My
Journal
By
Harriman Nelson
10.2
Bad
weather had been plaguing us all day. Cell phone and internet disruptions had
been reported by a significant number of staff. Communications informed me that
the problem was more due to the combination of sunspots and a severe weather
front. Intermittent torrential rain and heavy winds were causing sporadic power
outages and some flooding.
I instructed
HR to release all non-essential staff if they wanted to get a head start to go
home before things worsened as predicted.
Angie
was appalled that I’d included her in that category. But I managed to convince
her that it was nothing personal. Reluctantly, she abandoned me to the nearly
deserted institute after the word got out.
“A
minute of your time, sir?” Ames asked, entering my office, raincoat and
umbrella in hand.
“Certainly,
Drew. What’s on your mind?”
“I’m
headed out. No word from Seaview yet, but no news is good news, don’t you
think?”
“Sometimes.
Sometimes not. I am surprised she hasn’t reported in yet. But at least there’s
been no distress beacon if she has a radio glitch.”
“Or
maybe Lee’s just hiding from all those raspberries other boaters or the press
will be blowing at the boat.”
“There
are leisure craft out in this?” I asked, incredulous.
“I wouldn't think
so,"
he laughed, “nobody’s that stupid, I hope."
"You don’t really think Lee would
be ‘hiding’ do you?”
“Well,
after what happened to his boat, he’s got to be embarrassed.”
“No
doubt his is, but he's probably bringing her in underwater to avoid the choppy seas.”
“Never
stopped him before, but then, I don’t know the extent of the damage and how
well the temporary repairs went. Well, good night, sir.”
“Good
night.”
I
decided to take a look at the underground sub pen to assure myself it was ready
and waiting for the sub. At least the tunnels from the admin center were tight
and dry. So at least our drainage systems were still unhindered from the rain.
I'd arranged for a
few repair techs to be considered 'essential', to insure seconding Seaview safely into the dry dock.
The techs
assured me, without my asking, that all pumping out and in controls were functioning normally. And
that they were looking forward to Seaview’s return, even if she and the skipper
needed some repairs. Their words, not mine.
I
asked them if they’d like me to order a couple of pizza’s, my treat, as I was ordering one for me, the cafeteria
being closed now. That is, if any of the local eateries were still open and delivering.
We were lucky, though mine was the last call in to Pete's Pizza's was the last they were taking, and yes they could
deliver to the institute as it was close by.
.
The
delivery girl was surprised that the raincoat clad admiral met her at
the gate himself to pay for the pizzas. I also gave her a generous tip. I always tip well.
After
dropping me off at Admin, my golf cart (properly protected with tarp flaps) driver joked that it was a good thing
the Seaview
wasn’t in yet, or Mr. Morton would have already purloined the pizzas on my lap. I laughed
with him, but inwardly, I was still worried. Any number of things could have
happened to delay the boat.
It wasn't long before
the golf cart had used the vehicle tunnel to the sub pen where a grateful tech crew wished me a 'nice supper'.
Later, safely, and dry,
returned to my apartment, I
turned on the six o’ clock news, I could see that the storm couldn’t be as
severe as the forecasters had said as, one after another, guests were arriving
at the convention center, little the worse for wear as their drivers let them
off at the covered entrance, or they used valet service.
“We’re
here at the convention center,” a reporter was saying, “where despite the bad weather, Mr. Ronald Hawthorne
or Nelson, as he prefers, is
attending the fund raiser in his father’s stead. Will this mean more plans to
serve as his representative?”
“Well, of course it does,” Jessica said. She was wearing a simple yet stunning long long black dress,
with a single strand of pearls. Modest and elegant. Not at all what I thought
she might clothe herself in. She literally took my breath away. If I was interested
in her, that is. What can I say, my hormones still work.
“I
really don’t know,” Ron was saying. “Dad was unable to attend, and the mayor
invited us as members of the family.”
“Ronny,”
Jessica said, “wants so much to fit in, that Harry even showed us around some
residential areas. Even Lee’s apartment. But I’m afraid it’s too small for them
to share, and Ronald really needs his own place.”
The
slice of pizza stuck in my throat and I spent the next few minutes coughing it
up. Oh God, Lee was going to kill me! At no time did I indicate Lee have a
roommate! Especially not Ron!
“Earlier
today,” the reporter added as the couple drifted off into the building, “the
little family had lunch at a local eatery as you can see from a picture taken
from newlyweds Jack and Jacqueline Evans.
Apparently everyone enjoyed themselves immensely. And now in other
news….”
Damn!
Damn! Damn! Well, okay, I did enjoy the meal. And yes, even the company. But
what would Lee think? Perhaps that I was taking this ‘be the bigger man’ a bit
too seriously? That Ron had joined Lee in that special place in my heart? Never,
Lee, never!
Another
crack of lightening, another boom of thunder and a flicker of the lights. And
another ‘breaking news’ of our inclement weather getting worse.
Oh
joy.
