Taking Texas By Storm
by: E Walk
(© 2009 by the Author)
 

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 29 

The Inauguration

When Brahim and I were lying in bed, I started to chuckle, “I wish I could be there tomorrow morning when you go into Dr. Horn’s office singing Here Am I Don Quixote.”

Bra sat up, “Ed, Ms Sanders was kidding, wasn’t she?  Dr. Horn would probably laugh me out of town.”

“Brahim, I’m certain she was serious.  If Dad goes with you, then you'd better be prepared to perform.  I feel as if our lives have been taken out of our hands.”

When the alarm went off, I sat up and tried to remember what all was going to be happening during the day.  I took a quick shower and decided to wear my dark blue suit, and a light blue shirt with a dark blue tie.  When I went into the kitchen, Allie, Dieter and Dad were sitting there talking.  Allie looked up, “Dad, why are you so dressed up this morning?”

“Allie, we need to take some of my clothes to the dry cleaners or they are going to stand in the corner by themselves.  I’m running out of things to wear.  I need to look good for the board meeting, today.”

Dieter started to laugh. “Mr. Waller, the outfit makes your eyes stand out.  Why do you need to look good for the board meeting, anyway?  Are they going to be discussing you?”

“Why would they be discussing me?  They have some policies that my people have written that they need to adopt and they need to accept the retirement of Vice-president Roger Reed.”

Dad looked at me, “And?”

“Dad, I have no idea what exactly Mr. Odom is thinking.  Remember, I’m just his special assistant.”

Brahim came into the kitchen, “Dad, are you serious about accompanying me to see Dr. Horn?”

“You bet your bottom dollar.  I will need to provide a full report to the three spinsters, today.”

“Granddad, I don’t think you should refer to Mrs. Carr, Ms Sanders and Mrs. Crabtree like that.”

There was a honk in the driveway, “That must be my ride.  I’ll see some of you soon and others of you later.  Have a good day.”

I was sitting in my office with my latte and bagel when President Odom stopped in.  “Ed, have you told anyone what’s going to happen today?”

I shook my head, no, “Sir, I’ve said nothing about what’s going to happen, even to Brahim and Allie.  My Dad is a little suspicious as to why we would need to have a special meeting, but he’s being kept preoccupied by the guys.”

“Ed, let this play my way.  I want to make this a special day for Roger.  You will understand better as the day unfolds.”

Katie and Joe came in with Grant.  I looked at them, “I get the feeling that something is wrong.  Would you care to enlighten as to what it might be?”

Grant started, “Ed, I had a visit from a young man who works in the receiving department.  Actually, I didn’t have a visit from him.  He called and asked if I could meet him at the Fish Bowl for lunch.”

“Why didn’t he come to your office to talk?”

“Ed, the young man is scared to death that his bosses will find out that he squealed on them.”

I looked at my people, “In what division does this person work?  Is it something that comes under our umbrella.”

Katie frowned, “Why should it make a difference if the problem comes under your umbrella or not.  We all know by now that President Odom has decided to let Eddie handle all the problems.  Listen to what Grant has to say.  It not only involves the young man who met with him, but some others in the department as well.  It’s not a pretty story.”

Tammy came into the office, “Mr. Waller, you’re being summoned to the board room.”

I looked at my people, “Let’s get together after the hullabaloo winds down today.  There are some things that are going to happen that no one knows about.  I need you all to be standing by to protect my flanks.”

When I walked into the Board Room, Dad met me.  “Ed, you aren’t going to believe what happened when Brahim went to see Dr. Horn this morning.”

Our conversation was interrupted by President Odom, “Ladies and gentlemen, if you will be seated, we have some business to take care of.”

Marlene had placed an agenda in front of each of the attendees.  The seating arrangement had been changed, in that Vice-President Reed was seated next to President Odom.  I was on Mr. Reed’s right. 

After the minutes were read and approved.  The first item of business the approval of the vacation and sick leave policies that Katie and Joe had written.  After the Board had approved the policies.  Mrs. Carr asked, “Adam, is it necessary for the Board to approve these policies?  Couldn’t they be approved by the President or someone?”

I spoke up, “Mr. President, I would like to speak to Mrs. Carr’s question.”

“Be my guest, Ed.”

“Mrs. Carr, any policy that impacts on all employees needs to be approved by the Board so that there is not a cause for the approving authority, whoever that may be, to be accused of having special interests.  The policies concerning the day to day operation of the company and the divisions can be approved by the President or his designated approving authority.”

Ms Sanders nodded, “I agree with what Mr. Waller said.  It is incumbent upon the Board to be concerned with the matters that directly affect all employees.”

President Odom grinned, “As you can see, the next item is a special report.  Unfortunately, I neglected to inform the person who will be presenting that report that he was going to be put on the spot.  Ed Waller, will be discussing some of the changes that have occurred and are occurring around here since the last board meeting.  Over to you, Ed.”

Talk about being caught flat footed.  I stood, “Mr. President, and Board members;  I’m going to be starting with the most recent occurrences and work my way backwards.  Another problem was brought to my attention this morning, concerning some unsavory things that are occurring in another department, that my people are now working on.”

I went back through the events that had happened since the last board meeting and no one said a word.  Finally Dad asked, “Is there a reason the Board was not notified of what was happening?”

President Odom answered, “Big Al, what could the Board have done?  Mr. Waller and his people don’t take captives.  They have been so busy that I chose not to have them submit written briefs.  They will be available to meet with you after lunch to answer any questions.  Let me assure the Board, that Mr. Waller’s staff are worth their weight in gold.”

Ms Sanders chuckled, “So, you’re saying that we don’t need to keep Ed around then?”

“Madeline, put it like this, Ed is worth his weight in diamonds.  He’s the force that holds his staff together.”

The next order of business is to accept the retirement of Vice- president Roger Reed.  It is a sad day for Shell Oil to lose this person.  He  has been the Vice President for Technical Services for 22 years.  He has been the one person I could always count on to help me in times of stress.  Roger, would you like to say something?”

“Thanks, Adam.  As most of you know, I have been diagnosed with having terminal cancer and probably have a year or so to live at the very longest.  I am excited by what has been happening here at the headquarters in the past month.  It reminds me of the days when I first started to work here thirty five years ago.  I will have some other things to say after our lunch.  Marlene just passed me the high sign that lunch was ready.”

President Odom pounded his gavel, “This meeting stands adjourned until one o’clock.”

I let the Board members go first figuring I would sit wherever there was an open seat.  I looked at Marlene, “Aren’t you going to be joining us?”

“Nope, I have things I need to take care of while you people are eating.”

When I walked into the dining room, Dad motioned for me to join him, President Odom, Vice President Reed, Mrs. Carr and Ms. Sanders.   As soon as I sat down Ms Sanders started, “So tell us about this morning when Brahim confronted Horney.”

Dad started, “When we arrived at Dr. Horn’s office, there was no one else in the office except Dr. Horn who had his door open.  Brahim watched the clock and walked to the door of Dr. Horn’s office at precisely eight o’clock and started to sing Here Am I Don Quixote.  Dr. Horn stopped what he was doing until Brahim finally stopped singing, but Brahim started to sing the Figaro song from The Barber of Seville.”

“Dr. Horn was so stunned that he was almost speechless.  The outcome is, I'm guessing that he will be visiting Ed and the guys as soon as he can.  I wouldn’t be surprised if it were to be tonight.  When Dr. Horn found out that Brahim was going to be singing the lead in Rigoletto, I think he almost went to the bathroom in his pants.”

Vice President Reed sighed, “If Brahim can get Alton on his bandwagon, then Brahim will be able to do whatever he wants.  I’ve known the man ever since we first moved to Houston.  We need to eat up.  It’s almost time to get back to the meeting.”

When we arrived back in the conference room, not only was my entire staff and most of the division heads under my umbrella there, but my Mother, Bra, Allie and Dieter were sitting at the back of the room.  Dad whispered to me, “Ed, why are the rest of the family here?”
 

I shrugged my shoulders, “Dad, I didn’t know they were going to be here.”

The meeting started, and President Odom said, “According to the agenda, it is time for other business items.  I’m taking this opportunity to resign from the position of the President of Shell Oil, to focus my attention on being the Chief Executive Officer.”

There was a stunned silence around the room.  Mrs. Sanders asked, “Adam, isn’t this rather sudden?  Does this mean we have to conduct a search to find a new president.”

“No, Madeline.  It has been well thought out.  I have come to realize over the past month that I am not suited any longer to be in charge of the day to day activity around the headquarters.  And no, we have the perfect person to assume the job in house. Roger has asked to speak to the question.  Roger.”

Vice President Reed stood, “Ladies and gentlemen, I appreciate the opportunity to be able to speak to this issue.  I was asked to find some bright person in our organization to go to Algeria to attempt to resolve an issue that many others had tried to resolve.  I identified that person, and he did indeed resolve the problem with some help from his friends.”

“Both of his friends were wounded as a result of the endeavor, but the three have been honored by the Presidents of two countries.  I suggest that the logical person to fill the position of President of Shell Oil is Mr. Edward Waller.”

I looked at my Dad and he looked shell shocked.  One of the board members I didn’t know yelled, “I move that Mr. Edward Waller be appointed President of Shell Oil Company.”

Mrs. Carr frowned, “I’ll second that motion, but he had better have some encouraging news when we meet in November.  I can’t afford to be flying back and forth between here and New York all the time.”

Mr. Odom grinned, “There is a motion on the floor that Mr. Edward Waller be appointed as the next President of Shell Oil.  The motion has been properly seconded.  Is there any discussion?”

Dad spoke up, “I would like to know how long you people have known this was going to happen.”

Mr. Odom answered, “Big Al, I decided in the middle of last week that this was what needed to happen.  I informed Ed  on Thursday and asked him to not tell anyone.  He informed me today, that he had said nothing to either Allie or Brahim or any of his staff.”

Mr. Odom pointed to Allie, “Allie, did you know what you were coming here for?”

Allie stood, “No sir, I had no idea why I was drug away from school with Dieter and Grandmother.  We’ll retaliate by making Dad do all the cooking and cleaning for the rest of the year.”

Mr. Odom pounded his gavel, “Seeing no further discussion, Big Al, would you like to cast a vote or not?”

Dad sighed, “I’ll vote in the affirmative, but don’t blame me if he screws up.”

Mr. Odom pounded the gavel.  “Mr. Edward Waller has been unanimously selected as the next President of Shell Oil.  Mr. Waller, as the President, you are a voting member of the Board and have a right to speak on any given point should you care to.”

A gentlemen on the Board whom I did not know asked, “Mr. Waller, now that you’re the President, what do you propose to do about the Vice Presidential positions that are unfilled?”

“Sir, after what I have observed from my short time in the position of assistant to Mr. Odom.  I am going to be in no hurry to fill those positions.  When and if I do ask that you as a Board approve such an appointment, then there are things that my current staff can’t handle.  My staff is already overextended, but they haven’t complained, well not much.”

“Mr. Odom, I would like to ask permission to introduce some of my family and staff who are here today.”

“It’s about time.  Be our guest.”

I started with Mother, “First is my Mother, whom many of you know, Elizabeth Waller.”  Mother waved in acknowledgement.

“Seated next to Mother is my son, Allie Safi.  Next to Allie is Dieter Randolph, Mrs. Carr’s grandson who is visiting from Connecticut.”

That caused some heads to turn.  “Next to Dieter is my significant other, Brahim Safi, who happens to be a brother of Allie.”

I introduced the staff members who were present, but Joe, Grant, Katie, Oz and Myrabelle were noticeably absent as was Rob Sheraton, but that was to be expected.

After I finished my introductions, Mr. Odom stood, “Ladies and gentlemen, that completes the business on the agenda.  I will entertain a motion that the meeting be adjourned so we can move this party to the foyer and we can make Vice President Reed’s  retirement ceremony one that won’t soon be forgotten.

Mr. Odom had no idea how prophetic those words were going to be.

To be continued...

Editor's Notes:  That last sentence seems a bit foreboding, doesn't it?

I have to wonder just why the rest of Ed's family was invited to the board meeting.

With all the antagonism being leveled at Ed, I find myself a bit worried for him and his family.

Things do seem to have settled down somewhat, but that doesn't mean that there isn't someone hiding in a shadowy corner, ready to do some dastardly deed.

We will just have to wait and see what happens next time, won't we?

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher 

Posted: 05/28/10