Chapter 10 #3
“They’re finding all kinds of shit that my mother hoarded over the years. There are unclaimed lottery tickets that I have no idea if they’re expired or not.” He asked how they tested them. “I guess we take them to a lottery store and see what they can tell us. I have no idea beyond that.”
“Are any of them worth all that much?” She told him that they were mostly five and ten-dollar winners. “Like they were too small an amount for her to bother with, you think?”
“Who knows what was going on in her mind. She seems to have her house in order, but when you started looking through the drawers and cabinets, you can see where she hid her clutter. It’s like she didn’t want anyone to see what she was doing, but was all right with making sure she had stuff around when she wanted it.
I don’t know.” He told her he was sorry.
“I am as well. But at least it’s getting done, and I don’t have to worry about it anymore.
After they get it cleaned out, I’m going to have the carpets cleaned and the walls painted.
Then I’ll turn it back over to the front office.
It’s a nice place. Just enough for a couple starting out. ”
“I heard that it had two bedrooms.” She said that was right and that the kitchen was huge.
“Not that she ever used it, you told me. I can’t imagine living in a condo anymore.
I love the quietness of having our own home to do what we want.
” He thought of something else. “While you’re having the walls and carpets done, make it so that mine is done as well.
We can put mine on the market, just get rid of it.
I don’t know how long it’ll take to sell, but it’ll be one less thing that we have to worry about when we’re filing our taxes for next year. ”
“I love that idea. Then, if it sells right away, we’ll use that money for our vacation with Audon.
I heard that he was going to do up the kids’ wing at the hospital with some art.
I can’t wait to see it. I’m betting that it’ll be beautiful no matter what he does to the walls.
” He told her that he’s done that before, did artwork on other buildings.
“I think I knew that. He’s been doing this for some time now, I guess. ”
She didn’t ask about the accident, and he was glad.
They had enough going on without him bringing work home with him.
As soon as they disconnected the call, he got back to work.
If he wanted to get off in time tonight, he had to make sure all his paperwork was finished up.
As soon as he filed his work, he was ready to go home.
But he had to talk to his boss once more about him taking some time off when his brother was going to France again.
“I’m retiring as of next month. I’m going to suggest to the bigwigs that you take my job.
” His first instinct was to say no; he didn’t want it, but he waited to see what else he had to say.
“I’ve had enough of this job, and I need some time off with my wife.
The kids have all left the nest, and now it’s time for us to have some fun.
You going to France will be a good thing, and you’ll do a much better job than I ever did. ”
“I don’t know what to say.” He told him he could have a week to think about it, and then he was going to put his name in the roster to take over his job. “You really are going to retire? I mean, you’re still young yet. What are you? In your fifties?”
“Fifty-three next month. I’ve been doing this job for a good long time, and it’s time that I took some time off for myself.
I know you’ll do a good job and you won’t allow it to eat up your life like I have.
” He asked him what he meant. “You’ll take the time off when you need it and be with that pretty little wife of yours.
I haven’t taken any time off in years, and it’s beginning to feel like it.
I want to see the world too at my own pace, and there is only one person that I know would do a good job. That’s you.”
“I’ll have to talk it over with my wife, like you said.” He said that he expected no less of him than to do that. “I don’t know what she’ll say. We’ve only just got our own home together and things are working out well.”
“And it will continue to do that when you’re in charge.
I know you well enough to know that you’ll do a better job at taking your time off when you need it.
Also, and this is between the two of us, you won’t be long for the job anyway.
You’ll find that you like having time off and take it, and that’ll be the best thing for you.
” He asked him what he meant. “You have money, and I know that. You’ll not care to bow down to others when you want to do something your way.
I’ve been trying to retire for some years now, and they keep pulling me back in.
This job needs someone stronger than me to say no and mean it. ”
“It seems like you have your heart set on this.” He said he’d been thinking about it for years; he’d just never found the right person to do the job before. “I don’t know what to say other than thank you. I’m honored that you think I could step into your footsteps.”
“You’d do a good job at it, too. There should have been someone like you in the very beginning.
Things wouldn’t be so slack all the time.
I know you said something to the other officers about wearing their jogging pants around the job.
I never even noticed it until then. I’ve missed a lot of things by not paying attention anymore.
” He asked him what he’d be doing other than just seeing the world.
“I’m going to get to know my wife again.
Have some fun with her while we still can.
Hang out with the grandkids while they still want to be around us.
I know that I said I’m still young, but I’m getting older by the minute, it seems like.
And I don’t want life to pass me by while I’m sitting at this desk trying to figure out why I’m doing it. ”
“You’ve done a good job. I’ve always looked up to you.” He thanked him. “I’m being serious right now. You’ve done a good job, and I appreciate you putting my name in the roster for the next person to be chief.”
“You deserve it more than most, young man. And now that I’ve told you that, I want you to know that I’ll come back and kick your ass if you’re my age and still sitting at this desk.
You go and do things with Lori and have fun when the kids come along.
I know I wished I’d have done that before now.
” He thanked him again. “No need for that. You go on home, and I’ll put your vacation time in for March of next year.
That way, they can’t say that you didn’t have it coming.
You’ll do a good job, Penrod, and I know that your family will be proud of you. ”
“I know they will as well.” He left the office and headed home. He had a lot to tell his family, but he was going to talk to Lori first. He had no idea what she’d say other than for him to make the decision, but he knew that she’d support him in any way he wanted to go.
He also knew that he’d not be doing the job forever.
He did want to go and see the world with his wife and family, and the only way to do that was not to be stuck in a job for the rest of his life.
It took him time to think about what he was going to say to Lori, but he knew that whatever he said was going to come with questions.
He was about as excited for this change as he was for anything he’d done before. He just hoped he could do a good job.