eyes. I vaguely remembered some internal memo of a couple of months back announcing that the Board had recruited the recently retired CEO of one of the banks as a non-executive director. I guess this was him.

Neil looked at his watch and said "Well, what have you got to tell us, Tim?"

I stood up and brought the screen to life. Then Pamela Storrish, the financial director came in, apologising, and taking her place at the table.

I made my presentation. On how I would go about bringing the ITP project into control, on how ITP themselves can be brought into the process to give them confidence, on what checks and balances can be built into the implementation. And then onto several slides on me. How long I'd worked at the company. Some of my successes. None of my failures. How I knew the staff, and could get the best out of them. And finally, without a slide, I told them that I had recently split with my wife, but that they should have no worries about me not working properly. I was fully committed.

I sat down. I was pleased with myself. Whether I got the job or not, I knew I had given it my best shot. Charlie leant across the empty chair between us to squeeze my arm.

Neil looked around the table. "Pamela, what are your thoughts?"

Pamela leant forward, "I was very impressed by Tim's presentation. I think we should let him takeover the ITP contract. And anyway, I don't think we have much alternative. Perhaps he could be given a bonus if he can pull it off. Otherwise I suggest we make him acting head of department for a probationary period, and we see how he does. No extra pay or re-grading now, that can come at the end of the probationary period."

Neil made a couple of notes on the pad in front of him. "OK, Don?"

Don looked round the table as he sat up, "My concern is that ITP are happy. As I told you this morning, Neil, I wonder if we should get in someone from outside to put a bit of weight on the project. Someone who can give Tim some support. Just for one or two days a week. We can't afford for this to go wrong. If we cock up ITP we'll never get another insurance contract, and then the rumours will spread. Can anyone name a bank that doesn't own an insurance company these days?" Don looked around the faces at the table.

I spoke up "No, You cannot lumber me with some overseer. What would the rest of the team think if every decision I make or they ask me to make, has to be double checked with someone else. It'll lead to lack of respect for me, and chaos and delay on the work. I'd rather not even try. And as for management weight or whatever Don called it, I may not have played in your big boy league before, but I know my team and I know how to manage them" I threw Don a challenging look, he smiled sweetly at me.

Neil made more notes. "Andrew?"

"Well I think Tim presented himself well. It's been a long time since I did any implementation or project work, but I thought his presentation of those things was watertight. After that I don't thing I'm qualified to say a lot."

"Charlie?"

"I don't understand half of what Tim was talking about. I've worked in the IT world for thirty years, but I don't pretend I understand what you do. What I do know is that Tim's record as a project manager in this place is second to none. I believe he will be a fine manager, I think he's destined to sit at this table in his own right one day, but I'm worried that we could be asking an awful lot of him at the moment."

Sir Philip leant forward, "Neil, if I may..." He leant across the corner of the table and put his hand on Neil's arm. "Maybe you were going to invite me to speak anyway, but just in case you didn't, I'll jump in. I've had to sit through countless IT presentations in my time. I never really understood a word of them, I just made polite noises and asked simple questions, and for forty years I got away with it. Today I almost understood what young Tim there was talking about. Now I haven't known this company very long, but from what I learnt over lunch, you're between a rock and a hard place. I'd appoint him. Having seen his presentation today, I think ITP would be bloody fools if they didn't give him their vote of confidence. And as for a probationary period, what's the point? He'll either salvage ITP for us, in which case we'll all go down on bended knee to thank him. Or he'll fail, in which case I understand there's a pretty good chance none of us will be here, and if we did survive his failure, then at least we'd have the pleasure of sacking him. Pay the man for the job, its only fair."

All eyes went to Neil. He leant back in his chair and stared at me through half closed eyes for a millennium or two. "Tim, I'm worried about your marital problems. You should be patching up your marriage, not taking on more stress and strains here."

It was obvious I had to answer "If I could, I would. My wife and myself have parted, and I think the chances of patching it up are pretty low. That leaves me free. I don't have domestic responsibilities. If I need to I can work as late as I like. I can take work home at weekends without a wife complaining. I'll admit that some of my emotions have been pretty tied up in the last few days. But that's why I need this job, something to take my mind off my problems. Look, I don't want to work all the hours God sends for the rest of my life. I want a happy home life and I want to want to go home on time. But that isn't going to happen in the next couple of months. So, you need someone capable to work hard and dig this company out of a hole, I'm capable and happy to work hard. It suits both of us." I sat back, there was nothing else I could say.

Neil looked around the room. Then he looked directly at me. "You've got the job. And I agree with Philip,. Charlie, put Tim on whatever salary and grade Perry had from today, and sort out all the pension and car things as soon as you can."

There was a murmur of approval and warm smiles from everyone.

Then Neil looked at me again "So when can you have a story to tell that we can take to ITP?"

"Well give me a day to understand the state of play, then a day or two to come up with a plan. How about Friday at the earliest."

"I'll squeeze you on that. You said you could work nights. Let's go and see them on Thursday afternoon, three o'clock say. I'll arrange it. I'll be with you, and so will you Don"

Don looked round, surprised. "I'm in Edinburgh on Thursday, seeing some of the Scottish companies."

"Well, now you're going to be here in the morning and at ITP in the afternoon." said Neil firmly. "Tim, both myself and Don will be available at a moment's notice on Thursday morning for any rehearsal or dry run that you want." He looked round the table. "I am sure the word will go out that you are to have full co-operation from any part of the company in the next few days. Won't it, lady and gentlemen? I'll talk to your department Tim at four o'clock. That's so soon that we might even beat the secretaries with the news."

Neil stood up and came round to shake my hand, quickly followed with the others lining up to congratulate me. Charlie asked that I come up to his office when I leave. Philip Cochran was the last. He warmly shook my hand, holding my right shoulder with his left hand as he did it. "Don't worry about playing with the big boys. The game's much the same, it's just that more people depend on you and the numbers have more noughts on the end. Otherwise it's much the same. After you've settled in, perhaps we can have a game of golf, and I'll tell you a few of my secrets." He smiled warmly.