18 comments/ 16014 views/ 15 favorites Coming From Behind Ch. 11-13 By: coaster2 Chapter 11 Sweating the Details Catherine, James, Brett, Scotty and I were all submerged in the final plans for the clubhouse, pro shop and out buildings. It seemed to consume our every waking moment. The number of things that needed to be resolved seemed endless at times. I think the only thing that kept me from slipping back into my old ways was the fact that Catherine was with me all the way, as deeply committed to realizing our dream as I was. Delores had given us access to one of the men on the planning commission to guide us through the myriad of regulations in front of us. Without that help I think we would have added another three months of work and frustration. We were very grateful that Delores had stuck her neck out on our behalf. It was always good to have friends on the inside. In mid-October we were ready to submit our finished plans and seek formal approval and building permits. The road had been paved smooth for us and we had all the permits and approvals within a week. We held a small celebration party with our gang of five at a local restaurant. Next on our list was to complete the signing of the construction contract and get the job underway. Wilford Contracting, our builder, was impressed with the speedy authorization of the final plans. We had accepted his estimates and signed the contract for the four buildings within a week of the approvals coming down. The pro shop would be the first priority, with the clubhouse next, then the two buildings for maintenance and storage. The clubhouse and pro shop design were integrated to look like each other, while the two service buildings were insulated metal quick-erect structures with the outside in dark burgundy and the roofs in slate gray. Catherine took pictures with our digital camera as the first soil was dug for the clubhouse. Scotty and I were standing nearby watching the event. "Laddie, I'd never thought I'd live to see the day," Scotty said with a big smile. "It will be a fine course for man or woman." "I think so too. I guess we should sit down with some of the suppliers and start thinking about what kind of inventory we want." "Aye. The lassie can help us with the women's wear. We can have a wee meeting soon if ye like." "Sooner is better," I smiled. We were getting down to the other priorities. Scotty had already given me the lowdown on leasing power carts. I didn't want to own them and few if any clubs did in this day and age. "Sand," Scotty said suddenly. "We'll be wanting it before long. Do ye ken what kind ye want?" "Anything but that light, fluffy silica sand. I hate that stuff," I said in no uncertain terms. "Let's use what everyone else around here uses." "Aye ... then it'll be washed river sand for ye. I'll get to it now." The thing I was coming to recognize in Scotty was his knowledge of what was going on at the other local golf courses in the Pacific Northwest. He had a network of contacts and had never let them lapse. His engaging personality kept him in touch with the key people in our business and he was using those contacts to keep up to date on equipment, services, problems others were having as well as sources of supply. It was hard to measure just how valuable he was. I had lost count of the number of times that my contacts with the other courses had asked if Scotty would still be here when we reopened. My affirmative answer was universally greeted with approval. We chose the second week of November to travel to Phoenix and visit with my parents. Scotty would manage the site and call us if there were any problems. James was working with the contractors to solve any early problems that might occur and Brett was left in charge of the course development. Both reported to Scotty in my absence. "Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet your future daughter, Catherine Walston," I said as we met in the airport baggage area. "Catherine, this is my mother, Claire, and my father, Gerry ... or Gerard to be correct," I smiled. "How wonderful to meet you, Catherine," my mother gushed. I had been praising her to the skies, so I wasn't surprised that my mother gave her a warm greeting. "I hope you can give me some pointers on my game, Catherine," Dad said, also smiling broadly. I've set up a game for the four of us tomorrow. I hope you brought your clubs." "You don't think we'd come all the way to Phoenix in November without them do you, Dad?" Within an hour I was completely relaxed and convinced that my parents had accepted Catherine. She too showed every sign that she felt their warmth and that we would have two sets of happy parents welcoming our marriage. Marie had never been comfortable with my parents and I thought it might be because they didn't run in the social circles she had been accustomed to. Her parents were upper middle class and that seemed to be important to her. There would be no such problem with this marriage. My father fell in love with Catherine almost immediately. It wasn't just that she was a beautiful woman but it was confirmed when we teed off the next day and he saw her first drive. Mom and I had a good laugh about it. He was hooked and watched her play with his mouth open in awe. Catherine played her role to the hilt, alternately teasing him and helping him with his game. I don't remember having as much fun in a round of golf as we did that day. We played almost every day of the week we were there. It was just warm enough during the midday and afternoon that we were comfortable. By the end of the week, Dad's game was better thanks to Catherine, but then, so was Mom's. My bride-to-be was helping her as well and Mom was a good student. I was just along for the ride but it was a fun ride. When we flew home to Portland, I was really happy with how easily our two sets of parents had accepted us as a married couple. They would attend the ceremony, of course, and since we had a three bedroom condo, we could put both sets up at our place for the week. Thank goodness we had two-and-a-half bathrooms. We set our wedding for June 11th and although it was over a half year away, the mothers and Catherine began the planning. I had enough to do with the construction of the course and club to keep me occupied. As I told Catherine, "Tell me what to wear and when to be there and I'll be fine." I wasn't going to get away with that, of course, but I did want to minimize my involvement in the details. Our project was going to consume my attention for the foreseeable future. To tell the truth, it wasn't as time consuming as I expected. Oh, there were plenty of details to be worked out as far as furnishings, inventory at the pro shop, equipment (lease or buy), promotional work, brochures, web site, and on and on. All of them had to have our input but I could almost see the time when we would be able to set a firm opening date. The only big question was when the clubhouse would be finished. If it was going to be done and ready to open during the summer, I was of a mind not to use any portables other than for the construction crews and our office. Objective: have the club open with a full, finished set of facilities ready to go. That would be ideal and would please Delores Sandoval no end. Catherine was by my side all the way through this process, still finding time to plan our wedding. I got the feeling this was going to be a production number not much less than Will's and Kate's wedding. I blocked it out mentally, hoping that the common sense of Yvonne, Catherine and my mother would keep them from getting carried away. "Terry, we have an idea we'd like to discuss with you if you have the time." It was Brett and James who appeared in my office portable early one Monday morning. "Go ahead, guys." "We were wondering how you'd feel about us organizing some tours for special interest groups," Brett began. "The course is going to be ready for play before the buildings are done. We were thinking, we could have the golf writers from the newspapers, the tourism magazines, Golf TV and the local stations out to see the course and show them what it's going to be like. Let them play a round. We're going to be advertising with all of them so they'd have a reason to write us up, hopefully favorably." "I'll be able to give them a good feeling for the facilities too," James added. "I think it would be good for us to get some extra promotion and maybe some membership out of it." "And of course," I smiled, "two young architects would get some additional exposure from it as well." "Uh, well, yeah ... that too," James said bashfully. "I think it's a hell of an idea, guys. Go ahead. Set it up. Don't make it too soon. We don't want the public to have to wait too long to see the finished product, but magazines have a lot longer preparation time than newspapers or TV. I hope this helps both of you find some new work." "Uhhm, how do you think Catherine would feel about doing some interviews ... you know ... from the professional golfer's perspective?" "You'll have to ask her yourself but don't be shy. We can use all the help we can get to launch this business." I was half happy and half kicking myself for not thinking of getting our marketing lined up. Too many distractions? Whatever, I was going to have to get myself on track and pronto. I explained the boys' plan to Scotty and I could see him nod his head in agreement. "Aye, that's a fine plan, Lad. I'll be ge'ing my friends a ring as well." "I wonder if we shouldn't hire an agency to promote the club?" I asked, as much to myself as to Scotty. "Aye ... but would it be clever to wait until the local folk have their go?" "Yeah ... maybe so. Spread it out over some time. Get some favorable quotes to use." Scotty was nodding his agreement. I sat in on the supplier meetings with Catherine and Scotty. I had my own biases but they were the experienced professionals and I wanted the pro shop to reflect the needs of both the weekend golfer and the lower handicap player. Some of our inventory would be on consignment but most of it we would have to purchase. The costs continued to rise but I was committed to getting this done right and not to scrimp or short-change the operation. Scotty had negotiated some very good terms on a variety of items, including shoes, rainwear, bags with our logo and name on them, balls for the range and two lines of mid-range clubs that he was confident would be good quality at reasonable prices. Signature golf balls could be ordered as well but we hadn't decided on which brand. Some of our suppliers wanted exclusives but we weren't in a position to grant that. I wanted a variety of proven brand names and if that meant a higher cost, I would live with it for now. It would probably take a couple of years to sort out which brands were the most popular but there was no accounting for fads. The square-head driver was a classic example. It was something we would have to be wary of – overstocking short-term fad items. We had been using the pro shop as our site office and coffee room but we were rapidly running out of space. I bit the bullet and ordered a large portable to use as our office, making sure we had enough space for the five of us to work effectively. I was hoping that if the construction went as planned, it would be the only portable I would have to use. The construction company would have their own unit and our security firm would use Scotty's old trailer for their man. I decided to hire a company to run the restaurant and lounge facilities. They would have the experience and manpower to do it without our having to go to all the trouble of staffing it ourselves. Over time I might change my mind but for now, it took the burden of that part of our organization off my shoulders. I interviewed three companies and chose one on the basis of both my gut feel and their experience. They weren't the cheapest but their references were excellent and I got no negative feedback when I checked them. We celebrated Thanksgiving at the Walston home in Eugene. There wouldn't be anyone on our construction site other than the hired security we now employed. The last thing we needed was to have valuable materials and tools stolen. Yes, we were insured, but besides the deductible it was the inconvenience and the possibility that some of the stolen items might be irreplaceable. We also installed some security cameras to cover the entire site. They would remain when the project was complete. Yvonne and Fred made me feel very much at home over that weekend. We watched some football, ate too much, did a bit of sightseeing around the U. of O. campus and generally relaxed and had a good time. There was no need and no ambition to rush out Friday to go shopping with the throngs. I thought how similar this family was to my own. We were close and so were Catherine and her family. They spent almost an hour on the phone with her sister and her family in Boise on Thanksgiving Day. I said hello to them, introducing myself and promising to find a way to visit in the future. Christmas was a small affair for us. We celebrated with Scotty, James and Brett on Christmas Eve, leaving Christmas Day for just Catherine and me. I gave her a diamond necklace to make up for the modest diamond she chose for an engagement ring. It was an extravagance but I wanted to show her just how much she meant to me and I was happy when she received it with thanks. Naturally, we called our families to wish them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in advance. Delores Sandoval invited Catherine and me to a New Years Eve party that was sponsored by the County. We dressed up, with Catherine wearing her new necklace and me in a suit once more. It was a first since leaving Chicago. Scotty was off to another party hosted by some of his acquaintances in the golf fraternity. The young architects found their own party as well. It was back to work on Tuesday, January 2nd. It had been a green Christmas and New Years, something Catherine had assured me was common. It was quite a change from Chicago and the cold winds off Lake Michigan. It wasn't exactly balmy, but our crews could work in this weather if it didn't rain too hard. We were getting close to having both the clubhouse and pro-shop fully sheathed and ready for roofing and siding. The windows and doors would be arriving in a week and that would allow some of the inside mechanical work to begin. The course repairs and redesign were complete with the exception of sand for the traps and the three new greens. The irrigation system was installed and the computer control would be hooked up when the service buildings were complete. Catherine was constantly going over the budget and keeping me appraised of our progress. We were doing well I felt. We were getting good cooperation from our suppliers and sub-contractors. Materials and labor were arriving on time and getting their work done promptly. The soft construction market did wonders for the attitude of people. They needed the work and they wanted more in the future as well. It was quite a contrast to the way business was done in the east. I felt better and better about my decision to make Oregon my new home. "I have an idea I wanted to bounce off you," I said one evening as we lay in bed. "What's that?" Catherine asked. "What would you say to our wedding being here at the new clubhouse on the official opening? How do you think you would feel about that?" "I don't know. My parents might be a little disappointed. I think my mother especially wanted me to have a church wedding." "Yeah. I should have thought of that. Well, the reception could be at Bending Willows." "I think that's a given. Where else?" "I guess one out of two isn't bad," I smiled. Chapter 12 Unplayable Lie There are times in my life when I'm convinced I'm invincible. It's usually just before something happens that proves I'm not. It was one o'clock in the morning on a late February Sunday when the phone rang. Unfortunately, the phone was in the hallway and I'm sure it must have rung several times before my brain registered that I should answer it. Catherine was still asleep, or maybe just pretending so that she didn't have to get up. I had a premonition this wouldn't be good because of the insistence of the ringing and the time. "Hullo?" was about the best I could manage. "Mr. Monahan, it's Jerry out at the golf club. There's a fire in the new clubhouse and the other building. I called the fire department but you better get out here. Somebody set it on purpose." "Shit! I'm on my way. Are you okay, Jerry?" I asked, suddenly wide awake. "Yeah ... it didn't catch here at the trailer or the portable. Just the new buildings. Should I call the cops?" "No ... let the fire department handle it. I'll be there in twenty minutes." "Okay, I can see the fire trucks coming now. I gotta hang up. See you then." I walked back to the bedroom and turned on the bedside light. Catherine was awake now, wondering what was going on. "The security guy says there's a fire at the club. The new buildings. He said he thinks somebody set it. I'm going out now and see what's going on. You stay here and I'll call when I know more." She was wide awake now. "No ... I'm coming too. Wait for me," she announced as she jumped out of bed and headed quickly to the closet. We got dressed in record time and headed for my car. I broke a few speed limits on the way, but at that time on a Sunday morning we weren't encountering any traffic. When we arrived at the club the fire was out, or so it appeared. The lights from the fire truck and our lamp posts showed lots of smoke but no flame that we could see. Maybe they caught it in time. My hopes were dashed pretty quickly as we parked the car and moved toward the new clubhouse. Half of it was charred black and the fire department was still pouring water on it. I turned to look at the new pro shop and it was gone. Just a pile of blackened rubble when the framed and sheathed structure was a few hours ago. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut by a heavyweight prizefighter. I was standing and looking at the destruction of my dream and I could barely breathe. It took a minute or so to realize Catherine was hanging on to my arm with a look of horror on her face as well. She was just as devastated as I was. Jerry must have called Scotty as I saw him wandering around outside the perimeter the fire department had established. He had a look of shock on his face that told the tale. We weren't prepared for something like this. We had been so single-minded about this project that it never even dawned on us that disaster could strike. Oh sure, we had insurance and we would be covered all right. But what about time? How long would it take to get back to where we were? Thank God no one was hurt, but any idea we would be opening this summer had vanished. I looked around for Jerry, our security guy that night, and saw him talking to what I assumed was the fire chief. He was pointing something out to him and I assumed it was what he had seen. I remembered he told me that this was no accident. I had a hunch who might have had a reason to burn the buildings. I caught Scotty's attention and waved him over as Catherine and I walked toward the portable. I unlocked the door, flicking on the lights and Catherine immediately set about making some coffee. "What a mess," I said to no one in particular. "Aye. Bloody shame. The lad says someone set it. D'ye ken something like that?" "No ... doesn't make sense. I saw him talking to the fire chief, so they'll be on it right away. I wonder what he saw?" It was at that point there was a knock on the door and it opened and the man I guessed was the fire chief looked in. "Are you Mr. Monahan?" "Yes, I'm Terry Monahan. Come in. We're just making some coffee." Coming From Behind Ch. 11-13 "Thanks," he smiled carefully. "I had a talk to your security guy and he told me he saw someone on the TV monitor with what looked like a gas canister, sneaking around the outside of the big building. He has the disc recording of it and I've got a copy to turn over to the inspector when he gets here this morning." "Can I see it? I'd like to know who would want to burn down our buildings." "I've got the disc sealed for the inspector, but your security guy has it on his hard drive he told me. He can probably show it to you." I nodded as Catherine brought the coffee to the table with some cream and sugar as well. "If it is arson, how long will it be before we can clear the site and go back to work?" I asked. "Hard to say. We'll be looking for evidence, of course. That can take a few days or longer sometimes. We want to catch this person or persons." "Understood. I guess I'll have to cross my fingers that it doesn't take too long." "I will too, Mr. Monahan. My wife and I used to play this course and I was really looking forward to you opening it again. Everything I saw you doing out here looked great. We'll try and get you back in business as soon as possible, I promise." "Thanks, I really appreciate that." A half-hour later, Jerry Dahlman knocked on the door and came in. "Mr. Monahan, the chief said you might want to have a look at the video of what I saw. I've got it on my computer in the trailer." "Yes ... thanks Jerry. I would." "There's a pretty decent look at the guy's face in one part, so I'm sure the investigators will have something to go on." "Let's go," I said, with Scotty and Catherine right behind me. It was pretty crowded in the little trailer as we huddled around the monitor. Jerry brought up the video from earlier that night and let it run. "I was just back from doing a tour around the site and grabbing a sandwich from the fridge. I don't think I was away from the monitors for more than two or three minutes. I saw something or someone moving near the big building and I zoomed in on it. I couldn't tell what he was doing, but I was about to call the office when all of a sudden I saw flames coming from the smaller building. He must have turned to look in that direction because I got a decent look at his face then." Jerry took the mouse and stopped the video at that point, zooming in on the face. "Well, well," I said with a sigh. "Do you see what I see, Catherine?" "Oh my God ... that's Norman Fears! He did this?" she asked in wonder. "Looks like it. I wondered if this might be some of his handiwork. I better get the chief back in here." I took off out the door and began looking for the fire chief. I spotted him on the other side of the clubhouse giving some of his men instructions. "Chief ... sorry to interrupt, but I think we've identified the man who set these fires. The video recording clearly shows the face of a man both Catherine and I know." "All right. I'll let our investigator know to see you first. He should be here by eight this morning." I looked at my watch. It was coming up four am and that meant a four hour wait. There was nothing I could until then so I headed back to the portable. "It'll be four hours before the fire investigator gets here. We can show him the video then. When do you get off work, Jerry?" "I get relieved at six, but I'm going to stick around. I'm sure they'll want to talk to me about this. My boss will be here by then. "Okay. Scotty, you can head home or stay, whatever you think. There isn't much we can do until this is all settled. I'll call Garth at Wilford and let him know what's happened. He'll have to reorganize his crews. We'll let Brett and James know later on if they don't hear it on the radio." I stopped and sat down. My head was spinning with the implications of this fire. It wouldn't be just time. No matter how good our insurance was, it was going to add to our costs one way or another. Again, I had that hollow feeling in my gut. I had my head in my hands when I felt two soft arms wrap around me and hold me. "It's going to be okay, Terry. We'll get past this. Everyone will pitch in and help ... I know they will," she said softly. I leaned back into her. I wondered what I would be like at this moment if Catherine hadn't been here with me ... not just now after the fire, but all along. It was our first crisis and I needed to clear my head and begin thinking about what to do and when to do it. Unfortunately, most of that was out of my hands until we were given permission to go back to work. I started to think about all the things that had to be done between now and then that I had absolutely no control over. Insurance for one. How long before there would be a payout. Not soon, I guessed, considering there was no doubt it was arson. I'd need more money until then. Could the remaining part of the clubhouse be saved? Who would look after the demolition and site remediation? Would our contractor still be available to bring the job to completion? Questions upon questions upon questions. Catherine was the steady one that morning. She sat down and made a list of the people we would have to notify and the changes that would probably have to be made. Little things like the projected opening dates in the promotional brochures. I watched her concentrate as she thought of all the things that might need to be addressed. It was like watching her play in a tournament. Complete focus on her task. I shook my head in admiration. She was the steady one and I was the guy who was lost for what to do. I poured us both another coffee and she looked up and smiled. She must have seen the concerned look on my face. "Relax, Terry. This is just like having an unplayable lie. You wait for the official, declare the ball unplayable, then take the ball back along the line of entry and carry on. Yeah ... it costs you a shot or two, but it doesn't mean you lose the game. We'll get past this," she smiled. I had to believe that. She did, so I had to as well. Although the Gresham Fire Department responded to the call, the inspector would be provided by the Multnomah County Fire Service. John Bryson arrived promptly at eight that Sunday morning. After a brief conversation with the chief, he headed for our security trailer. I had thought about going over there to hear the conversation but thought better of it. Let him do his job I scolded myself. A few minutes later, Jerry and the inspector walked the short distance to our trailer and knocked on the open door. "Come in, please," I said extending my hand. "I'm Terry Monahan and this is my fiancée and administrative assistant, Catherine Walston. Would you like a coffee?" "I would, thank you. I had to skip my usual Sunday morning breakfast when I got the call from Chief Reiter. Mr. Dahlman tells me you think you can identify the person who might have set this fire." "Yes, I'm pretty sure we know who it is. We might even know why." "That would be a big help, provided you can positively identify him. I looked at the video and it was fortunate that our perpetrator gave us a good view of his face." He pulled a disc from his pocket and passed it to me. "Why don't we have a look at this together and you can tell me what you believe." I nodded and slipped the disc into the disc drive on my laptop. I let Jerry set the video to just before he saw the movement. He let it run and pointed out what he saw. Within a few seconds, the flames from the new pro shop lit up the scene and Jerry paused it at that point. He zoomed in on the now lit-up face of the man. "That man is Norman Fears. He is, or was, a developer who was trying to sell this golf course when he couldn't get a permit to develop the property. We bought it from him after some negotiations. He was trying to make some money that I wasn't prepared to offer. He was pretty upset that he ended up with nothing after his grandiose plans to make a fortune." "Are you sure that's him?" the inspector asked, looking carefully at both of us. "Yes," we said in chorus. "Very well, I'll inform the police and we'll get a warrant for his arrest. If you're right, it will save us a lot of time and effort. I'm sure the District Attorney will want to talk to you as well." "Assuming he is the man, when would you think we can begin to clean up the site and get back to construction?" I asked. "We're going to have to conduct a thorough inspection regardless. It's procedure. We'll try and get it released back to you as soon as possible, but I can't venture a date right now." I nodded, feeling it was going to be a long time seeing our dream come true. I ejected the disc and handed it back to the inspector. He thanked us for our cooperation and left. I was back to feeling like the whole thing was coming apart at the seams. It took every bit of energy out of me. "Let's go home and get some sleep, Catherine. There isn't any more we can do here." She nodded and we walked out onto the ground, looking around once more at the still smoldering destruction. "Terry," I heard from behind me. I turned. "Delores ... what are you doing here?" "I heard about the fire. I'm very sorry about this. I understand it was arson." "Yeah. We just talked to the fire inspector and told him that it was Norman Fears." "Norman Fears? That creep who was trying to get the development zoning?" "The same." "Why?" I shrugged. "I guess he's a sore loser." Delores was shaking her head. "What a mess. This is awful. If there's anything I can do please don't hesitate to ask. Everything was going so well ... until this," she said sorrowfully. "Thanks, Delores. I really appreciate your support. Right now we can't do anything until the fire inspector releases the property back to us. It will make our opening date a good deal later than planned, that's for sure." "Don't be discouraged, Terry. We'll cut you some slack. Extenuating circumstances and all that. I know you won't take advantage of the situation." I knew she was referring to the deadline on the portables and I smiled for the first time that morning. "Thank you, Delores. That does mean a lot." Catherine took my hand and thanked her too. It was good to have friends when things weren't going well. That was one of the few positive things that had happened today. The next three weeks were the worst I can remember in a long time. The only things that kept me sane were Catherine and the need to do something. We were on the phone constantly the Monday and Tuesday following the fire. We contacted everyone we could think of, including our parents, of course. Everyone was sympathetic but there was little anyone could do until the fire department gave us an "all clear" to begin to clean up the mess and get going again. It's times like this, though, that you find our who your friends are. John Fortrand called us Monday morning to assure us that funds would be available on my signature alone if they were required. I thanked him and told him I was grateful for his support. Delores phoned that afternoon and let me know that the committee members were in support of extending the deadline on the portables and would leave it to us to let them know what was required. I know that was the call that got me thinking more positively. We might not have all our facilities in place, but with a judicious use of portables, we could open the course to play, letting everyone know that the facilities would be along soon. We just couldn't define when "soon" was. Our contractor, Garth Kramer, reminded me that they did demolition as well as construction and could handle the site clearing. It would make a smoother transition for us and I was happy to tell him that he could consider it a part of the contract. Our insurance agent, Dave Stevens, assured me that the minute the police and fire department let them know the result of the investigation that the claim would be paid. He also confirmed that part of our policy covered loss of business and we could make a case that the loss of facilities would constitute a legitimate claim. He wasn't the carrier, mind you, just the agent, but he was definitely on our side. It was almost three weeks later that I had a call from the district attorney's office. Norman Fears had been located and arrested on arson charges. He apparently confessed to the crime almost immediately. There would be no trial, merely a sentencing hearing. The D.A.'s office expected the judge would sentence him to six-to-ten years in the state penitentiary. Almost immediately the fire and police gave us permission to clear the site and resume construction. It was a month almost to the day after the fire that we got the good news. Our insurance man marveled at the quickness of their decision. He was expecting at least two months and perhaps longer. Unfortunately, the remaining clubhouse structure would have to be removed. There was no saving it according to the insurance company's engineer. I felt like celebrating but I couldn't find a way to rejoice in the fate of Norman Fears or the work that needed to be done to get us back under way. Garth Kramer estimated that with the site clearance and the resuming of the construction, we were now four months behind our original schedule. That meant we wouldn't have full facilities until the fall, likely November. There was nothing we could do but push ahead with the timing. In a strange twist of fate, we would still meet our deadline to have the portables removed by year end unless some other disaster befell us. I called a meeting with Scotty, Catherine, Garth, James and Brett to discuss our options. It certainly wasn't a negative meeting. Most of us felt we had escaped with the least possible consequences. True, our opening would really cut into our revenue and membership opportunities. Also true, we couldn't measure how the potential members would feel about temporary and limited facilities during the peak season. We had to hope that they would be understanding. "I have an idea," Catherine said at one point. "Let's hear it, I smiled." Her input was always useful and to-the-point. "I think we should do two things. We should have a model of the new clubhouse and pro shop built and put it on a table for potential members to see. Also, I think we should take a lot of these pictures we have from before and after the fire and post them on a big board so people can relate to what happened and see the progress we've made." I was about to say something when I heard the loud smack of hands behind me. "Bloody good, Lass!" I heard Scotty exclaim. "You took the words right out of my mouth, Scotty," I added. "Damn good idea" seemed to be the unanimous consensus. I laughed as I hugged my lady. "Now you know who the brains of this outfit is." James knew exactly where to get the model built and volunteered to take care of that. We already had computer designed drawings for the buildings and they could be readily and quickly translated into a model. Catherine and Brett would put the photo story together. Brett had been the official picture taker for our project and had plenty for them to choose from. I was back to my old, optimistic self once more. I guess the problem for me was that this was personal. This resurrection of Bending Willows was a personal ambition, happily shared by several others, especially Catherine. I couldn't compare it to what I used to do to solve big problems when they arose. The ones that challenged me in my old job seemed more abstract. This ... this golf course ... was real and I was the imaginer that got its rebirth started. Yes ... this was personal. It had started almost as a lark and had turned into something far greater. It had gone from being the fun of playing Norman Fears for the ownership to getting personally involved in the design of the course and buildings. It had gone from convincing a professional golfer that she could be a winner once more as well as a business executive. Hell yes, this was what I knew I should be doing. It might not have been so in the beginning, but it certainly was now and I damn sure wasn't going to let Norman Fears get in the way. There was only one hurdle left to deal with, our wedding. The church had been selected and booked in June, but we hadn't decided on the location of the reception. I really wanted it to be at Bending Willows but I couldn't think of any practical way that we could achieve that. Between the construction and the temporary facilities, there simply wasn't enough room for it. We had to look for an alternative. "Eh ... Terry. Can I have a wee word with ye?" Scotty asked me one morning. "Sure. What can I do for you?" It was seldom that Scotty wanted to speak to me alone. "Eh ... have ye decided on your wedding reception? The place I mean." "No," I sighed. "Not yet." "Eh ... a friend of mine at Oak Grove said he might hae a wee place for ye in their club." "Oak Grove? That's private, isn't it?" "Aye. But ... it wuld be a favor to me. We're mates, like." "How do I go about seeing this place with Catherine? I want her to be happy about it too." "Aye. Wise to be sure. I can gie him a ring if ye like." I looked at his serious face and grinned. "Thank you, Scotty. I'm sure we'd like that very much." Catherine had been to Gresham to restock the fridge in the portable's kitchenette. We had lunch there almost every day, so it made sense. When she arrived back at Bending Willows, I helped her with the bags and mentioned Scotty's offer. "That would be great, Terry. I've been to Oak Grove and it's a very lovely clubhouse and facilities. It would be perfect for us. Let's go this afternoon if we can." I was pleased to see her so enthusiastic and I let Scotty know that she was all for his idea. Within the hour we had an invitation to visit the club and see the facilities that were being offered. Oak Grove proved to be a cut above the standard we had set for Bending Willows. It was an older established course that had a waiting list for membership and I could immediately see why. Scotty introduced us to his contact and we were shown the reception area that they proposed. Catherine pronounced it perfect and was already asking about the catering. The club would provide that as well. Our host told us that they were saddened to hear of the destruction of our new buildings and wanted to help us in any way they could. It was my first experience with the kind of kinship the local courses had with each other. We were members of a fraternity rather than competitors. True, competition among the clubs was active and occasionally intense, but in the end they had developed a friendly working relationship among themselves. The ride back to Gresham was pleasant and upbeat thanks to Scotty's help in solving our one remaining problem. Catherine was happy, and if she was happy, I was happy. In addition, Oak Grove was not too far from the church that had been chosen by Catherine and her mother. Chapter 13 Bells and Whistles We were married in St. Mark's Episcopal Church on a beautiful spring Saturday in June. My parents and Catherine's were in attendance, of course. Even though it was my second marriage, I could see the happiness on my mother's face as I stood waiting for my bride. When at last she walked slowly down the aisle arm-in-arm with her beaming father, I realized just how much this meant to both of us. I had a personal resolve not to allow anything to get in the way of the success of this union. Catherine was embarking on something entirely new for her. She had been an independent woman for some years, living on the road as part of the LPGA tour. This was a big step for her but I never once got the feeling that she had any doubt about her decision to marry me. Coming From Behind Ch. 11-13 We had hired two stretch limousines to carry the wedding party. That included our parents and Scotty, of course. It also included James and his new bride as well and Brett and his lady friend. The champagne would flow freely at the Oak Grove club and I didn't want anyone to overindulge and end up with a DUI. There would be cabs waiting just in case. I suppose I was on a high that afternoon. I'm not much of a dancer but, by God, I danced the day away. I danced with Catherine, her mother, my mother, Delores Sandoval, John Fortrand's wife Amy, James' wife Cecily, Brett's girlfriend whose name escapes me, and several other women I don't remember names for either. I suppose that was a good thing as it kept me from sitting around drinking champagne. The club president of Oak Grove stopped by to congratulate us and wish us well with the new Bending Willows. I thought that was a pretty classy thing to do. If he was representative of the people who ran the golf clubs in northwestern Oregon, I was in good company. I noticed that Delores and Scotty had more than one dance and seemed to be spending some time with each other. Delores had come on her own and I assumed that meant she was unattached. It was only later than I learned her husband had been confined to a long term care facility with Alzheimer's. There was little prospect of him ever going home. She was a fine lady and I thought she and Scotty would make a nice couple. "I'm surprised you had enough energy to crawl into bed, much less make love," Catherine kidded as we cuddled after our first joining as a married couple. "I'll always find energy for you, love. That's a promise." "I'll hold you to that. I'm much younger than you," she giggled. "You'll have to get in shape." "I didn't think seven years was that much of a difference, and, I'll have you know, I am in good physical condition for my advanced years. However, I will begin tomorrow morning getting myself back in fighting trim for my new bride." "I'm going to hold you to those promises, you know. I don't want anything to come between us ... especially not the job. I'm going to be right there beside you to make sure you don't fall into that trap again." "I made myself a promise long before I made that promise to you, love. That's why I'm here with you and not back in Chicago living the life of a lonely bachelor. This is the good life and I want to keep it." She crawled on top of me and began kissing me while rubbing her body on mine. It took almost no time at all before I was erect again and she guided me into her in one smooth motion. Catherine wasn't a vocal person, but her body movements told me just how she was responding to our lovemaking. In the months that we had been together we had learned a lot about what each of us wanted from our joining. Now, words just didn't seem necessary. Neither of us was in a hurry. We were going to have the rest of our lives ahead of us, however long that might be. We were both committed to each other and I couldn't see me making another mistake like I had six years ago. I was in complete comfort as I lazily moved in and out of her. She seemed weightless in these moments, and yet she was a voluptuous female that I could spend hours exploring with my hands and mouth. I couldn't imagine being more satisfied than this. Wilford Contracting, under Garth Kramer's direction, had the clubhouse and pro shop sites cleared and cleaned ready for resumption of construction in less than two weeks. We were fortunate that there was no structural damage to the footings and foundations. While that was going on, the two service buildings were assembled on their pads in what seemed like no time at all. They were pre-fabricated steel and more time would be needed to finish the insides but they would be ready for use within two months. At the end of each week, Garth would give Catherine, James and me an update on progress. He was very pleased that they had no problem replacing the materials, even the window wall in the front of the clubhouse. There would be no delays due to material shortages. Scotty was hard at work organizing the inventory for the pro shop and supplies for the services. We had purchased two quad track units for light use around the course. Brett commandeered one of them for supervising the crews on the course rebuild while the other was for general use around the site. Power carts had been ordered for delivery when we had an opening date for the course. Until the construction was well under way, we couldn't have people wandering about possibly putting themselves in danger of being injured. I meant it would be August before we could open the course to play and even then, access would be quite limited for safety reasons. Nonetheless, at that time we would be open for business. The model of the new facilities was finished except for painting and would be delivered before we opened. The picture storyboard was well along thanks to Catherine and Brett. They would continue to add photos as construction progressed. I was interviewing staff for the grounds crew and maintenance department, naturally with Scotty's help. There was no shortage of people looking for work. We had canvassed the other clubs to find out what the pay rates were so that we wouldn't under or overpay our people. The new scorecards were printed and all of us were happy with them. Our website would be done by a local professional that James knew. It even included a virtual tour of the course showing the clubhouse, pro shop and facilities. It looked fantastic and it got me excited all over again about opening the course to public play. We settled on Friday, August 26th as our first day welcoming the playing public. Actually, we had invited a number of press and golf-related people including our suppliers earlier in the week to play the course and give us their opinion. No one turned us down, even knowing it would be some time before all the facilities were in place. We wanted their opinion on the course itself. Catherine, Brett and Scotty would be a big feature of those preview rounds. Brett could answer to the design of the course, Scotty to assess the feedback from his suppliers, and of course Catherine to play with the members of the media as a special treat. The plan was that she would play six holes with each of three foursomes but when word got out she would end up playing two days with three foursomes each day. Everyone wanted a round with the beautiful Administrative Manager and professional golfer. As the opening week approached, I was on pins and needles. I can't count the number of times I toured the course to make sure everything was in good order. From the ball washers to the benches on the tee box to the signage: it had to be just right. We even brought in a mobile food service van to look after hungry or thirsty players. There would be no charge for our invited guests. The model of the facilities was finished and it was spectacular. The roofs were removable to show the inside configuration of both the pro shop and the clubhouse. They had even placed the models on a landscaped setting showing the position of the two buildings in relation to the course. They had done a hell of a job. It was worth the cost. The power carts arrived on time, complete with decals bearing the course name. I really liked that touch. They would be stored in one of the maintenance buildings under lock and key each night. We had hired four maintenance people, three of whom had previous experience. Scotty would be the manager of that department for the time being. Our new greenskeeper would arrive from Helena in September. We had tested the computerized watering system and it was working as planned. The gang mowers were in place and we were cutting every second day at present. We didn't want to scalp the fairways and greens, especially during the hot summer weather. We weren't setting up for competition conditions. We were catering to the average golfer. We scheduled the media and supplier events for the Tuesday and Wednesday, hoping that if there were any glitches that we would have time to rectify them before we opened on the Friday. I held a briefing for our guests, explaining that the three new greens would be a bit sandy to start with and therefore a bit slow. I also went over the models to show them the clubhouse and pro shop configurations. My presentation was apparently well received even as I emphasized the hazard tape around the construction area was a no-go zone. I wanted them to assess the course on its own merits and we welcomed feedback, even if it wasn't positive. I introduced Scotty, which proved to be unnecessary as everyone knew him. I then introduced Catherine and again, most of our guests knew her from her golfing exploits. I was told more than once that I had chosen my staff well, even if I did have to marry one of them. I had planned to include myself in one of the media foursomes but the demand was greater than the room, so I played both days with the suppliers. I was glad I did in the end. I got to know the people who would be important to the success of Bending Willows and I think I made some new friends. They were liberal with their accolades on our achievement and said it was exactly the kind of course families would enjoy. Not too demanding unless they were playing from the gold tees, but not so easy as to reward poor shots. I felt good about that since it was our objective. I had played a couple of rounds before our guests had been scheduled and I was satisfied with the layout and the features. Catherine agreed with our suppliers' judgment but proof of the comments would be when prospective members played the course. Catherine was a big hit with the media people. She was upbeat and confident as she mixed with the people who would judge and inform the public on the merits of our efforts. She put no pressure on them or herself, she just played golf and gave help and hints only when asked. I was immensely proud of her and I think she did us a world of good those two days. When the two days were over and Catherine, Scotty, Brett, James and I got together for a post-mortem, the consensus was that we had a hit on our hands. There were few if any criticisms. We did hear that it would probably be a little too easy for professionals, but I could live with that. That wasn't our target market. Brett was beaming from ear to ear with the positive feedback he got on the course layout and condition. He had something to add to his résumé and a boost to his career. James would hear his accolades when the new facilities were opened, but the response to the models was all positive. He would have something to brag about as well. Scotty, with his inimitable placid demeanor, watched the proceedings with a satisfied expression but little comment. His comment to me afterwards was all I wanted to hear. "Y've done it, Lad. Y've done it fine style. Well done. I'm proud to have a wee part of it." "We've got a very good team, Scotty. You're a big part of what we've achieved so far and you'll be a big part of our success in the future. Thank you for all your effort and support," I said, holding out my hand and shaking his firmly. The smile I got in response was more than enough. With very limited marketing and publicity, we opened the course to public play on Friday as scheduled. It was slow at first, but by afternoon we were operating at capacity. Our food vendor had to send for a second truck to service the customers and that made them happy. But most of all, the feedback from the golfers as they finished their game was the kicker. It was unanimously positive. They liked everything about the course. The most frequently asked question was when the new clubhouse would be open. By five o'clock Friday afternoon, our Saturday morning and early afternoon was fully booked. I wondered how word of mouth had gotten around this quickly and the answer was the media. TV, radio, and the morning newspaper had stories about our reopening after the reconstruction of the course and the fire. Apparently, we got a lot of favorable comment about what we had accomplished and the word got out very quickly. Bending Willows was back in business. All three newspapers had feature stories about us on Saturday. All of them gave the history of the previous owners, the abandonment of the course, the acquisition by a new face on the local scene, and of course, the fire. Several pictures appeared with the stories, including the models of the clubhouse and pro shop. The TV stations showed file footage of Catherine during her LPGA days, mentioning her involvement in the management as well as our marriage. Both of our young architects got prominent mention as well. It couldn't have hoped for more positive publicity than this. All of the hoopla and hullabaloo was over as quickly as it started. By Tuesday we were booking foursomes steadily at about seventy-five percent capacity. If it kept up like this, my cash flow projections would be conservative. What we wanted now were memberships. Our marketing company was preparing a drive for us and I was anxious to get it started. I had originally thought we would delay it until the facilities were complete, but the positive publicity was too good an opportunity to let pass. We had set up an "early bird discount" for the first one hundred memberships sold. We had priced ourselves right in the middle of the local market, hoping that we would be able to convince people that it was a good value. It took a while to get some action, but slowly and steadily, we began to sell memberships to individuals and families. As usual, we had special pricing for social members, seniors (65+), juniors and family packages. I was sure we would do better when the clubhouse was open, even if it was in the late fall. In this part of the country you can play golf almost year around. That was a radical difference between here and the Midwest and had a big effect on the economics. Now it was a matter of tapping my toes, anxiously awaiting the completion of the two buildings. The pro shop would be first with its lesser size and features. It was expected to be finished by mid November. The clubhouse with its kitchen, toilet and shower facilities and much larger size would likely be sometime near year end. We were cutting it close to our original agreement to remove the portables by then, but I wasn't worried. Delores had reaffirmed her willingness to forgive that original date, trusting us to have them gone at the first opportunity. I planned to live up to her expectations. Catherine was as happy as I could remember her in the past year. She was deeply immersed in her responsibilities at the club, but was making sure we had time to ourselves. We were playing at least one game a week, usually a Wednesday. As fall progressed and the weather turned we saw our bookings drop off as expected, but not as much as I had feared. The course was holding up very well under rainy conditions and I was thankful for the good natural drainage that it seemed to have. Brett's attention to any wet spots last winter had paid off. The fairways remained firm and playable. There was no great fanfare when we opened the pro shop except by Scotty, who immediately declared it a national holiday. He was out of his portable and into the new building the second the contractor turned it over to us. He was seldom an expressive man, but the wall-to-wall smile on his face that first day was something to see. He didn't just have a great shop, he had the goods to go with it. He was proud of his merchandise and the customers would know it. We postponed our family Christmas when we knew the new clubhouse would be almost finished and need our approval before handing it over. Garth had worked closely with us to make sure we were happy with everything. The furnishings had been ordered and would be held until the last minute. The kitchen equipment had arrived and was set in place prior to final installation. Paint, finish trim, carpeting, and window treatments were ongoing work. As the building progressed, I got more and more excited with each day. It was going to look spectacular, in my opinion. I have to admit some bias, of course. The last two weeks of the project seemed to drag on endlessly. Dozens of little details would crop up to distract us, but the work progressed inching ever closer to the finish. I received word that sentencing of Norman Fears would be held in February and he was likely facing at least six years in prison as well as financial ruin. It was ironic that I would hear that almost to the day that our rebuilding project was complete. Finally, on a dark, rainy night in late December, Garth, Catherine, James and I made the final inspection. The outside had been done for over two weeks. It was the inside that we had to go over thoroughly. We found little to correct and I was satisfied that we could call the job complete. "Well done, Garth. You've come through for us with flying colors," I smiled. "Thanks, Terry. I'm really proud of our guys. I think they did a great job. I hope you feel the same way." "Absolutely. Considering the way things looked last spring, this is a great result." "I agree," James echoed. "I have to say, if this is what working with contractors is like, my job is going to be very easy." Garth and I both laughed. "I think you got lucky, James," I said. "You got the best guy possible for your first effort. I hope you learned a lot from him. They won't all be this good." He nodded and shook Garth's hand. He was very proud of his first design and he had a hard time walking out of the building that evening. Even without the furniture, it was a beautiful structure. That reminded me of something I had promised. "I'm going to have those last two portables removed, Garth. You see any problem with that?" "No. This building is ready for occupancy. You can call your catering company and put the furniture and toilet paper in place and you'll be in business." I let out a big sigh. It didn't happen quite the way I had planned, but this was the last piece of the puzzle. Bending Willows was a day away from being a fully operational golf and country club. Catherine was holding onto my arm as we completed the inspection and like Scotty had when we handed over the pro shop to him, she was beaming from ear to ear. "Delores, it's done," I said, not even bothering to introduce myself. "Please come and see what we've accomplished." "I'll be there in the morning, Terry. Don't forget the Danish," she laughed. The kitchen was now operational and the staff in place. We would be serving breakfast, lunch, and if we had enough interest, they agreed to have a dinner service as well. They needed to get their staff up to speed and this was the best way to do it. The official opening would be the first week of January but we would be in operation beginning tomorrow to give us a week to get the wrinkles out. The next morning, Catherine handed Delores a hot coffee as we stood in front of the new clubhouse and gazing into the lit interior. It was still barely daylight and the landscaping crew was still putting some shrubs in the planting area. The walkways were crushed stone and well compacted. We didn't have to worry about getting our feet muddy. "Outstanding, Terry. You've done everything just the way it looked on the plans and the models. It looks wonderful. It fits this property perfectly. You've really done a terrific job." "Thank you, Delores. You've been a big help and couldn't have got this far without it. There is one more thing I wanted you to see." "Oh ... what's that?" "Well, I guess it's a case what you can't see," I grinned. She peered around and then I saw a look of recognition and a big smile. Coming From Behind Ch. 11-13 "The portables are gone," she smiled. "Yes ma'am. And they're not coming back. I hope you noticed that we still have two days left before the deadline." She laughed. "I told you back after the fire, Terry, that I wouldn't hold you to that commitment." "I know. But I like to live up to my commitments and this one I'm particularly proud of." "When's the official opening. I've got to get my ribbon cutting scissors sharpened." "Next Thursday. We've notified the media and we're expecting a pretty good turnout." "I'll be here. Now ... let's tour the inside," she said. I invited John Fortrand to lunch on Friday and he was pleased to see the new facilities. He had been part of the special two days we held for the re-opening of the course and had played with the media group. I had also invited John Bryson of the county fire service, but he was unable to make it. I suggested we get together when the opportunity arose for him and he agreed. Catherine was by my side for every event we had prior to the grand re-opening. We were attached at the hip as all our plans and dreams were coming to fruition. It had started as a long-shot chance and ended up as something I was immensely proud of. I was now the principal owner of a golf course, something I would never have expected. I had a new partner too, one that would last a lifetime. We would work together each day as a team. I don't think I could have conceived of a better result than this. Delores cut the ribbon and the flashes and camera lights lit the front of the clubhouse up on an overcast day in Gresham. But to me and my partner, the sun was shining and everything was exactly as it should be. I'd ordered some champagne to celebrate the official ceremony and our catering staff was pouring and offering each of the attendees a glass. Catherine and I were standing together with my arm around her when they got to us with the tray. I took one and handed it to Catherine, then took one for myself. I held mine up to her and she joined me with a lovely smile. "To us and Bending Willows," I said quietly. "To us," she echoed before putting the glass down. "You're not going to celebrate?" I asked, surprised. "I don't think I should," she said, still smiling. "Why?" "I'm pregnant." She said it so calmly, maintaining that lovely smile. "Really?" "Really." "Perfect!" I couldn't think of another thing that needed to be said. END This story was edited by ErikThread and DaveT with my thanks for their excellent efforts. Any errors are mine alone. It was posted some time ago on another site.