Dex first noticed her sitting in the area of the plant set aside for brown-bagging.
“Hi, I’m Dex. Do you mind if I sit here?”
“No, that’s what all the chairs are for. I’m Doris Jean. Have a seat. I haven’t seen you here before. You must be new.”
“Yeah, I just started last week. How long have you been here?”
“Long enough to know I’d rather be anywhere other than here. I just passed my third anniversary.”
“Does it get any easier to deal with the heat and noise?”
“I guess it must because I don’t pay much attention to it anymore.”
They continued to chat until their lunch break was over and started meeting each day for lunch. They started dating a week later. DJ was a world apart from the spoiled sorority debutantes that Dex frequently dated on campus. If she was envious of those who had more, she never talked about it. Despite her situation, she was basically a cheerful person, and she made Dex happy when he was with her. Before either of them realized it was happening, their casual dating evolved into a blazing summer romance.
In retrospect, they probably weren’t fooling themselves into thinking long term, but Dex adored DJ and enjoyed being with her more than anyone he had ever dated. They never talked about anything beyond that summer. DJ knew Dex was returning to college, and he knew that she would continue working in the factory after he was gone.
That summer Dex practically abandoned Hoagie and his other friends because he preferred DJ’s company to hanging out with the guys. They spent time between shifts swimming at the mountain lake where he and Hoagie swam when they were in high school. Often they would just sit on the shore and talk for hours.
By the end of the summer, Dex was convinced that he was in love with DJ, and even now, years later, he still refused to categorize it in his mind as just a typical summer romance.
They drifted apart after he returned to school that fall, and the following spring she married a soldier and moved to Germany. Dex sincerely hoped DJ was happy and that her soldier appreciated the diamond in the rough he married. If he ever knew anyone who truly deserved a good break in life, it was Doris Jean Lewis.
Chapter 10
Everyone had warned Dex about the dismal job prospects in River City, and their warnings proved to be prophetic. He could not even get an interview. Employers were holding applications on file from well-qualified prospects for months. It was an employer’s market. When a job became available, the employer simply went to the file cabinet and plucked out an application. There was no need for additional interviews or applications.
Dex did everything but hand out résumés on a downtown street corner. He made dozens of phone calls and mailed countless résumés, but he wasn’t able to get in the front door of a potential employer.
The recession that ravaged the country had officially ended almost a year before, but River City still had lingering economic problems. The city had suffered what the mayor called a “double whammy.” They not only had to contend with the countrywide recession, but they lost a lot of well-paying manufacturing jobs when a large metal fabricator moved their operations to Mexico. Several smaller employers fell prey to the recession and simply closed their doors forever.
Hoagie found a job almost immediately as a music teacher and band director at the county high school. Dex was happy for his friend, but it made him feel even more like a failure. His best friend and girlfriend both had careers, and he couldn’t even get an interview.
Having self-doubt and feeling like a loser was a new experience for Dex. Athletics had allowed him to live a charmed life. He had never been egotistical, but he had always had a well-adjusted feeling of self-confidence. Now for the first time in his life, he was beginning to feel like a real loser. He wondered how Marie felt about being stuck with someone who was apparently chronically unemployed. It was certainly embarrassing to him.
To loosen up his stiff leg, Dex jogged each morning on the high-school track before the students arrived. One morning he noticed Bob Delaney, his high-school coach, watching him from the bleachers. Delaney had been like a surrogate father to his star athlete; however, Dex had been purposely avoiding him since he had been home. Delaney had told him a year before that he was looking forward to one of his athletes making it in the NFL. That wasn’t going to happen now, and Dex hated to see the coach disappointed.
“Coach, what’re you doing sitting up there watching an ex-jock trying to relive his youth?”
“Son, you may be an ex-jock, but you’re still young; you just run like an old man. How’s the leg?”
“It’s still a little stiff. I run every morning to loosen up, but it also takes my mind off the fact that I can’t get a job. I’ve discovered that River City isn’t a hotbed for employment. You don’t happen to know anyone looking for a green kid with a new business degree, do you?”
Delaney was watching on television when Dex suffered his career-ending injury. “Dex, I know how hard this has been on you. It’s been hard on me too. When I saw you leaving the field on that stretcher, I felt like I’d been kicked in the stomach.”
“I appreciated you calling me while I was in the hospital. I’ve been planning to come see you, but I have been spending all my time looking for a job.”
“Dex, it isn’t your fault. The economy in this area is still pretty slow. In fact, it has been so bad that most of our kids aren’t coming back home after graduating from college.”
“I felt like I needed to be here to take care of my grandmother, but as it’s turned out, she is still taking care of me financially. It’s getting rather embarrassing.”
“Dex, if we can just find some way to exploit it, you may have an advantage here. Everyone still remembers you because you brought a lot of favorable attention to our school and the entire town while you were playing here. There ought to be some way to parlay your name recognition into an opportunity. Let me talk to some people and see if I can help. Why don’t you come over to our house for dinner tomorrow night? Betty would love to see you.”
“I’d love to, but my girlfriend is going to be in town. Could I bring Marie? I’d love for you and Mrs. Delaney to meet her.”
As soon as he asked the question, Dex suddenly remembered his last conversation with Marie. He would have to do some serious fence-mending before he took her to meet anyone. Their argument the previous weekend had been rather heated and was still not resolved. When he last talked to her, she was still coming on the weekend, but it was obvious she was still mad about what he had said.
Dex had already been planning to apologize, grovel, or do whatever was necessary to try to smooth over their first real argument. The argument was a result of his grumpy disposition over his employment situation. Marie had merely said she was happy that Hoagie found a job, but her comment struck Dex as a criticism of his own unemployment, and he reacted angrily.
“Look, I’ve done everything possible to find something. Don’t blame me because I can’t toot a tuba.”
“Dex, I’m not criticizing you. I’m sure you’re going to find a job soon.”
For weeks, she had been overly optimistic, and her constant encouragement and unbridled confidence had begun to irritate him. She kept telling him that everything would work out if he would just keep a positive attitude. He should have been grateful for her support and encouragement, but instead it finally frustrated him to the point to where he took it out on her.
“Damn it, Marie, everyone is not as lucky as you. It doesn’t happen that fast for everyone.”
Luck was not a word he should have used with Marie, who had worked twelve-hour days and taken on huge financial risks to build her business. She responded with fire blazing in her eyes.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. Being successful in a business venture has very little to do with luck and a whole lot to do with wo
rking your butt off. Luck is when a cornerback falls down and one of your limp-arm, off-target passes gets caught for a touchdown.”
The argument that ensued was pretty ugly. Dex learned a lot that day about her pride and steely resolve. When challenged, she could become hard as nails in a heartbeat and hold her own in a confrontation with anyone.
Dex quickly decided that retreat was the wisest course of action. During the two-hour drive back to River City, he tried to reconstruct the argument but kept coming up with the same conclusion: he had acted like a jerk. She was just being supportive, and his bruised self-image had caused him to take his frustrations out on her.
It was a retrospective thought, but Dex now knew that individuals in love have an increased capacity to hurt each other. He also now knew one of Marie’s “hot buttons,” and he would never touch that one again. He called to apologize as soon as he got home, but she remained pretty frosty even after his apology.
After the invitation from Coach Delaney, Dex called Marie’s apartment, got her answering machine, and left a message asking her to get there a couple of hours early because they were going to have dinner with some friends. He needed the extra time to try to calm her down before they showed up at the Delaneys’ house.
Dex watched through the window as Marie parked her car and started up the walk to the front porch. He could tell by the purposeful stride and stern facial expression that she was probably prepared to renew the argument. He needed to do something quick to defuse the conflict or he was going to be in for a miserable evening.
He opened the door before she reached it and literally pulled her inside the house. Before she had a chance to deliver the speech she had probably been rehearsing all the way from Atlanta, he said, “Marie, I love you. I’m sorry I acted like a jerk and took my frustration out on you.”
Dex had learned a valuable lesson about admitting responsibility and being truly penitent. She shook her head and then wrapped her arms around him.
“You’re right. You really were a jerk, but I still love you; so let’s not talk about it anymore.”
When Delaney and his wife met them at the door, Dex introduced Marie and then noticed there was another couple sitting in the living room. Delaney introduced them to Jim and Andrea Mitchell.
“Dex, Jim and Andrea have only been in River City for a few months. Jim is vice president and national sales manager for Argon Pharmaceuticals. We play golf together, and he takes all my money.”
Dex said, “Jim, I’ve lived here my entire life, and Argon has been here since before I was born. I know they have something to do with drugs, but I never have really understood exactly what they do.”
“We manufacture and distribute a wide array of over-the-counter medications. Supermarkets and others distribute some of our products, but most are sold at pharmacies just like prescription drugs. You’ve probably used a lot of them and just had no reason to know they were manufactured by Argon.”
They talked for a while about how the company had expanded over the years, and then Betty Delaney announced dinner was ready. While they were eating, Mitchell said, “Dex, before moving here we lived in Columbia, South Carolina, and I saw you play once against the Gamecocks in Columbia.”
Delaney started to tell a story about Dex’s high-school career, but Dex stopped him by saying, “Jim, I love the coach, but if you let him get started talking about football, we will still be sitting here in the morning.”
Dex knew where this conversation was headed, and he was trying to steer it to another subject. There was a time when he had enjoyed talking about the game and his career, but lately he tried to move on from that time in his life. It would always be difficult in River City for people to think of him as anything but an athlete, but he was trying to change the perception.
Dex said, “Marie and I grew up next door to each other, but she moved to Atlanta when we were in high school. It was seven years before we saw each other again. We spend a lot of time together now, but I don’t pull pigtails like I used to do.”
They all laughed and then Andrea asked, “What do you do in Atlanta, Marie?”
“I’m a nurse, and I own my own business providing in-home care for elderly patients.”
“Do you work by yourself?”
“No, I have a staff of several nurses. My company is named RN4U, and I’ve been in business for a little less than two years.”
Andrea said, “That’s fascinating. I’m a nurse too, but I haven’t practiced in several years.”
The women continued to carry on their conversation, and Delaney suggested the men move out onto the patio where he could smoke. His wife had created a no-smoking zone in the house. Dex still remembered his foul-smelling cigars and could appreciate her position.
After they were settled on the patio, Mitchell said, “Delaney tells me you’re looking for a job.”
“Yes, I am, but it’s a pretty tough job market in River City. I haven’t had any luck so far. My business degree doesn’t seem to impress anyone, and there aren’t many jobs available.”
“When we were on the golf course this morning, Delaney told me a lot about you. I’ve got an idea that I’d like to discuss with you. Argon has a new product that we’re about ready to bring to market. We’ve been putting together a marketing plan while we look for an experienced pharmaceutical salesman to lead the sales in our test market area. We haven’t looked at anyone without sales experience, but if you have any interest, I’ve got an idea I would like to get together and discuss with you.”
“I’d love to talk to you, but I don’t have any sales experience. I also don’t know anything about drugs, unless you want to count the love affair I had with pain pills after my injury. I ate them like candy for a couple of months.”
Mitchell laughed and said, “Why don’t you come by my office at ten o’clock Monday morning and we’ll discuss it? I want to introduce you to our CEO and some of the other executives. I can’t make you any promises because they may not agree with what I have in mind, but I think it’s worth a shot.”
Chapter 11
Dex and Marie were both happy when they left the party. The interview was the first encouraging news he had received. Marie had created a bond with Andrea because of their nursing connection, and she had enjoyed herself. There was nothing Marie would rather talk about than RN4U, and Andrea’s curiosity had given her an opportunity to talk about her favorite subject. As they were leaving, Andrea whispered to Dex, “That’s some girl you’ve got there. Don’t let her get away.”
Marie returned to Atlanta Sunday afternoon, and Dex and Hoagie went out for their favorite weekend meal. Hoagie’s mother had been pumping him full of vegetables since he had been home, so he was ready for pizza. Over a large pizza, Dex told him all about his scheduled interview at Argon
On the way home, Hoagie drove. Dex’s car was parked on the street in front of Gigi’s house. When they turned onto their street, they saw a man kneeling beside his car. The man saw them slowing down and quickly sprinted between two neighbor’s houses. They didn’t even try to chase him. Dex’s injured leg prevented him from running faster than anyone other than maybe Hoagie.
When they walked around to the curb side of the car, they saw that the valve stem was cut on both right tires, which were completely flat. The vandal used red spray paint to scrawl a message on the car’s white door: “Next it be you face, purty boy.”
Dex called the police, but they were unable to give the investigating officer any type of helpful description. They told him that the man was fairly tall and wearing dark pants and a dark shirt. Dex knew that with that nondescript information there wasn’t a chance of apprehending him.
The cop looked at Dex’s car. “Slashing your tires could have been just a sick prank.”
Dex was aggravated that he was too easily dismissing the vandalism, and he said, “Is the messa
ge on the door a prank too?”
The cop scratched his chin. “If it is, it’s a pretty sick one. You got any enemies?”
Dex laughed. “How about a million Vols fans?”
The cop obviously wasn’t a football fan. He just stared blankly.
“We beat Tennessee three years in a row, and I don’t think I’m one of their favorite people. I’ve had a few angry phone calls and letters, but no one has ever done anything like this.”
“You got any of those letters?”
“The university athletic department turned them over to the Athens police department; they may still have them. Actually, some of them were pretty funny. They used the same good grammar as the guy who just painted my car.”
“Well, I guess it’s a place to start,” the cop said with little enthusiasm.
The message on the door may have been illiterate, but it foretold more trouble ahead. This wasn’t likely to be the last thing Dex would hear from this unknown villain.
When Dex arrived at Argon the next morning, the receptionist called upstairs to announce his arrival and told him to take the elevator to the third floor. When he exited the elevator on the executive level, Mitchell’s secretary was waiting for him.
“Mr. Martin, if you could have a seat for a minute, Mr. Mitchell and the others will meet you in the boardroom.”
She returned a few minutes later and ushered him into the ornately adorned boardroom. Mitchell was there with six or seven other people sitting around a walnut conference table that could seat at least twenty people. They all rose as Dex walked in, and Mitchell introduced him. All the people in the room were senior officers, including the chairman and CEO Robert Stonecipher.
After the introductions, everyone sat at the table and, apparently in deference to his position, waited for Stonecipher to start the conversation. “I hope you don’t mind if I call you Dex.” He continued without waiting for an answer to his rhetorical question. “I feel like I know you because I’ve followed your career at Georgia with some interest. Actually, with the sports-dominated newspaper in this town, I didn’t have much choice. Your name recognition is one of the reasons Mitchell wanted us to meet you. I’m sure you realize that we don’t usually convene an executive meeting to interview an applicant, but this is a different situation, and you are not the usual applicant. But more than that, the position we want to discuss involves a concept we have never tried before. We’ve been meeting this morning to discuss an idea that Mitchell has proposed—one that may be mutually beneficial to you and Argon.”
Appalachian Intrigue Page 6