by Bob Brown
Again the shared looks between Michael and Tricia. This time it was Michael.
“As we said at the beginning, we respect you, Jason. We also know that you have a lot of talent, and some unique gifts that will make you successful no matter where you end up in this business. Customers like you, they respect you, and they trust you. And so do we.”
“What Michael is trying to say,” interrupted Tricia, “is that with things the way they are at Jagged Edge, there’s a real sense that things could come crashing down. Any day now, we may find ourselves looking for new jobs. We know you’ll land on your feet. We'd like you to keep us in mind when you do.”
After a couple of beers and promises from Michael and Tricia that they would keep Jason informed of developments at Jagged Edge, Jason said goodbye to his former colleagues and walked back to his car. He had plenty to think about.
*****
As soon as he walked back into the car dealership, Jason was greeted by Kyle.
“Hey, Jason, you’re not going to believe this.”
“Believe what?”
“I had a phone call from the secretary for the Planning Commission. Seems they had a mix-up of case numbers and sent out the wrong information regarding a number of the cases scheduled on the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting.”
“I’m not following you,” said Jason.
“Turns out you were right all along. Our rezoning request is actually part of the Consent Agenda. There’s no disagreement, no need for discussion, and no need for us to appear to argue our position. The secretary said we should receive official notification of the approval within two weeks.”
“I’m glad,” said Jason. “It’s about time you had something easy to deal with.”
“God is good,” said Kyle.
“Yes he is,” replied Jason. It had become their mantra.
Jason went on to tell Kyle about the ad hoc meeting he had just finished with Michael and Tricia.
“Sounds like you were right about that, too,” Kyle remarked.
“Right about what?”
“You had said your instincts told you that Sam and Alex were going to ruin Jagged Edge. Looks like their scheme may have come back to bite them.”
“I’m not so sure,” replied Jason. “Everything Michael and Tricia told me was just hearsay. We don’t even know if the FTC is actually looking into improprieties at Jagged Edge. And even if they are, we don’t know that the investigation has anything to do with Jack’s scheme and the reason I quit.”
Jason paused, mentally trying to tie together the loose ends. It made no sense to him.
“Besides, there were only a couple of people who knew what Sam, Alex, and Jack were planning. Given their involvement, it’s unlikely any of them would have notified the FTC. And I certainly didn’t do it.”
“God is good,” Kyle said again. This time he had a big smile on his face.
Jason withheld his response. Although he didn’t disagree that God is good, it suddenly occurred to him that God may have had some help with this one. He just smiled back at his best friend.
*****
Later that evening, Jason recalled something Kyle had said not long ago, something that Jason had stuck away in the far recesses of his mind, to the place where he kept the things he didn’t have time for, didn’t think were possible, or would never consider doing.
Kyle had said, ‘You should totally start your own business.'
Maybe not, thought Jason.
Chapter 56
Over the next six weeks, Jason had little time to think about Jagged Edge. Not that he wanted to anyway. He was working full time at Garrett Motors, consumed with the desire to be near his friend and to help him however and whenever help was needed. Kyle was wrestling with his certain mortality and finding it difficult to decide what to do about the dealership.
“So what are the options as you see them?” asked Jason one morning as he and Kyle were sitting in Kyle’s office.
“Just the obvious ones,” replied Kyle. “Keep it, sell it, or liquidate it.”
Kyle had told Jason that the difficulty of his decision was compounded by the fact that he was an only child. Worse still, neither his father nor his mother had any surviving siblings. So it appeared that the third generation of Garrett Motors might be the last.
There was also the connection between the dealership and the Garrett Charitable Foundation to consider. Although the Foundation generally capped its annual giving to the level of investment returns from the previous year, Kyle was concerned that a couple of bad years in the market or some marginal investment advice could wipe out the Foundation’s capital. Without the ongoing contributions provided from revenue at Garrett Motors, the Foundation could quickly find itself out of business.
“If I keep it,” Kyle said, “it would still be Garrett Motors, but in name only. Without the actual Garrett family connection, there would be no assurance that the dealership would be run the way the Garrett family has always wanted it run. Things could come completely undone.”
“Surely you could put someone in charge that would continue to do things the way you and your dad would have wanted,” offered Kyle. “Couldn’t you work up a contract that stipulated how things should run?”
Kyle thought about it. “Finding someone initially wouldn’t be a problem. But what would happen if that person got ill, or died, or just wanted out? Then what? It could become increasingly difficult to ensure the continuation of Garrett Motors.
“And I would hesitate to stipulate contractually how the business should be run. Circumstances change. I wouldn’t feel comfortable tying the hands of whoever owned the dealership.”
“I guess I see your point,” said Jason. “So what about selling it?”
“That would be the last resort. Selling it would kill the Garrett legacy.”
“But just think about all the good you could do via the Foundation with the capital proceeds from the sale,” offered Jason.
“Trust me. I’ve given that a lot of thought. Both selling the business and liquidating are attractive options from the standpoint of providing additional capital to the Foundation. At this point, all options are still on the table.”
*****
Jason left Kyle’s office a few minutes later to let his friend rest. Kyle had taken to mid-morning and mid-afternoon naps on the couch in his office. It was the compromise Kyle allowed himself so that he could continue to work every day without becoming exhausted from the effort.
Leaving word with Kyle’s secretary that he would be out the rest of the day, Jason drove over to Creekside Elementary School to pick up Karen. Karen’s van was in the shop, and Jason had volunteered to be her ride for the day.
What Karen had conveniently forgotten to tell Jason was that in addition to her rides to and from school, today she also needed a ride in support of her volunteer work for the Inner City Coalition.
“So tell me again about this thing you volunteered me for today,” Jason asked, not at all upset that he got to spend the afternoon with Karen.
Karen smiled. “Sorry again about that. I totally forgot. I was up early this morning on the webcam with Sydney. This eight hour time difference is tough. Sometimes it throws my whole day off.”
“No problem,” said Jason. He was glad that Karen and Sydney were staying in touch.
“Anyway, the Coalition is a group of volunteers who come together twice a month to discuss inner city needs. Our mission is to assess where shortfalls are most likely to exist for such things as homeless shelters, public daycare, health clinics, and drug outreach programs.
“It’s amazing how many people just assume that San Diego is what people see when they buy a vacation postcard: Beautiful scenery, perfect weather, happy faces, and lots of prosperity. The reality is much different. You’d be surprised how many people are living at or below the poverty level. Some statistics place it close to twenty percent.”
“Really?”
Jason knew San Diego wasn’t necessarily everything it was advertised to be in its ‘American’s Finest City’ campaign. But he had no idea things were that bad.
Karen continued. “Of course, housing costs are a big factor. But so are the cost of medical care, insurance, utilities, and the cost of just about everything else, from gas to groceries. Suddenly, yesterday’s middle class has become today’s lower class. The need for county services has far-outpaced the ability of the government to provide for the need.”
“What exactly is it you do?”
“We spend a lot of time reviewing public records and media reports, looking for changes in demographics, spending trends, and under-supported public issues. Then we evaluate current and projected shortfalls for critical community programs and services. Beyond that, we lobby for changes we believe are required. When necessary, we solicit the media for support.”
“So, other than you, who exactly are these volunteers?”
“We’ve got accountants, social workers, travel agents, business executives, and bus drivers. We don’t discriminate. What we try for is a mix of volunteers with the expertise and life experience to evaluate the issues and formulate the plans necessary for our agenda.”
“I take it your expertise is in evaluating educational needs.”
“Exactly. Unfortunately, the public school system allows a lot of kids to fall through the cracks. Even the latest Presidential awareness campaigns aren’t enough to prevent that. Fixing the problem requires a grassroots movement at the local level, not a national mandate.”
“What about fundraising,” asked Jason. Do you attempt to raise money to support your agenda?”
“Not directly. We’ve found that there are plenty of non-profit organizations out there already raising money. In fact, there are so many that they sometimes work against each other, confusing the public and diverting money into administrative overhead instead of into the programs they were created to support.”
Jason had run out of questions. Almost. “So what exactly do you want me to do while you’re volunteering this afternoon?”
“Well, you remember the part where I said we sometimes solicit the media for support? I figure that’s right up your alley. Advertising is what you do.”
“Uh, you do remember that I’m currently unemployed, right?”
“But you won’t always be. And when you’re back in the game doing whatever it is you’re going to do, I know you’ll be in a position to help.”
*****
Jason spent the afternoon tagging along with Karen, learning about the needs of the people whose faces never made it onto the postcards sold around San Diego. It was both enlightening and frightening. From his previous office on the ninth floor of a building in downtown San Diego, it had been easy to look directly over those who lived in the streets below, those living a different reality than the one advertised as ‘America’s Finest City’.
Jason ended his afternoon with a greater appreciation for a very serious problem that needed a very real solution.
Chapter 57
Without Kyle’s knowledge, Jason had talked with Dr. Neumann several times in the past week. The doctor was now convinced that, after almost two months, Kyle had likely already experienced whatever benefits he was going to derive from the plasma treatment. A recent blood test confirmed that the disease was slowly progressing.
And no, another treatment was not an option. The doctor remained firm on that, reminding Jason that slow progression was preferable to rapid, painful decline -- something she was convinced would most certainly follow any additional treatment.
So Jason was not completely surprised when his cell phone rang late one night as he and Karen were curled up on the couch in the condo watching a movie. He looked at the number. Doctor Neumann.
“This is Jason.”
“Jason, this is Dr. Neumann. Look, I don’t want you to be alarmed, but I admitted Kyle to the hospital just over an hour ago.”
As quickly as he could Jason extracted the details from Dr. Neumann. Apparently Kyle had dialed 911 when he started experiencing severe chest pains and abdominal cramps several hours earlier. The ambulance had arrived within ten minutes, and the EMS technician had called Dr. Neumann. Kyle was in room five one two at Mercy Hospital.
“OK, thanks, doc. I’m on my way.” Jason closed his phone and turned to a concerned-looking Karen.
“It’s started, Oz,” was all he would say.
*****
Twenty minutes later Jason and Karen entered room five one two to find Kyle sitting up in bed, watching ‘Jeopardy’ reruns on television. He was hooked to a patient monitor, and a bag of clear liquid hung from a saline stand beside his bed. A plastic tube ran from the bag into an IV line taped to the back of his right hand.
Karen hurried to Kyle and reached across the bed to give him a hug. Jason was right behind, gripping his friend’s good left hand in both of his.
“So, the TV out in your condo?” Jason joked.
“Nope, the TV’s fine. But I quit paying for cable, so this is the only place where I can get decent stations and all my meals in bed.” It was good that Kyle still had his sense of humor.
Jason turned serious. “So what exactly happened, Kyle?”
Kyle repeated pretty much what Dr. Neumann had told Jason earlier. “Dr. Neumann thinks it may have been a delayed reaction to the plasma infusion. She said that the chest pains and cramping are consistent with muscle spasms resulting from a change in plasma composition. She was a little surprised that the reaction took this long to manifest itself. But they did another blood test, and there seems to be no radical change from the one done a week ago.”
“Well, I’m glad you called 911,” said Jason. “But why didn’t you call me once you knew they were going to check you in.”
“I was going to, but Dr. Neumann showed up and said she’d call you.”
“OK, I guess you’re off the hook. So what are they planning to do with you?”
“Doctor Neumann wants me to spend the night, just for observation. As you can see, they’re currently refueling me with some kind of nutrient cocktail. But I think that’s all they plan on doing. I’m hoping when that’s done they’ll just leave me alone so I can get a good night’s sleep. I think that’s what I need more than anything.”
Jason and Karen spent another hour with Kyle. They took turns trying to answer questions on ‘Jeopardy’ and talked about the different things going on in each other’s lives. Then Jason asked Kyle to call him in the morning once he knew he was checking out.
*****
As Jason and Karen walked through the automatic doors and headed toward the parking lot, Karen leaned in and gripped Jason’s right arm with trembling hands.
“Jason, what are we going to do? I don’t want Kyle to die.” Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
They had reached the car. Jason turned and held Karen at arm’s length. He spoke gently but firmly.
“Karen, God knows I don’t want Kyle to die, either. But we have to be the ones who are strong here. Kyle’s counting on us. He doesn’t have anyone else. He lost his dad. He sent Sydney away. He’s alone, Oz. We’re all he’s got.”
“I know,” Karen managed through her tears. “But did you see him up there. Watching TV. Joking. How can he just ignore what’s happening?”
“Listen to me, Oz. He’s not ignoring it. He’s dealing with it the only way he knows how. As long as he’s able, he’ll do everything he can to keep from hurting you or me. Because he loves us both very much. And because he's put his trust in God.”
Jason pulled Karen to him as she cried softly into his shoulder. He didn’t know what else to say. This wasn’t about an overnight stay for some routine illness. This was the first of what would likely become many visits to the hospital. And they would become successively worse. Jason knew there was no changing the reality of what was coming in the weeks and months ahead.
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*****
It was after midnight when Jason dropped Karen at her apartment and returned home. As he sat in the dim light of his living room, he mindlessly thumbed through his Bible, searching for inspiration. He felt helpless in the face of what he knew lay ahead for his friend.
In the months since he had re-committed to this faith, Jason had often found comfort in Bible passages written long ago by people who were suffering just like he was. He found himself seeking comfort in those words -- more frequently, and with greater urgency.
Jason especially like the Psalms, both because of their beauty and because many of them were attributed to David. Jason liked David. He could identify with him. Like Jason, David had sinned and had sometimes strayed from his relationship with God.
Jason scanned through the first quarter of the Psalms, focusing on the parts that he found most comforting. He bookmarked some in his mind, thinking that someday soon he would read them to Kyle:
‘In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him, into His ears.’
Psalm 18:6
‘Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.’
Psalm 25:4-5
‘In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in Your righteousness. Turn Your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.’
Psalm 31:1-2
‘The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.’
Psalm 34:17-18
‘Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.’
Psalm 39:5
Comforted for the moment and now feeling wide awake, Jason reached for a pad of paper in his briefcase and started making notes. He still didn’t have a plan. He returned once again to his concept of the puzzle, still trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together.