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

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Chapter 49 

Party Time

When we arrived back from the opera meeting, Allie and Dad had decorated the living room.  Allie grinned, “You’ll see the full effect of what we did, tomorrow night.”

Dad asked, “Bra, how did the meeting go?”

Bra shrugged his shoulders, “I guess it went okay.  It will be interesting to see what happens to Mr. Martinelli.”

When Bra and I finally surfaced, Saturday morning, the parents and Allie were gone.  I looked at the clock and it was only seven forty five.  I muttered, “What is it that we need that would cause the parents and Allie to go out at this hour?”

Bra hugged me, “Eddie, you have to remember that this is the first party that Allie has ever had.  He’s going to be a ticking time bomb until it’s over.”

It was nearly ten thirty when Dad pulled into the garage.  Bra and I went to help unload the merchandise.  Allie grinned, “The grandparents don’t think we’re eating right.  We had to buy all sorts of goodies.”

As we were unloading the car, the Thomas twins appeared and John asked, “Allie, can we come to your party?  Our Dad cancelled out on the weekend.”

Allie, looked at me and I nodded yes, before he answered, “Of course you’re invited.  We have lots of goodies.  Make sure you bring at least one game.  I have no idea what games everyone is bringing.  Wouldn’t it be funny if everyone brought the same game?”

The guys were helping Allie unload the groceries when their mother, Nancy, arrived.  Jim asked, “Mom, Allie invited us to his Halloween party, tonight.  It’s okay if we come, isn’t it?”

Dad had to turn his head to keep from laughing.  Nancy frowned, “It sure didn’t take you two long to invite yourselves when you found out that your father wasn’t going to be picking you up.”

Both boys moaned, “Mom, we wouldn’t do anything like that.”

Nancy asked, “Is there anything the guys can bring?  They should bring something after they asked themselves.”

Allie shook his head no, “Mrs. Thomas, we have more than enough food for everyone.  The guys were the first people I asked, but they thought they were going to be spending the night at their Dad’s.”

Nancy laughed, “They shouldn’t get lost on their way home.  I’ll leave the back lights on.”

 After lunch, Bra departed for rehearsal, “I don’t have any idea what to expect.  Don’t wait dinner on me.  I’ll eat something when I get home.”

Brahim arrived as we were starting to eat so there was lots of food.  Allie hardly touched his food.  I could see that he was anxious, so I suggested, “Allie, why don’t you go get your costume on so you’re ready if any trick or treaters come early.”

“Leave the dishes for me.  I’ll do them after the party.”

The dinner dishes were almost done when Allie returned, wearing a thobe, kufi and an egal with sandals.  Dad started to tease Allie, “I hope you are wearing something under your nightgown or everyone, especially the girls, are going to be looking to see what you look like.”

Allie giggled, “They won’t see much.”  He flipped up his thobe and he was wearing a pair of tennis shorts.  It’s sure not going to be much fun if I have to go to the bathroom.”

Dad and Allie went to the living room to make sure everything was ready for the trick-or-treaters, since the treaters were to be out between six and eight and the party wasn’t scheduled to start until seven.  Mother smiled and shook her head, “I’m not sure who is more excited, Allie or your Dad.”

The front door was wide open and an eerie light was shining, so it could be seen through the full length glass storm door.  Dad and Allie had even gotten some dry ice and the mist was swirling around two jack-o‘-lanterns.  The effect was very creative and effective.

Allie greeted the first treaters just before six o’clock, “Welcome to our casbah.”

After the first visitors, it was as if the word spread that our house was handing out neat treats.  We had so many visitors that I was sure we were going to run out of treats.  In fact, the neighboring houses turned off their lights shortly after seven.  I was to find out the neighbors hadn’t had that many trick or treaters in years.

Fortunately, after the invitees to Allie’s party started to arrive, the number of treaters slowed down, but Allie insisted he and his guests, who were all in costumes, would answer the door. The guests all had on creative costumes; it was nice to see that none of them had store bought costumes on.  The party was a little awkward at first, since Allie was the only person who knew everyone, but Allie took care of that, quickly.  Within the first thirty minutes, it was as if they were all old friends.

In addition to the invited guests, there was one surprise uninvited guest.  When Damon delivered Danielle and Danny, he asked, “Boss, is it okay if I hang out here, since Aunt Kit had to go to a faculty party and I don’t want to be stuck at the house, handing out treats?”

“Damon, come in and park your backside and meet my parents.  What faculty is it that your Mother/Aunt Kit is on?”

Damon frowned, “Did I say something I shouldn’t have?  I assumed that you knew that she taught graduate classes at the university.  She teaches a course on Monday and Wednesday night and then another on Saturday mornings.  She says it’s the only way we can have enough money to have some extra things. Actually, I think she just wants to make sure that I have to stay home and take care of the twins and not have any fun.”

The young people who were at the party were certainly well behaved and they weren’t going to be going home hungry.”

It was almost ten o’clock when the phone rang.  “This is Ed Waller.”

“Ed, it’s Kit.  I can’t locate Damon.  I may be a little late picking up the twins.  I’m at a party at the University.”

“Never fear, Doctor dear.  Damon has been here being enthralled by my parents and Brahim.”

“Thank goodness; he was really upset when I told him he couldn’t go to some party he wanted to go to.  He’s been hanging with the wrong crowd, and it frightens me.”

“Kit, we’ll try to get him squared away.  We just need to build his self image.  I think the fact that his father was trying to sell him and the twins shattered whatever self esteem he might have had.”

Dad and Mother were really surprised when all the young people helped to clean things up, so it looked as if there had never been a party, except for the decorations.  The  guests’ parents arrived to pick up their children, almost precisely at ten o’clock, except the Thomas twins and the Talltrees.  All eleven of the party guests thanked us for a great party.

After every one else had departed, Damon and Danny were helping to take down the decorations so that by ten thirty it almost looked like their had never been a party.  Danielle and Mother had the kitchen looking spotless.

After the Talltrees finally departed, Allie hugged everyone and thanked us profusely for treating his friends as if the were responsible adults, “We knew you were there, but you didn’t keep coming to make sure we weren’t doing anything wrong.  I still don’t understand why Damon stuck around.”

Dad answered, “Little Al, I think Damon is looking for some male role  models whom he can imitate.  I don’t know his story, but I’m guessing it wasn’t all that pleasant.”

I wasn’t ready to advertise the Talltrees/Graybill family history, or what I knew of it, so I simply said, “I think that Damon feels very lonely and is having a very difficult time handling a lot of what is and has been happening in his life.”

Dad and Mother took us to lunch after church, before they left for the ranch.  Allie hugged them and thanked them profusely for coming to help with the party.

Needless to say, it was nice to finally have a quiet day.  We cleaned the house and did the laundry.  Both guys had schoolwork, so I was watching the World Series and was bored out of my gourd.

All three of us were up early on Monday morning.  We were actually eating breakfast before I went to work, for a change.  Bra announced, “We’re going through an act a night for the next three nights, then we'll work on any rough spots, on Thursday.    We have a final dress rehearsal on Saturday afternoon.  It’s going to be a piece of cake, now that Martinelli is gone.  Even some of the weaker singers are sounding better.”

When I arrived at the office, I felt as if I wasn’t needed.  Mr. Odom came into the office before the staff meeting was to start and began to laugh, “It’s good to see that you’re beginning to act like a president and let the other people do the work until they screw up.  I still don’t understand how you were able to surround yourself with so many good people in such a short period of time.”

The staff meeting was very routine with no problems that needed my immediate attention.  As we were finishing the meeting, I announced,  “Dr. Graybill, Mr. Thompson and Mr. Calderon, I would like you to stay, after the meeting.  I have something I would like to discuss with you.”

When it was just Dr. Graybill, Oz an Carlos remaining, I began, “I’m going to be discussing the placement of one teenager named Damon Talltrees.  Dr. Graybill is intimately familiar with the young man and Oz has met the young man.  For Carlos’ information:  the young man is sixteen and is on the border of running with a crowd that is unacceptable with his mother.   I think we might be able to steer him into another way of thinking, but it’s going to take all of us to make sure that he’s going to be okay.”

“Carlos, I would like for you to find a position for him, to work in the warehouse from three to four thirty each afternoon, to give him a taste of manual labor and enable him to develop some muscles.”

Oz, another possibility is that he could work with you somehow, but have him responsible for a certain section of executive suite area, including the cleaning of the bathrooms.  That would give Damon the opportunity to work the  executive area to see the difference, even though he would observing only spherically so I would like for you to be available to help give the young man a different perspective on what the real world is like.”

Before I could say anything else, Dr. Graybill spoke up, “I don’t wish to be involved in the negotiations, so Damon can’t blame me if something doesn’t work out.  I want him to think he’s making his own decisions.”

Katie, Joe and Grant came in the office about eleven o’clock with three flow charts.  Joe pointed to them, “Boss, how far down the chain of Command would you like to go?  We took them down to the department level and stopped there.”

People, these look great.  I see that there are a few holes to be filled especially in the Technical Services Divisions.”  I pointed to the chart for the Executive Branch, “I want to make it clear that the three of you, plus Oz, work directly for me but at the same time have an obligation to support Mr. Odom, Tom Bloom and Dr. Graybill.  I don’t want there to be any misunderstanding as to whom you really work for.”

After lunch, Eric stopped in, “Boss, I’m not sure what you expect from me, as far as the conference arrangements are concerned.”

“Eric, check with Mr. Odom's secretary, Marlene.  She can be a great help.  Also, lean heavily on Oz.  He can be of great assistance in terms of special arrangements, housing and meals.”

It was two forty two when Damon arrived.  “Good afternoon, President Waller, have you decided how you’re going to use me?”

Damon, we have two options for you, to begin with.  Carlos and Oz , whom you have already met, will be here shortly to discuss those options.  I hope you had a good day at school.”

“School was okay.  I even paid attention, for a change.  Thanks for letting me hang with your parents and Bra on Saturday.  It was probably a lot more fun than running with a bunch of rowdies would have been.”

Oz and Carlos arrived before I had the opportunity to jump on the opening that Damon had provided me.  After Carlos and Damon had been introduced, I explained, “Damon, here’s the offer we have for you.  You would work for Carlos in the warehouse area from three to four thirty each afternoon.  We then figured that you could then work for housekeeping on the executive floor until six, each day.”

Damon was frowning, “President Waller, to be honest, I was hoping for something a little less menial.”

Carlos spoke up, “The work in the warehouse requires menial work, as you call it, but it us not something that everyone can do and do well.  There is a lot of record keeping that goes with the job.”

Oz added, “What the housekeeping staff does goes a long way in creating the impression of what visitors and even employees think about the facility, and thus reflects on the entire operation.  As far as I’m concerned, a clean house is one that operates like a car with a clean transmission fluid and fresh oil.”

Damon threw up his hands, “Okay, okay, I’m convinced.  How much will I be making and can I get more hours later, especially in the summer?”

Damon opened the door that I wanted.  “Damon, we’ll start you at ten dollars an hour.  That would get you a hundred and fifty dollars a week, before taxes and other deductions.  If you get your grades up and carry a full load of credit’s the second semester, then we can adjust your hours and when summer comes, we’ll find a full time position for you.”

“Does Aunt Kit know what you’re proposing?  It sounds to me as if she has had some input, since you brought up the subject of grades and taking a full load of credits in the spring.”

“Damon, your Mother bowed out of the discussion.  She said, “Any decisions had to be yours, so you couldn’t blame her if things went wrong.  She’s trying to treat you like an adult.  Give her a chance to earn your respect and love.”

“After Carlos and Damon departed, Oz stayed behind, “Ed, I’m going to initially have Damon responsible for Mr. Odom’s offices, yours’ and staff's offices.  I’ll pull one of my cleaning people to help him get started this first week.  I think that Damon is intelligent enough that he would need only one or two nights of supervision.”

“Oz, that sounds great.  Thanks,  I hope we caught him in time to be of some help for him.  It’s my gut feeling that we got involved in the nick of time.”

It was four thirty when Damon stopped in, “President Waller, that warehouse job is sure a lot more demanding than I thought it would be.  I really like Carlos and Rico.  They really have had some hard knocks.”

“Wait a minute, I thought you were supposed to be working.  That’s why I wanted you to be working with Carlos and Fredrico.”

Oz stuck his head in, “Ready to go Mr. Talltrees?  I’d like to introduce you to the person who is to be your mentor while you’re learning your housekeeping responsibilities.  President Waller and Damon, I’d like you to meet Cassandra Meadows.”

Oz was laughing when he returned at five o’clock. “I think Damon will be okay.  He and Cassie have the makings of being a good team.” 

To be continued...

Editor's Notes:

I was pretty sure that Damon would be just fine once he got his priorities in order.  I think between Ed, and the rest of the guys he will be working with will be able to show him that he is, indeed, a worthwhile person who deserves a chance to become someone very special.

Allie's party turned out very well, and he and his friends were very well behaved, and they all let everyone know that youngsters are not all a bunch of wild uncontrollable beasts. 

Of course, we already knew that Allie was a well mannered young man, but it was nice to see that he chose friends who were also very polite and genuinely friendly people. 

It also turned out that everyone had a very good time.

Bra seems to be feeling better about his situation with the opera company.  I know he will do a wonderful job.  Things are going much better for everyone, without that pompous jerk.

I am certainly ready for the next chapter. 

One more thing, before I go, I would appreciate it if you would take a few minutes to let E Walk know that you are out there supporting him. Let him know that we all care about him, and not just his wonderful stories.

He told me that he is feeling better, and I am very happy to hear that.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. 

Thank you,

Your friend,

Darryl, AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 11/26/10