25 comments/ 60341 views/ 16 favorites Dexter's Renaissance Ch. 05-06 By: coaster2 Chapter 5 The Next Step Typically, Tom Yardley and I were the first two people in the office each morning. Tom was an early riser by nature, and always anxious to get to work first thing. I was similar because I was at my best in the morning and that was when I did my most effective work. So it was no surprise that when I arrived at the Pinecone office on Monday morning Tom was already there, pouring his first cup of coffee. I joined him. "Good morning, Dex. Ready to get back to work?" "Yes but I guess that does bring up the question about Dorothy. I don't want to hurt her and I hear she did a great job while I was away. I was thinking maybe another site-rep assignment." "Well, I suppose we could do that but I think you should hold on until later this morning. I'd like you to get up to speed with Dorothy on the department then meet me here in my office at ten o'clock. I have something that might interest you." "Okay ... fine, ten o'clock. I take it there's no point in my asking what the meeting's about?" I grinned. "None at all. See you then," he said with a smile. When I walked into Tom's office at ten that morning I was surprised to see Wolf Balak sitting in a comfortable chair, enjoying a coffee. "Hey, Wolf. How are you? Long time no see." "I am good, Dex. Good to see you too. I hear good things about you on our airport job," he said in his thick German accent. "Oh ... from whom?" "The contractor. He said he would work with Pinecone anytime in the future. He thought you were very professional and handled any problems quickly. Thank you for that," he smiled. "To tell the truth, Wolf, we didn't have very many problems. That job went about as smoothly as any we've ever had. A little slowly, perhaps, but pretty smoothly." He nodded. "It is good to have one like that, especially when it is in a foreign country." The reason I asked you to join us, Dex," Tom interrupted, "is that we have a proposal to put to you." That got my immediate attention. It was Wolf who opened the discussion. "You will not be aware that Tom and I have been negotiating with another company to buy controlling interest in them. We want to expand our business and this is the quickest way to accomplish that. The company that we want to acquire is Trent Engineering in Toronto. They have fallen on hard times and need an injection of business activity to get back to where they once were." "Trent was, once upon a time, one of the most respected small firms in Canada," Tom continued. "Unfortunately, the senior partners either retired or expired. What they had left were competent engineers but with no drive to find new business. Their opportunities have been dwindling steadily over this recent declining economy and we were able to acquire a 55% share of ownership for an attractive price." "You know how much I like to find new opportunities," Wolf went on. "I pride myself in my engineering skill but the truth is that I am a better salesman. So ... now we have this new addition to the Pinecone family and we need your help." I sat looking at them. This was an unexpected surprise. I couldn't guess what Tom and Wolf wanted from me since I didn't know anything about Trent Engineering. "We're not in a position to compete with the big civil engineering firms like SNC-Lavalin or Hatch but we sit well in our slot," Tom said. "We've been successful because we stick with what we know best and spend a lot of time with architects and construction companies to make sure they are confident with us. It's been a good strategy and we plan to maintain it." "How do I fit in?" I asked. "When the acquisition is complete in the next month," Tom went on, "we'll want you to go to Toronto and assess the capabilities there. There's been a freeze on spending over the last three years and I know how much we've spent on updating our programs and equipment so I'm expecting they'll need to catch up. We want the same programs at both offices, naturally." "That makes sense," I said. "I won't know until I get there how long I'll need. How many operators do they have?" "I think I saw about two dozen work stations," Wolf answered. "Not all of them were occupied but, if we can revitalize the company, you would want that many at least." "We have nearly thirty here," I noted. "Is there room for expansion?" "Not really. We might move the engineering and executive staff to another floor if that were necessary. We will leave it up to you to decide," Wolf said. "Okay ... so you want me in Toronto when?" "March 15th," Tom responded. "Any problem with that?" "No ... none. I assume I'll have some accommodation available?" "Yes. There's a suites residence a block from the office. Both Wolf and I have stayed there and it's fine. Naturally, all your expenses will be covered. Cost of acquisition you know," Tom grinned. "Okay then. Anything else?" I asked. "Yes. Your title and salary will change. You are now Vice President, Design Services, Pinecone-Trent Engineering. It will be effective March 1st. I've already ordered the business cards," Tom grinned again. "Wow. Another thing I didn't expect. Thank you very much. You were pretty sure I would take this assignment, I guess." "Well, considering your situation, I thought it wouldn't cause a problem. Maybe I shouldn't have taken that for granted," Tom admitted. "No problem. I'm better off being busy and somewhere other than here for the time being. We can always talk about the future when I've figured out what I want from my life. By the way, I'll be filing for divorce if Sandra accepts my proposal. I'll know in a couple of days. If she turns it down I'll just go on as before until I can wear her down." "I am very sorry to hear of your problem, Dex," Wolf said sadly. "It must be very hard to accept what Sandra has done after all these years. I was delighted with the job you did for us in Sint Maarten. I think for you, it was very good therapy, yes?" "Yes, it was. I think Toronto could be more of the same. I hope so, anyway." "How is your relationship with your son and daughter now?" Tom asked. "Okay now. They know the truth and understand why I did what I did. Merilee is very disappointed that there isn't any hope of reconciliation and she is still close to her mother. They are living together at our house for now. Jon is working in Chile and understands completely. He has no illusions about his mother and me." "And Sandra?" Tom asked. "You would be shocked if you saw her, I think. She's aged and doesn't seem to have much life in her. I know she understands what she's done and that there is no going back but she doesn't seem to be able to move on from it. I saw her on Saturday and it was a very short, unemotional meeting with very little accomplished as far as I was concerned. However, we'll see what happens when I ask for an answer on my settlement proposal." "Alright, Dex," Tom sighed. "We wish you luck. Oh, by the way, Dorothy is aware of this meeting. I wanted her to be confident she wasn't about to lose her job when you returned. You're still her boss, though." "Easiest person I ever supervised," I smiled. "You mind if I take her to lunch today? I'd like to let her know what's happening." "No problem," Tom responded. "She's aware of the acquisition and knows not to talk about it. I told her I would be discussing it with you too so it won't come as a surprise." I ended the meeting feeling quite light-headed. A vice presidency! I never expected that. I didn't even bother to ask about the salary. I was sure Tom and Wolf would treat me fairly. This was a very good boost for my morale. I had a new project and a new responsibility. I stopped by Dorothy's desk. "Do you have time for lunch today, Dorothy?" "Yes, I guess so," she answered tentatively. She was obviously curious about my request and I was glad that Tom had told her that her job was secure. "Why don't I come and get you about twelve-thirty and we'll head for Gassy Jack's. You don't have anything urgent for the rest of the day, do you?" "No. I'm caught up. I'll see you then." The restaurant was thinning out by the time we arrived, and the noise level had dropped from its usual loud level during the early lunch hour. The brokerage boys had come and gone before noon, and we were able to find a table in a corner where it wouldn't be too near other patrons. "I wanted to thank you for doing such a great job since I've been gone, Dorothy. I know Tom told you about what's happening so we can talk about it if you like. You'll now report to me since they've decided to appoint me V.P. Design Services. I'm heading for Toronto in a couple of weeks to bring them up to speed with what we are doing. I want them running as well as Vancouver is when I'm done. I'll be on the lookout for another Dorothy," I smiled. "Thank you, Dex. I really appreciate your support. I love the job and all the staff have been great about my taking over." "Good, I'm glad to hear that. I don't know what's needed in Toronto yet but I'll be in contact with you probably daily to match up what we are doing here with what we need there. I've been out of the loop for eighteen months so I'm sure things have changed." The waitress arrived and we ordered our lunch. Dorothy Milner was a thirty-something young lady, married, no children, attractive dark brown hair, nice build, well dressed. She was my vision of a well-balanced career woman. Very professional on the job without losing her femininity. "I hope I'm not out of line, Dex, but I was very sorry to hear about you and your wife. That must have been hard for you." "It was. The best thing that happened was that Sint Maarten airport job. It got me away from here and out of my discomfort zone," I kidded. "I met some interesting people down there that helped distract me." "Oh ... some interesting female people?" she grinned. "Yeah. A pair of twins," I said, pulling the picture out of my wallet. "Oh, wow!" Dorothy remarked when she saw them. "Hot looking babes, Dex. Very hot!" "Yes, indeed. Made this old codger sit up and take notice." "Old codger? You must be kidding. Have you looked at yourself since you got back. Tanned, fit. Hell, Dex, you're now a certified hunk. If I wasn't happily married, I'd be after you," she giggled. "Thanks. I have to admit, I feel a lot better and several people have noticed and said something. It does help lift one's spirits." "I have a couple of single girlfriends that would jump at the chance to date you. You want me to give them your phone number? I wouldn't do this for just anyone. Only someone I trust." "No ... no ... not just yet. I'm hoping I can get my situation with Sandra resolved this week, then maybe I can think about dating." She nodded. "I understand. But remember, if you ever need a date I can get you one like that!" she said, snapping her fingers. "You sure know how to make a guy feel good, Dorothy." We had a leisurely lunch and walked back to the office just before two o'clock. It was good to reconnect with Dorothy again. She was going to be an important cog in the Vancouver office for some years to come. She was happy in her job and did it very well. I'm told she had a firm hand on the staff but that they all supported her. Tuesday evening my cell phone chirped and instead of ignoring it I decided to answer it. "Hi, Daddy, it's me, Merry," my daughter announced. "Hello, Sweetheart. How are you? It's great to hear from you." "I know I should have called sooner. I just realized you probably didn't have my cell phone number." "No ... I figured I could call you at the house. I wasn't sure how anxious you were to talk to me," I admitted. "Daddy, you don't have to worry about that. I understand why you were so upset but I can't abandon Mom just now. She's really down about what's happened. I'm afraid she's depressed so I want to be close to her and help her." "I think that's very good of you, Merry. I'm glad your mother has someone to look out for her." "Daddy, I called because I wanted you to know that I've been talking to Mom about your settlement offer. I've told her she should accept it and move on. I don't think it's a good thing for this to drag on for ever and ever. It won't do her any good ... I mean emotionally. She has to accept that she did something very wrong and she shouldn't expect to be rewarded for that. I think I've got through to her but I guess you'll know for sure when you talk to her tomorrow night." "Thank you, Merry. I appreciate your effort. I hope she takes your advice. I don't want to hurt her any more either but I've drawn a line in the sand about this issue and she has to accept that I'm not going to argue back and forth about it." "I know, Daddy. I wish it never happened, but ... both of you need to get on with your lives. You've seen the way she looks. I think Jon would be sick if he saw her now. She needs to find something to get her back to the land of the living." "You've done all you can, Merry. You are a wonderful daughter and I'm sure your mother knows that. You make me very proud to be your father." I could hear a sniffle at the other end of the line and, to be honest, I wasn't far from tears either. "Good night, Daddy. We'll talk soon." After I'd closed my phone I realized I hadn't told her about my promotion and leaving for Toronto in a couple of weeks. Time enough for that later this week I suppose. By the time Wednesday evening rolled around I was very antsy about Sandra's decision. I really wanted this whole ugly affair to be over with. There wasn't going to be a reconciliation and I wasn't, in my opinion, out for blood. I just wanted a fair settlement to the divorce; one that allowed me to hold my head up despite the fact that she had cuckolded me in my own back yard. "Hello, Sandra. I called to get your answer on my settlement proposal." I wasn't about to beat around the bush or engage in pointless small-talk. "Yes, Dex," she answered with a sigh. "Merry has convinced me that your proposal is fair, so I will sign the documents on that basis. I'm not sure that I'm really getting what I should but I suppose that's the price I have to pay for what I did." "I think you've made a good decision, Sandra. Both of us have to move on with our lives even though they will be separate. I'll have some good memories despite how it all ended. I'll try hard to wipe away the bad ones." "Yes ... I think that's the best thing. No point in dwelling on the mistakes. How do you want to handle this?" "I've already had my lawyer draw up the proposal so I'll send it to your lawyer and you can arrange a meeting for the four of us to sign." "All right. Did Merry tell you that we want to put the house up for sale?" "No, but that makes sense. Both of you are working downtown so finding a place closer would make your life easier. I'll sign the house over to you as agreed." "We're thinking of buying a condo at False Creek. We could walk to work from there." "Good. I'm glad Merry is staying close with you. I think that will be good for both of you for the next little while." "Yes ... she's been a tower of strength for me. I really don't know what I would have done without her. I just hope she finds a guy one of these days. I don't want her giving up her life to look after me." "I agree. Well, that's something you can help her with. I'm sure she'll recognize it when you're back to your normal self," I said optimistically. We talked for a few minutes more about how the sale and distribution of assets would take place before we ended the call. I took the elevator down to the lounge on the main floor and ordered a double scotch and soda. It took a second one to relax me enough to feel that I'd just about come to the end of the road in terms of our marriage. Now it was a matter of signing some documents and filing the divorce papers. In six months I would be a single man once more. I was glad I'd called it a night after just the two drinks and gone to bed early. I don't think I really understood how stressed I was over the divorce and settlement issues. I woke up at my usual time and went through my morning routine before taking the elevator to the lobby and the restaurant. I had my usual light breakfast before walking to the office on what was another drizzly, wet, grey morning in Vancouver. Sint Maarten had spoiled me. The next two weeks seemed to crawl by as I spent my time with Dorothy going over the new upgrades that had been installed on the server while I was away, plus the equipment changes that were on her wish list. We took a couple of days to have suppliers demonstrate their new wares, especially plotters and modeling software. I had to come to a decision about what to recommend for both operations now but I was working blind as far as Toronto went. Finally, on Sunday morning, March 14, I boarded an Air Canada flight to Toronto for my next "adventure." I suppose I was feeling pretty confident as I thought about the challenge before me. Hadn't everything gone according to plan in Sint Maarten? I had a good idea of what we wanted to do in Toronto and the only unknown was the quality of the people on hand. I checked into the Rossmoor Suites and found they had reserved a two-bedroom unit for me that was really a compact, fully furnished apartment. It was more than I would need for my stay. On top of that the building facilities included a fitness centre, a billiards room, virtual golf and a theatre room. If I needed space for an out-of-office meeting, rooms were available for that as well. I was more than satisfied with the modern facility. Following my usual habits I prepared to be in the Trent offices just after seven on Monday morning. When I arrived I found the office dark and the door locked. Note to self: obtain a key. I recalled seeing a coffee shop off the lobby of the building and headed down to see if I could ascertain when the office opened. The middle-aged waitress asked for my order and I chose a latté. "Do you know when the offices open at Trent Engineering?" I asked when she delivered my coffee. "Trent? That's on the seventh floor?" I nodded. "Eight o'clock for the worker bees. The big boys usually don't show up until nine." "Thanks," I said, thinking I had some adjusting to do. This was Toronto not Vancouver. Hours of work were later, both starting and finishing. Just the same, I didn't see any reason not to be the first person in the office if that's what helped me do my job well. I wouldn't force the staff to follow my example but I wondered how many might take my habits to be a good model for themselves. After all, it would allow them to leave earlier too. No reason the office couldn't have staggered work hours, I thought. I nursed my latté until just before eight o'clock and headed for the elevators once more. The traffic had increased substantially and a number of people had come into the coffee shop to get a hot drink or a pastry to go before heading to their offices. I took the crowded elevator to the seventh floor and several people got off at the same time. I waited before following them into the Trent offices. The receptionist was just fixing her headset in place as I stood before her. "Good morning, I'm Dexter McLeod. I believe I'm expected," I said politely. "Oh ... uhhhmmm ... I don't have any note here about that. Do you know who you are supposed to see?" "Mr. John Flannery." "Oh ... well ... Mr. Flannery isn't usually in until nine o'clock. Would you like to wait?" "I guess I'd better," I smiled. "I'm supposed to be working here for the next few weeks." I handed her my card. "Oh ... Mr. McLeod. You're from Vancouver. Why don't I call Mr. Flannery on his cell phone and find out where he is. I'm sure he's expecting you." Dexter's Renaissance Ch. 05-06 "That's very kind of you. Thank you," I said with a smile. Never upset the receptionist was a golden rule of mine. She dialed a number and waited for a few seconds. "Mr. Flannery, it's Brigit at the office. There's a Mr. McLeod from Vancouver here to see you." I couldn't hear the other end of the conversation but I gather it wasn't pleasant if the frown on young Brigit's face was any indication. "Yes, sir, I'll tell him," she said finally. "I'm sorry Mr. McLeod. Mr. Flannery won't be in until nine o'clock. He suggested you might want to have a coffee and wait here in the lobby for him." She looked embarrassed and I felt for her. She was the messenger and Flannery was obviously one of the senior executives. "Who is Mr. Flannery?" I asked. "He's the senior partner. Mr. Golowitz and Mr. Zarek are the other partners. They will be here at nine this morning as well. I'm sorry no one was here to greet you, sir." "Please, call me Dex. Everyone does. I'm here to modernize the design department." "I don't think Mr. Flannery would be very happy with me if I was too familiar with one of our vice presidents," she said seriously. "Well okay then, but when no one else is around it's Dex and Brigit, right?" She smiled and agreed. One on my side, I thought. I was now alerted that perhaps the senior people were not quite as enthusiastic about the acquisition as I might have been led to believe. I cautioned myself not to jump to conclusions and wait and see what happened. Just before nine, a large, imposing man of some sixty-plus years entered the office, looked me over once and turned to Brigit. She handed him some message slips and he looked at them casually. Finally, he turned to me. "Are you McLeod?" he asked in a no-nonsense tone. "Dexter McLeod, Mr. Flannery," I said standing and holding out my hand. He ignored it. "I've got some things to do first thing this morning. I'll let you know when I have time to see you," he snorted, turning his back on me and walking away to the back of the offices. I was stunned. What the fuck was this? I turned to Brigit and she was red-faced but shrugged as she took another call. I had another hour before Tom would be in the office so I would bide my time. I wasn't about to pull rank but I wasn't going to be treated like a second class citizen by some eastern stuffed shirt. He needed to be reminded who owned the majority of this business but not by me. As the clock struck ten, Flannery had still not shown his face, so I approached the reception desk and handed Brigit another of my cards. "If Mr. Flannery should decide to grace me with his presence, tell him he can contact me on my cell. The number is on the card. Thank you, Brigit." I turned and walked toward the door to the elevators. "Mr. McLeod," Brigit called after me. I turned. "I'm sorry, sir." I nodded. That young lady was a keeper. Flannery on the other hand was really pissing me off. I headed for the washroom I saw off the elevators. It was empty so it would serve my purpose. "Tom Yardley," he answered. "You bastard!" I spat. I heard his outburst of laughter as he recognized my voice. "I take it you've met the esteemed Mr. Flannery," he said, barely able to contain himself. "Not really. He waltzed into the office at nine o'clock, told me he'd see me when he had time, said I could wait for him in the lobby, then disappeared. I still haven't heard from him." "I should have warned you, Dex. He's miserable old man. He's convinced that we stole the company from him. The other three minority partners were all for the deal but Flannery was convinced the business just needed some capital and everything would be all right. He and Wolf had a real ding-dong when the final deal was proposed but Flannery lost because we had the shares of the other three partners and he was screwed." "Three? I thought there was just two besides Flannery." "No ... one of the widows of another partner had shares that tipped the balance. She's not active in the firm but is interested in seeing it restored to its former glory." "And you couldn't see yourself to warn me about this," I said, not altogether happy with my boss. "Sorry, Dex. I didn't want to pollute the water before you even got there. I will call Mr. Flannery with whom I have at least a civil relationship and tell him that you are not to be treated in this manner. He doesn't need the problems we can cause if he keeps up with this attitude." "Thanks, Tom. I'll cool it for now but you'd better give me someone else to work with. I don't think I could stomach much of Flannery on a regular basis." "Okay. He'll probably be relieved to remove you from his sight. I knew he wasn't going to be pleasant and I guess I owe you one from dropping you in it. My apologies." "All right, Tom. I have a feeling this job isn't going to go quite as nicely as my last one. I hope I'm wrong." "Dex, you can handle it. I've watched you with your people for years. You'll figure it out. Call me if Flannery gives you any more trouble." "Okay. I'd better get back to the office before His Majesty reports me absent without leave." Tom laughed again and that was the end of our conversation. Chapter 6 Smoothing the Waters It was almost 10:20 when Mr. Flannery decided to make an appearance. He looked decidedly unhappy when he strode out of his hideaway and marched up to my chair in the reception area. "I'll see you now, Mr. McLeod," he snarled and immediately turned and stomped back from where he came. I turned and looked at Brigit and saw her shake her head with a look of dismay. I pushed myself up out of the chair and followed Flannery. His office was in the far corner of the floor with windows on two walls overlooking the city and the lakefront. He pointed to a chair at one corner of his desk and I sat. "So what are you here for?" Flannery began without the slightest hint of politeness. "Are you telling me you haven't been informed of the purpose of my visit?" I was all set to go one on one with him if he pushed his attitude much more. His head came up and his eyes narrowed. I don't think he quite expected me to confront him. "There was some mention of a visit by one of the Vancouver people," he said, offering nothing more. "I find that hard to believe. I talked to Tom Yardley a few minutes ago. I'm sure he told you what the object of my visit was. Is there some reason you object to my presence?" I was working hard to keep my voice even and controlled. "I object to the theft of my company by a bunch of western upstarts. There's nothing you have to offer Trent Engineering that we can't do ourselves," he snarled. "Mr. Flannery, I'm here to upgrade your CADD systems and bring them in line with the Pinecone systems. I'd be very disappointed if you're telling me I can't expect the cooperation of your staff." "You'll get your cooperation, Mr. McLeod. Just make sure you don't interfere with the work we have on hand. We have deadlines to meet and I expect them to be met regardless of your little project." I tried to stare him down but he was reluctant to look me in the eye. "Who will I be working with in the CADD department?" I asked. "Whoever can spare the time," he said dismissively. "You'll have to work that out yourself." "I'd like an office as well," I said, struggling to keep my temper. "You'll have to make do with whatever you can find." "Are we finished here?" I asked, beginning to rise. I wanted out of this office as soon as I could. "Yes," was all I got from him in response. I walked out to the reception desk and flopped into the chair I had previously occupied. I needed to cool off before I said or did something I would regret. Brigit looked at me and I think I was pretty easy to read. "Don't be too upset, Mr. McLeod. He's been very unhappy these last few months. He's been nasty to just about everyone," she said apologetically. "Thank you, Brigit. By the way, do you know if there are any unused offices available, preferable in the design area?" "Oh yes, we have three. If you wait until lunch hour, I'll show you around and you can decide which one is best for you." "Thank you again. I'm grateful for your help." I went down to the café in the lobby at 11:30 and ordered a sandwich and a tomato juice to go. I didn't want to cut into Brigit's lunch hour any more than necessary. "Where do you and the staff eat lunch, Brigit?" I asked when I returned. "There's an area in the back that's not being used and we put some chairs and tables in there. Some people go out to lunch but a lot of us go there or eat at our desks. I can't do that, naturally." "Mind if I join you?" "No ... of course not. It might be a chance for you to meet some of the people." The more I was around Brigit the more I liked her attitude. I had a hunch I was going to need all the friends I could find in this job. Just after noon I followed Brigit to the so-called lunch area. I noticed it was about as far from Flannery's office as you could get. It was an open space of about 500 sq. ft., with a collection of unmatched chairs and tables scattered about the room. There was no sink but a rather ancient microwave was sitting on one table and an old refrigerator was standing in a nearby corner. Not exactly what I would describe as a lunch room. Brigit guided me to a table near a window and we sat. There was room for another four people at this table but so far no one had approached. A couple of minutes later another young woman entered the room, saw Brigit and waved while walking directly to our table. "Hi, Brigit," she said brightly, giving me the once-over. "Hi Petra. This is Dexter McLeod. He's going to be working with us for a while." I stood and shook the young woman's hand. "Nice to meet you, Petra. You can call me Dex. What do you do here?" "I'm in the design department. Slaving away in front of a computer screen all day," she grinned. I took a card from my shirt pocket and passed it to her. "Looks like we'll be spending some time together then," I said. "I'm here to update the CADD systems and equipment. Bring you up to the latest standards." "Oh, wonderful! That's great to hear," she enthused, looking at my card. I saw her eyes widen as she read the card. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "I mean in this place. Shouldn't you be with the other managers?" I shook my head and I could see a big grin on Brigit's face. "Nope. I'm happy with the people I work with. I'd like to have that kind of relationship with your department." "Well ... that'll be different," Petra said with a wrinkled brow. "Most of the senior people don't mix with us peons." "I was a peon for many years, Petra. I don't forget where I came from and don't be fooled by the vice president title. It's new and shiny and unused. Around my office in Vancouver everyone calls me Dex. We don't stand on formality." "I'd get fired or maybe shot if I didn't call all the senior people Mister," she said. "This place is pretty 'old-school' in my opinion." "I've only met Mr. Flannery so far but I can see where that idea comes from." Both women giggled at my comment but didn't offer any reinforcement. A couple of minutes later, a short dark-haired man joined us at the table. "Mr. McLeod, this is Carlo de Prata, also one of our CADD operators." "Hi, Carlo, Dexter McLeod," I said, handing him one of my cards. He looked at it and like Petra, his eyebrows raised and he looked at me. "Uh ... nice to meet you, sir," he said uncertainly. "Relax Carlo. It's Dex to most of the people around here. I'm here to bring the systems up to date on both software and hardware." "Oh ... good ... I've been hoping something would happen when we heard that there'd been a take-over," he said with an obvious sigh of relief. "Well, it's not exactly a take-over. Pinecone are partners with Trent Engineering now. Our job is to help you grow back to what you once were and more. It looks like we might need more than just computers and software, though. You could use a proper lunch room." "Wouldn't that be nice," Petra said, with Brigit nodding. "I'll see what I can do," I said with a smile. "In the meantime, I need a guide to take me around the design department. Any volunteers?" I grinned. "I'm probably the best one to do that," Petra said. "I've been here the longest after Terry Sanderson. He's the senior man in our department." "Maybe I should meet with Terry then so I don't ruffle any feathers," I suggested. "No problem. I'll go get him and we can talk," she said, rising to walk to another table. She bent over near a big red-headed man and said a few words. He turned to look at me then nodded to Petra and stood." "Mr. McLeod, this is Terry Sanderson, senior operator." I stood and shook hands with him. He was a large, friendly, freckle-faced man in his forties I guessed. "Nice to meet you, Terry. I'm Dex," I said, handing him my card. "Yes, I've been expecting someone. Nice to see you're here so quickly. I understand you'd like a tour." "If you've got the time. I don't want to interrupt anything important." "Not a problem. I've finished my lunch so we can go anytime you're ready," he said. "Ladies, if you'll excuse me, duty calls," I smiled. "Nice meeting you, Petra. Oh, and Brigit, do you know where I can get a key to the office?" "Yes," she said, "but you won't like my answer. Only Mr. Flannery can authorize that. Sorry." I nodded. "Okay, I'll find a way. Lead on, Terry," I said, hiding my irritation at the roadblocks I seemed to be encountering so early in my stay. Another thing to talk to Tom about, I thought. I'd better start writing this down. The list was getting longer and I'd only been here a couple of hours. Terry gave me a comprehensive tour of the twenty station CADD room. There were twelve active units, symptomatic of the decline in their business. He admitted that some of the unused units had been cannibalized for parts or software when problems arose. They had no budget for anything short of essential repairs. Terry was candid but careful in his comments. He admitted he was hopeful that the merger would bring the equipment and software up to date but didn't expect to have it happen this quickly. He said it would be a big boost to the morale of the people in the office. I was glad to hear that. That should put a few more staff on my side. Brigit had shown me the open offices and I found one just where I wanted it with easy access to the department but private enough when it was required. I put my laptop down on the desk, pulled out an Ethernet cable and hooked into the wall outlet. Within seconds I was confronted with a gateway that required a password. Good. There was some security in place. Terry gave me the password for the week and I set up my station, logging on after registering. I spent the next hour surfing the site and seeing what we were working with. There was a job log and I reviewed that to see what our people were working on. It wasn't a very long list. The sooner I got this department up to speed the sooner I could turn Wolf loose on the potential clients. At five o'clock I called Tom once more, having written a list of things I needed to resolve ... or work around. "I can't even get a key to the office without Flannery's approval. Doesn't he delegate anything? Who's the second in command?" I asked. "The two junior partners are active engineers and you should make their acquaintance. In the meantime, borrow a key from someone and make a copy. I'll cover for you if it's necessary. I doubt it will be. Flannery was never there before nine and very seldom after four." "Jesus, Tom. No wonder the business is in trouble." "It isn't that simple, Dex. Flannery's wife has contracted MS and I think that's contributed to his problems. It's one thing to have the business shrink, it's another to try and deal with an ill wife. This is not public knowledge, Dex. I got the information from Michelle Gauthier." "Who is she?" "The minority fourth partner. Her husband was a real go-getter and when he died unexpectedly, the aggressive hunt for new work died with him. The rest of the people there are pretty much stay-at-home engineers." "Can you give me a breakdown of who owns what shares, or is that top secret?" "Nope, it's not secret, although I wouldn't want it to become common knowledge. In the total structure, Pinecone owns 55% and Trent owns 45% of the outstanding shares. Inside Pinecone, Wolf and I own 40% each. The other 20% of Pinecone is made up of people like you. "At Trent, Flannery owns 42%, the two junior partners own 20% each and Mrs. Gauthier owns the remaining 18%. It was the two junior partners and Mrs. Gauthier that made the merger possible. You already know how Flannery felt about that." "I haven't met the other three yet. Should I?" "Yes, particularly the two active partners. You know how hard we worked to get a good relationship between the engineers and the designers. I'd like to see that at Trent too." "Yeah. I guess we've had it pretty good at Pinecone and haven't had to deal with this kind of problem. Well, I'll introduce myself to the engineering department tomorrow. I'll let you know how that goes." "By the way, is there any wiggle room in my budget for a lunch room? These people have nothing here. The space is available but right now it's not very impressive." "As long as you don't turn it into a luxury restaurant, go ahead. I'll circulate an e-mail authorizing that and other changes as required. Just keep me informed." "Thanks, Tom. I feel a bit better. If I can get Flannery off my back I should be able to make some progress here fairly soon." I put the phone down after we signed off and sighed. This was definitely going to be a challenge. I walked out of the office as Terry was packing up to go home and asked him if he had a key to the office. "Sure. I don't use it very often but if you need it, just ask," he said. "I'd like to borrow it and make a copy. I can get it back to you tomorrow." "Did Flannery okay this?" he asked nervously. "Nope, Tom Yardley did. Don't worry, if he kicks up a fuss he won't know I got it from you," I grinned. Terry snorted a laugh and handed me the key. "Nice to see things changing, Dex." I nodded. We were making progress already. The next four days went by in a whoosh. I met with the company that provided IT service for Trent, getting their advice on reliable suppliers of hardware in the area. The IT rep, whom Terry had recommended, was quite surprised that we would ask his opinion. Not that other companies didn't, just that Trent had never asked. I introduced myself to Rueben Golowitz and Dick Zarek, the senior engineers and shareholders. I got a pleasant reception and promised I would follow up with them in a week or so. I did a station-by-station assessment of what we had on hand and it was discouraging to say the least. Band-Aid solutions were everywhere and the software was a mish-mash of dated programs. The only thing that seemed to be in reasonably decent shape was the server itself. It had expansion capability and I knew immediately that we would need it. I was making a list of needs as I went and it was getting longer with each progressive step. On Friday afternoon I e-mailed my findings to Tom, hoping it wouldn't cause a melt-down in Vancouver when he saw it. I had a return phone call within thirty minutes. "It's a good thing we put a big contingency in the budget, Dex. That list you've given me. Do you need all of it at once?" Tom asked. "No, but this just covers the active work stations, Tom. They're only using twelve stations of the twenty available. We should fix those first, then add the others as the work picks up." Dexter's Renaissance Ch. 05-06 "Okay, you know best. Any more problems with Flannery?" "No ... he's been invisible, thankfully. I don't think he ever comes into this department from what I've learned." "Good ... just as well. So sit down with the procurement department on Monday and get this stuff ordered. You'll have my authorization by e-mail along with a copy to whomever you're working with." I gave Tom the name of the head of procurement and her e-mail address. I was grateful for the swift approval of my request. It was one of those things that made it pleasant to work for him. He trusted me, didn't micro-manage and didn't dither. I also knew getting quick approval was an atypical action in larger companies. I began holding meetings with all the design staff at 4:30 in the afternoon. My purpose was to keep them informed daily on what we were doing and why. I also wanted to ask for their opinions on a number of issues from the type of chairs we provided to the lunchroom facilities. They were a pretty quiet bunch for the first two meetings but with a little coaching by Terry and Petra, the ice was broken and we began to get a lot of feedback. I formed a lunch-room committee to come up with a plan for the room and a budget. I didn't have any trouble getting volunteers. I formed another committee to decide on whether to introduce staggered work hours. Would some people like to start earlier and leave earlier? A third committee was struck to examine the work stations for possible improvements in the future. By late Friday afternoon I had the entire twelve design staffers onside and enthusiastic about what was going to happen. I also had a visit from Brigit, saying some of the girls in accounting and procurement, along with herself, would be happy to volunteer on any of the committees. That felt good as well. Janice Meriwether was the manager of procurement, a veteran of provincial government service. She was easily in her fifties but a very active and motivated woman. Turning her loose on some projects would be fun to watch. I shocked her with the purchase order request for equipment and software along with the attached authorization. "We couldn't get a pencil sharpened around here without Flannel-pants' approval," she said seriously. I burst out laughing of course. So that was his nickname. I'd also broken through the formality barrier. I was Dex and I addressed those people I came into contact with by their first names as well. It took most of the week for them to get used to it but again, it was another popular move. When I opened my apartment door on Friday evening I was whipped. I'd compressed about two weeks work into one but I felt it was necessary for me to hit the ground running to impress upon the staff that this wasn't some quick-and-dirty exercise. We were here to make things happen and it may have been that the most significant thing I had done that week was to do something about the lunchroom. During the second week, I wanted to establish relations with the engineering staff. I didn't know what to expect because few of the people in my department had any contact with them on a personal basis. It was strictly business. I had other objectives. I sought out Janice Meriwether and invited her for coffee on Tuesday morning. "I have a list of the engineers in our office but I haven't met any of them yet. Can you give me some idea of what to expect?" I don't think she was ready for my question. I was asking her opinion on senior staff and I'm guessing that was "out of bounds" in the past. She stumbled and stammered a bit but then I guess she decided I wasn't trying to trick her. "You've already met Dick Zarek and Rueben Golowitz, the senior men. Both are good guys who tolerate Flannery. I understand they welcomed the merger. No surprise there. Why do you want to know?" I explained the relationship between the designers and engineers in our Vancouver office and I saw her nodding approval as I spoke. "I think they'd welcome that. The old regime here had a pretty rigid class structure and mixing with the other staff and designers was not encouraged. Might give them ideas, don't you know," she smirked. "Do you see any problem if I approach the two partners and invite them to lunch?" She shook her head. "None that I can think of. I think it's a hell of a good idea. I'd like to do some of those same things in accounting and procurement too. We're supposed to be all one team but we haven't been operating that way. If you can crack that open I'm all for it." "Well, that's an objective that isn't exactly in my job description," I said, "but it's something I'd like to do if I can." "And I'd be happy to help any way I can," she smiled. "Thanks, Janice, I appreciate that." I left a voice mail message with Rueben and Dick inviting them to lunch on Thursday, my treat. I let them know I wanted to discuss the improvements in my department and "other issues." I was happy to get a single response from Dick Zarek saying they both would be pleased to accept my invitation. Mission accomplished. Both men came to my office just before noon on Thursday. After a couple minutes small talk, we left for the elevators and lunch. I chose a middle range restaurant not far from the office and both men indicated that they had eaten there a few times and it was good. I cheated and ordered a glass of wine, something I almost never did at lunch. My guests followed my lead. I wanted this to be informal and comfortable for all of us. It turned out just the way I'd hoped. We had just finished our lunches when Rueben spoke up. "You know, Dex, I think this is the first time anyone has ever made an attempt at desegregating the departments. About damn time too," he said forcefully. "I agree," Dick added. "Your side of the business has been getting the short end of the stick for a while now and it has affected us. What you plan to do with design is really way overdue but to get us involved with your people is just as important." "I'm surprised you've gotten along as well as you have with so little contact," I said. "Oh ... we've had contact all right but it's been all one-sided. Us giving the design people what we want and then waiting for it. A lot of our younger engineers would benefit from being closer to the design people. Less likely to come up with underdeveloped work." When we walked back to our office, I felt we had really set the groundwork for an improved relationship with the engineering group. Desegregation, Rueben called it. Pretty heavy word, I thought. To be continued Edited by ErikThread and DaveT with my thanks for their thoroughness and helpful suggestions.