Friends and Family Series

The Dirk Devlin Story

By: Ron Robbins
(© 2011 by the author)
Editor: Frank Perry

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

Chapter 2

Dirk's alarm clock went off at eight, he thought to himself, 'I'm glad I only drank two glasses of wine last night. Looks like I'm going to have to make do on less than my usual seven hours of sleep. Maybe I can catch a short nap this afternoon. If I don't, I'll be dragging this evening.' After showering and shaving he carefully surveyed his meager selection of quality casual clothing. He saved his money and purchased designer clothes when they went on sale. Living on a tight budget did not leave too much for expensive casual clothes.

When he opened the closet, he found a note from Brett taped to the mirror. Since you are my guest, you are welcome to wear anything that fits. He couldn't resist the temptation. He opened every drawer and cabinet to look over everything, and couldn't believe his eyes at the assortment of designer clothes. It was like opening the pages of a Bullock & Jones, or a Saks Fifth Avenue catalogue. Every drawer and wardrobe was color coordinated shirts, sweaters, walking shorts, and slacks, even to the matching slip-on deck shoes and slip-on leather loafers. The sweaters alone blew his mind. He had never seen such unusual designs and colors before. The wool fabric was soft and light. The cotton, linen, and silk shirts were of the finest cloth and of most unusual colors and designs. He spent ten minutes carefully selecting the outfits he would wear.

He selected colors that complimented his dark complexion. He had light brown curly hair and brown eyes, and stood six-four with an athletic build. He quickly finished dressing and headed for the lounge, smelling the aroma of fresh coffee in the passageway as he went. He spotted Brett sitting on the after deck reading the paper. He poured himself a mug of coffee and walked out onto the deck.

"Good morning, Brett, and how is our Captain this bright and beautiful morning?"

"I'm almost perfect, thank you. I feel as if I wasted half the day already. On a normal day, I would have put in at least three hours of work by now. One thing for sure, I plan to take a nap after we return from lunch. I feel a wee bit tired and it's going to be another late night."

"I see you found my note. You have a good eye for color. Everything you selected compliments your coloring," Brett said. "Are you ready for breakfast?"

"You bet, and thanks for loaning me these clothes," Dirk said. "I wish I could afford to buy clothes like this."

"Maybe you can; we'll talk about it after breakfast."

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"Since you prepared that great breakfast, it's only fitting that I do the washing up," Dirk said

"You twisted my arm," laughed Brett. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Brett returned twenty minutes later. "I decided to keep you on, Dirk, I can't possibly let you go now after doing such a nice job cleaning up," Brett said. "Are you ready to go, or do you want to use the head?"

"Good idea. Be back in a few minutes."

When Dirk returned, they locked up and headed to the garage, where Brett found his red Porsche and they headed toward the beach.

"I cannot believe this weekend so far, it's been a thrill a minute. This is another world to me," Dirk said. "This is the way to live, this is the way I've always dreamed it could be. I don't regret my life, but this is something I've never been exposed to before. It reminds me of my college days. I didn't say anything last night when you accepted those invitations for next weekend Brett, but let's face it; I can't possibly attend. It would be wonderful to be here but unfortunately, the fun and games end tomorrow. Even if it were possible to get away, I would feel uncomfortable about not paying my own way. Frankly, I just don't have the money it takes to live this lifestyle. You're a great guy and all that, but bottom line is, I can't afford it. Furthermore, I don't think your friends would be amused if they learned I was a cop."

Brett pulled off the road into a deserted sandy road that led to the beach. He pulled into a cleared area and turned off the engine.

"My friends happen to like you, or you would not have been invited to their homes," Brett said. "That's the reason I want to have a talk with you this morning. How would you like to work for me?"

"Doing what?"

"I think you'd make a good salesman."

"Are you serious? I'd work for you in a heartbeat. I get turned on just walking around your showroom with all those beautiful boats," Dirk said. "I've no sales experience. Are you willing to take me on and train me?"

"Yes; that is exactly what I plan to do," Brett told him. "I thought you could start out on a trial basis for the next two weeks. If you like the job you can start working for me full time. I'll personally train you on how I want you to sell boats. If you work out, I'll teach you my business from the ground up. If you're willing to learn and to work hard, there is no limit as to where you can go in my organization. Are you willing to invest two weeks in your future?"

"The prospect is exciting and out of left field," Dirk said. "Why are you offering this great opportunity to me? You don't know me that well and I'm sure you have other more qualified people in your organization that you could promote."

"If there were another person in my organization whom I felt was qualified, I would not be talking to you. I happen to like you and want you to work for me. This is a legitimate opportunity with no strings attached. If you don't work out after two weeks, you've lost nothing. If, on the other hand, you make it, we both win. From what you have told me about your family, it's going to be a tough decision for you. It's going to be unsettling for your family in the beginning. Nevertheless, think about what your professor said. Now I'm giving you the opportunity to change your life. If you say no, you can predict what your future will be like. If you accept, even though you may not make it, you'll at least have made the effort; you'll have given it your best shot. Only then will you be able to accept your present way of life with a little more grace. My gut feeling is that you won't fail and you will become my partner before the year is out. If you are serious about what you said last night, then this is your opportunity. Like all things in life, there is a catch to this offer. I want your answer, now."

"Don't you think you're being strong-handed asking me to make such an important decision in a matter of minutes?"

"No, not at all; you told me last night that you've already made your decision. If that's what you really meant, why prolong the inevitable? In essence, all I'm asking you to do is make a commitment for the next two weeks."

Dirk laughed, "You're my kind of guy, Brett. I like you and I'm going to accept your offer. I'd be out of my mind not to. One question, why did you have to know this morning? Why not this afternoon or tomorrow?"

"For the simple reason that I feel compassion for your circumstances. You're a drowning man crying out for help. I'm in a position to throw out a lifeline to you. Deep down, I honestly believe you can save yourself. It's obvious, from what you've told me, that you gave up your future because of a decision that was forced upon you nine years ago. Now you have the opportunity to change that and I feel that it's about time you started to think about what's best for you, and not what someone else forces you to accept. You have a perfect right to ask why I'm offering you this job, and you are entitled to an answer. I know more about you right now than I know about most of the people I've hired. I really began to consider you for this job when you decided to join me yesterday. I need a man like you whom I can train to my way of doing business. A man who is hungry for the finer things in life and is willing to work hard for the things he wants. You are attractive, educated and comfortable around people with money. You're intelligent and have an outgoing, pleasant personality, and people like you."

"Finally, and most importantly, you asked me why I had to have the answer this morning. That's very simple to answer, my good man. We will be attending those lunches and dinner parties next weekend and the following weeks thereafter. Therefore, you will need the proper wardrobe. With that in mind, I've made two appointments for you at two of our better clothing stores to outfit you with a summer wardrobe. You are not to be concerned about the cost. Consider this wardrobe as your working uniform. The company will pick up the tab and write it off, as well as all our expenses for these weekends, including your travel expenses. You should also use the clothes in your stateroom. From now on, you are to dress like me and observe how the people in my circle act and dress. If you have any questions, come to me and we will discuss it. I will give you a list of the men's clothing stores I use. Select anything you need and charge it to my account. You are to make an appointment with my hair stylist in Oyster Bay next week. If I've offended you, I'm sorry, but we need to see that your hair is styled properly."

When Dirk did not say anything Brett glanced in his direction. What he saw was this faraway look. Brett realized that Dirk was mulling everything over in his head and had not quite accepted the reality of the offer. Brett picked up his cell phone, dialed the shop and spoke to the manager telling him they were running late and would be there in a half hour.

"I'm sorry for spoiling your time table," Dirk said. "I'm still overwhelmed by your generous offer. It was too much all at once. You are a wonderful guy, and I swear I will pay you back. Words fail me right now. It's impossible to express into words what I'm feeling. All I can say is that I'm grateful to you and I know I'll succeed. How could I fail with a champion like you at my side?" He reached over, hugged Brett and said, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Brett smiled, "Now are you ready to face the world again?"

Dirk looked into Brett eyes, "For the first time in my life I can honestly say … I'm ready. Let's do it."

From that day on, a bond of understanding and trust had developed between them. Brett would assume the role of teacher and mentor while Dirk became his willing pupil. Those roles were never discussed, they merely evolved. Brett was determined to teach him every facet of the pleasure boat industry, a business that he loved so much.

When they had returned to the yacht club, after their shopping spree, they both took a nap. Dirk awoke and tried on the tuxedo that Ellie Stewart had sent over and it fit perfectly. They dressed casually for lunch and took off.

"Today, you should feel more self assured," Brett said. "You're no longer playing a role. You are in fact my associate. Don't feel uncomfortable if anyone asks you to sell their boat, get their card and make a few mental notes, the most important thing is to get them to talk about their next yacht. Once you get them started, they'll never stop. Never mention money; find out why they want to sell their present yacht. You get a good picture after a short conversation. The secret is to try to get a clear understanding of what they really want. Once you have that information you're well on the way to your first sale. We have specialists who will give us a full history of every yacht that is registered and its present book value. We also handle our own financing. I have one cardinal rule in business: be open and honest in all dealings with our customers. Give them top dollar for their trade-in and a fair price on their new purchase. I don't care how rich our customers are, they still want to feel they got the best deal. It's the only way to build a good reputation in any business. If you treat them well, they will send you customers. One thing to remember when you are dealing with wealthy people, they hate to part with a nickel. That's why they keep their money."

Dirk chuckled, "You're something else. I'm impressed with your sales philosophy. I can see why you like this business so much."

"My mother says I'm wasting my time playing around in the boat business," Brett said. "But I love this business and it has been very rewarding to me. I enjoy dealing with my customers and enjoy the direct contact with people. Well, here we are; relax and enjoy this afternoon," Brett said.

Naturally, the women wanted to know all about the new, good-looking face in the crowd. Ellie very cleverly maneuvered Dirk into a quiet corner to pump him for information. However, it was Dirk who learned what he wanted to know. They left after about two hours and returned to the Brett Jr. They donned their swimsuits and lay on the deck to soak up the sun. Brett could only take an hour of sun bathing and suggested they take a walk around the club to examine some of the yachts.

"We have a software program at the office that can access an Internet list of all the yachts registered in the world. With the graphic program, we can also print a photo of the yacht as well. Familiarize yourself with the major yacht builders and their specialties. They all produce videos of their products so you have a lot of studying ahead of you. If you don't have the equipment at home, you are free to use the equipment in my apartment at the Islip office. I want you to spend some time working in each of my departments until you understand the whole operation. Spend the next two weeks learning the stock and observe how the salesmen handle the customers. My sales manager conducts a sales class every morning so make sure you attend. After the show room closes, you and I will work together until you're ready to become a salesman."

"One important consideration: How do you think your wife is going to take this sudden change?"

"Not well, I'm afraid. It's going to be a hard sell, believe me. But I've already made my decision."

"Good. Tomorrow morning I want you to call your supervisor to tell him you are taking a leave of absence for the next two weeks. We'll leave the Brett Jr. here and drive the Porsche back to Islip. What is your gross income at the police department," Brett asked.

"Forty-five thousand dollars a year, plus my benefit package."

"I'll pay you twenty-five dollars an hour for the next two weeks," Brett said. "When we return to the office tomorrow afternoon I want you to fill out an employment application and make arrangements to get a complete physical including blood test. Any questions so far?"

"No, everything is fine."

"Make arrangements to have a fitting with the tailor sometime during the week. Make sure everything fits right. Have the owner help you with the accessories, shirts, socks and shoes. Be sure he gives you a couple of real bow ties and not those clip on things. You can use the Buick for any business trips from now on; no sense putting the miles on your personal vehicle."

"I think it's time to get started thinking about getting dressed for dinner. Remember I'm older and need more time to get ready."

"Yeah, sure; let's go, old timer."

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On the drive back to Islip Sunday afternoon, Brett noticed Dirk staring at him. "What's wrong? Is something bothering you?"

"I'm still on a high over this weekend," Dirk said. "I've got a couple of questions if you feel in the mood."

"Fire away."

"One of the ladies at the dinner said you are a very wealthy man. Is that true?"

"Oh, is that what's bothering you?" Brett said, "What did you hear?"

"That you were one of the most eligible, unattached, wealthy, attractive bachelors left, and could have any lady you wanted for the asking," Dirk said. "Of course I think attractive is an understatement."

Brett smiled, "What's better than attractive by your standards? I'm curious."

"I think you're a very handsome young man and wish I had half your good looks."

"Thanks for the compliment, but don't you sell yourself short," Brett said. "I was getting a little jealous of you after the last parties. Most of the ladies thought you were handsome and sexy.

"It's true, I'm wealthy," Brett said. "But my real wealth comes from the power I can wield, so it's all relative. I'm happy now, because I am using my money to do the things I love to do, like owning my Marinas. Of course, that may change very soon. We can discuss that in more detail in the future. It will all become crystal clear to you then."

"I want you to know that I'm grateful for everything you've done for me this weekend," Dirk said. "I'm going to work my tail off and will continue to do so until I can afford to be part of the life you have shown me this weekend. This is what I have always wanted. I enjoyed being with you this weekend. It was exciting talking to the movers and shakers of our world. It was refreshing to learn there is more to life than sitting in front of the TV every night, or discussing the new gadget you bought for your lawn. You have shown me a world I've never been exposed to before, and I know that I don't ever want to go back to being in a rut. I don't care what you give me to do, or how many hours it takes to learn, I'm going to succeed. You will never regret hiring me, and I plan to deliver on that promise."

"I never doubted that," Brett said. "Remember this: Never lose sight of your goal, and use that inner strength you have to see you through. It's not going to be easy and you are going to have to make some painful decisions along the way. There is always a price to pay in this life; there is no such thing as a free ride. The climb to the top is not easy, but once there, the view is well worth the climb. Never forget the promise you made and never be afraid to come to me if you need my help."

"Thanks, Brett; that means a lot to me."

September 

They were driving home after attending the Labor Day gala that officially closed the season at the Westhampton Yacht Club. Dirk said, "I'm having problems with my wife, Linda. She is not happy with the amount of time I'm spending away from home every week and wants me home for dinner every evening and on the weekends. She is willing accept the late hours, but has put her foot down as far as the weekends go. She wants me to make the trips to her mother's and to attend the other family functions from now on. She has given me six months to work out a reasonable schedule. When I took this job, we both agreed that I would need a year to establish myself solidly in this new career. Now she feels that I'm spending too much time at the office."

"Now that the summer season is over you will be able to spend more weekends at home," Bret said. "But you still need to attend regional boat shows. Let's play it by ear and see what we can work out."

November 

The time flew by for Dirk. He made the transition from police officer to salesman in a heartbeat. It became apparent that he had a natural talent for sales, with the added incentive of his love of boats. Dirk became one of the top salesmen in the business. He looked forward to work every day and felt a sense of well being. He was enthusiastic about his new career and his optimism rubbed off on the people around him. His star was rising fast in the world of luxury yachts. He continued to run the yacht operation at two locations, the Islip Marina and the Westhampton Yacht Club.

On a personal level, the friendship between Dirk and Brett flourished. Brett doubled Dirk's salary after the first five months along with a healthy bonus. They became a smooth team, and worked without friction. They respected each other's abilities and acted more like brothers than employer/employee. It never bothered them to put in long hours, after showroom hours, planning sales strategies.

Dirk became the top salesman in the company after six months; exceeding Brett's all time record. At his own request, his sales figures were never posted. He didn't want to discourage some of the struggling new salesmen he was training. He was well liked by the sales staff, because he worked with them to help them close a sale. He was known to credit some of his sales to some struggling new salesmen to help them make their quota. Brett promoted him to operations manager of the Islip Marina in addition to his running the new luxury yacht operation. It worked out well, because he was able to handle the buying for both markets at the same time.

Dirk opened the two satellite offices for Brett, one on the North Shore, and the other on the South Shore of Eastern Long Island. He recruited two top salesmen from the competition for the new locations. He personally trained the support staff to run the office and continued to use Brett's yacht as his sales office. He moved the yacht to a different location each week while the Islip Marina continued to remain headquarters for all operations.

Dirk drove into the parking lot of the Islip Marina early Wednesday morning, the day before Thanksgiving. He was not in a good mood because he had another row with Linda on Monday. The argument was over Thanksgiving dinner. He refused to spend Thanksgiving at Linda's mother's home that year. Instead, he wanted to have Thanksgiving dinner in his own home. Linda had finally agreed to invite the family to their home. Nevertheless, after talking to her parents, Linda changed her mind. She insisting they drive to her mother's home as they did every year. Dirk told her if her family did not want to spend it with them that was unfortunate. He did not intend to drive to her mother's or any other house for Thanksgiving. As far as he knew, they were having dinner at home without the in-laws. He opened the trunk and took out his brief case when a man approached that he never saw before. "Mr. Devlin?"

"Yes, that's me."

The man handed him an envelope and said, "I'm a process server, Mr. Devlin, this is from your wife's lawyer."

Dirk sat in the car and opened the envelope addressed to him. It was a legal document from Linda's lawyer informing him that she was suing him for divorce. He was shocked. He pulled out of the parking lot and called Brett on his cell phone. Brett was heading to the Oyster Bay marina when Dirk called.

"I have an emergency situation and I need to talk to you right away," Dirk said. "Could you meet me on Brett Jr.? This is not something I care to discuss over the cell phone." Dirk's next call was to the Islip Marina office. He left a message for his secretary to let her know that he would be meeting Brett and to cancel all his appointments for the rest of the day.

Brett arrived at the yacht a few minutes after Dirk. "You sounded very upset, what's going on?"

"Sorry to pull you away from the office," Dirk said. "You're the only one I can discuss this with and I thought this would be the best place to meet. This is what I was greeted with when I got to the Marina this morning." He handed Brett the divorce papers.

"It's no wonder you're upset," Brett said. "How can I help?"

"I need a good lawyer to handle this and I need to find a place to live temporarily," Dirk said. "Would it be alright if I lived on the Brett Jr. until I find a place to live? That bitch did not say a word about this when I left for work this morning. She had to turn the knife in me just one more time. We had another heated discussion on Monday about Thanksgiving. Now I realize what that was really all about.

"I'm really angry at the way she handled this, yet not surprised. We haven't had a real conversation in two months," Dirk said. "I'm going to need my clothes and personal things from the house."

"Let me call my attorneys to see if they can handle this for us," Brett said. "Everything is in limbo until we talk to the lawyer. You're welcome to use the Brett Jr., however, I think you would be better off if you moved in with me until this mess is settled."

"That's even better," Dirk said. "Are you sure this won't inconvenience you? I know how much you like your privacy."

Brett chuckled, "You practically live there now."

"I'm sorry you had to find out about my personal troubles like this," Dirk said. "I had hoped that everything would work out after a while."

"There is never a good time to talk about something as personal as this," Brett said. "Now that it's out in the open, I would like you to tell me the whole story."

"This whole thing started when I took the job with you. Linda never forgave me for leaving the police department. I told her why I had to leave and what this job meant to our future and me. I pointed out how much better off we would be financially with all the benefits. Finally, Linda agreed, on one condition. She gave me six months to see if this was better than the Police Department. If it didn't work out as planned, I would give it up and return to the police force.

"Well, Linda started her campaign of whining and complaining after the first month. First, it was that I was spending too many weekends away from the family and not spending enough time at home. I was neglecting the house and grounds. Her complaints were endless. Nag! Nag! Nag! I hired a lawn service to take care of the grounds. Of course, she didn't like the way they did things. I wanted her to hire a maid service to clean the house once a week, but she said she'd rather clean her own house. I begged her to attend some of the parties with me and take the whole family on a weekend cruise. She blew up at that suggestion. She said she had nothing in common with my friends and had no intention of getting involved with my business associates.

"That's when she demanded I be home every weekend and live up to my duties as a father and husband. She wanted me to take this week off and visit with her family. That's when I told her she spent entirely too much time with her family and should try to take more of an interest in my career, or at least cultivate some friends locally. I also told her that I had no intention of spending more than one weekend a month at her mother's. If they want to see us more often, they can make the drive down to Long Island. If they couldn't drive, I'd send them airline tickets. If she felt our house was too small, she could start looking for a larger house. That was all she had to hear, she went ballistic and did not speak to me for weeks after that. Naturally, she continued to spend every weekend with her mother. We've been sleeping in separate bedrooms for more than five months. I've gotten to the point where I hate to go home. She has even tried to poison my daughters' minds against me.

"I'm convinced now that Linda wanted me to fail. When she realized I liked the job and was doing well, she changed her game plan. She figured if she put enough pressure on me that my performance on the job would suffer and I would be fired. Then I would have no choice but to return to the police department. That's when I wrote a long letter to the Police Commissioner and the Fair Employment Practices Board explaining the deceitful practices they employed in my demotion and the reasons I resigned after nine years of faithful service. When she learned about the letter from one of my former buddies on the force, she knew that I had severed all relations with the police department.

"Her plan backfired, because in spite of her feeble attempts to discourage me, I became your best salesman and that closed the door on me ever going back to our old way of life. Her lack of support and her contempt for my new position drove us apart. I finally began to see how manipulative Linda had been from the very beginning. It finally dawned on me that she never really loved me. All she wanted was to control me and when that failed she became bitter.

"In a way I feel relieved knowing that I don't have to return to that dreaded situation again. I'm a free man once more."

Ten minutes later Brett's cell phone rang. He answered it and handed the receiver to Dirk to let him explain his problem to the attorney. Dirk arranged to meet the attorney at his office in half an hour.

"I'll drive you over to his office," Brett offered.

They arrived at the lawyer's office and were shown in to see Lance Miles.

"Brett would you mind sitting in on this with me?"

"Of course I don't mind at all."

After the introductions, Dirk handed Lance the papers. "I think this will move along much quicker if I told you how I would like you to handle this divorce," Dirk said.

"I want an uncontested divorce with visitation rights to see my daughters. I have no desire to see my wife again, particularly after the way she has chosen to handle this divorce. I would have given her a divorce at any time. I will pay alimony on the salary I was earning before I joined Harcourt Marine. My personal property and family keepsakes are to be returned to me immediately. Other than that, my wife can have the contents of the house. If, or when our house is sold, my share of the house is to be placed in a trust account for my daughters. If Linda remarries, she will forfeit her alimony. I insist that my daughters attend private school as soon as possible. I will continue to support them until they graduate from college. They are to spend every other weekend with me and we can alternate on the major holidays. We can work out a schedule for their summer vacation as well. I'm flexible on that for now."

"You are the expert in this matter, Lance, and I feel confident in relying on your experience," Dirk said. "I want you to work out a reasonable settlement, but one with teeth in it. Linda has proven by her actions that she is not a reasonable woman. I will be moving in with Mr. Harcourt until I find a new residence."

"I think I can work everything out to your satisfaction," Lance said. "You'll need to make a detailed list of your personal property, other than your clothes, and fax it to me. I will arrange to have your personal effects and clothing moved to Mr. Harcourt's apartment. I will leave a message at your club and at your office. I'll contact you as soon as I hear from your wife's lawyer."

They were driving back to the yacht club when Dirk said, "What would I do without you, Brett? You were there again when I needed you."

"This all comes as a surprise to me. I thought you had resolved your problems with Linda," Brett said.

"That's what I thought. You know she turned down my suggestion for family counseling. I told her we could not continue to go the way we were, and that we should consider a separation," Dirk said. "She said we should discuss that after the holidays."

"Did you have anything planned for the rest of the day?"

"It will depend on what the lawyer has to say. I would be useless in the office today. What did you have in mind?"

"When we get back to the yacht I want you to change into your casual clothes," Brett said. "I'm taking you home to meet my mother. She has wanted to meet you for some time. I feel this would be the ideal time. Let me see if she is free for lunch, unless you would rather not?"

Dirk smiled. "You're the boss. I have no objections. What does one wear when visiting royalty?"

Brett laughed, "Do your blue blazer thing."

To be continued...

Posted: 05/04/12