A Very Good Life

by Lynn Steward

  “Brett, I spoke with my father last night about your proposal. While he was very intrigued with it and appreciated the thought you put into our situation, he has decided to pass on it.”

  “I appreciate your quick response, Jack, but may I ask what your father’s reasons were for passing?”

  Jack paused before responding. “We’ve registered our patents for the response technology in question, and the status is currently patent pending while the government processes our request, which naturally entails an assessment of the technology itself. Dad thinks that we’ll be duly protected once the patent is granted.”

  “It’s a valid point,” Brett countered, “but I assume you know that patents sometimes take a very long time to be granted—even years—and until the government officially issues one to Hartlen Response, your company would not necessarily be protected under present law. There’s also the issue of rival patents to consider. If other people have begun to develop their own response equipment, your request for the patent could be tied up in the courts indefinitely, with no guarantee that you would win the case. With a consortium, however, rival companies would have to sign the stipulations we put forward. Waiting for the patent might be a roll of the dice given that oil spills are becoming a big concern to the growing environmental lobby.”

  “We’ve already considered the issues you’ve mentioned and are prepared to take the time necessary for the patents to be issued,” Jack said. “We believe the benefits and potential profits outweigh the risks.”

  “I understand,” Brett said. “If you or your father should have a change of heart, please don’t hesitate to call. And I sincerely hope that you and Patti will join us tomorrow night for our annual Christmas party. We first meet at Rockefeller Center for the tree lighting. I’ll have Dana call Patti with the details. There won’t be any shop talk—I guarantee.”

  “Patti and I would love to, Brett. And my dad and I will stay in touch with Richard. Again, I appreciate your interest in Hartlen Response. Meanwhile, I look forward to the party tomorrow night.”

  As he hung up, Brett looked up to see Janice standing in the doorway of his office.

  “Sounds like the Hartlens don’t want to play ball with the firm,” Janice remarked.

  “And I suppose you have a clever plan, as always, to reel them in.”

  “Actually, no.”

  “Then Hartlen Oil may not even use the firm, meaning Patti isn’t a concern anymore.”

  Janice closed the door and approached Brett’s desk. “Are you saying you want out of our arrangement?”

  Brett smiled. “If you’d asked me last week, I might have said yes. But now . . .”

  “But now you’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

  “If the truth be told, yes. I can’t be allowed to turn into a landmark, now can I?”

  “I’m glad you’ve come around,” Janice said, “but for what it’s worth, I’m told on the sly that Richard is willing to forego the condition that Hartlen Response become part of a consortium. He doesn’t want to lose their business. Patti will most likely remain in the picture.”

  “Interesting.”

  “What’s interesting,” Janice continued, “is that if you can find a way to bring Hartlen Response aboard under Richard’s original proposal, or even the slightly altered one you advanced, then you’ll be sitting in the catbird’s seat when it comes to partnership.”

  “I haven’t given up yet,” Brett said. “I’m going to be looking for an opening. I need to get to know the Hartlens a little better.”

  “Very cunning,” Janice noted. “You’re becoming more of a turn-on with each passing day.”

  “By the way, why did you talk to Dana about the wardrobe and wine journals?”

  “The more truth we give her, the less cause for suspicion she’ll have.”

  “That’s what I suspected. It sounds like you have some experience in these matters.”

  “My dear Brett, I am experienced in so many different ways that it would boggle your mind. Stick with me, and I’ll teach you a few things.”

  Janice left the office, leaving Brett to sigh and wonder what his new teacher had in store for him.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Dana arrived at B. Altman Wednesday morning, ready for the luncheon. There were dozens of details she and her assistants needed to attend to: last-minute seating for guests, greeting the judges, local media coverage, and making sure all of the contestants were present and ready for the final stage of the competition. She was satisfied with Brett’s explanation about his activities the previous Saturday, so she was totally focused on the luncheon.

  Although Dana had a plan to circumvent Bob’s decision to automatically declare Kim Sullivan the winner, her strategy hinged on allowing the luncheon to proceed normally. She genuinely hoped that each of the five teen finalists would turn in a stellar performance and wow the judges. That was the beauty of her plan: all she had to do was encourage each girl to do her very best. Not even the judges, who would naturally assess the girls fairly, knew what Dana had up her sleeve. A trouble-free fashion show, without alteration of the program in any way, would make her plan easier to implement when the time came to announce a winner at the Sugar Plum Ball.

  Mark and Andrew stopped by Dana’s office in the morning to wish her good luck. Mark dispensed his usual enthusiasm, assuring Dana that the event would be an overwhelming success. Andrew reminded her of the triumph regarding the teen makeup counter and told her that it was an omen of continued good fortune, including the fashion show in the afternoon.

  “Success breeds success,” Mark interjected.

  “Thanks, guys,” said Dana. “How’s your dad, Andrew?”

  “Stable. The doctors say that he’ll recover, although he’ll have to watch his diet and take it easy from now on. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make your Christmas party. I’ll be at the hospital on and off for the next week, maybe longer. This is all pretty new, so tomorrow night I’ll have hospital duty.”

  “I’ll be at the party,” Mark said as he left for the main selling floor. “Take care, Andrew.”

  “As much as you’ll be missed, Mr. Ricci, I’d be surprised if you did anything but take good care of your father.”

  “Thanks, and congratulations on working with Diana Vreeland next year. If things keep going like this, I’ll be able to say I knew you when.”

  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Dana said with a laugh. “Right now, I have a contest to run.”

  • • •

  The stage for the luncheon was set up in front of the columns in Charleston Garden, with the runway extending forward, tables arranged on each side. By now, everyone—and every thing—was in place, and Dana, who had always been an accomplished public speaker, stepped onto the stage with a hand-held microphone to begin the program.

  “Good afternoon,” Dana began with a warm smile, “and welcome to B. Altman’s annual Teen Recognition Luncheon and Fashion Show. While the program that led to this afternoon’s fashion show originally started out in 1965 as a teen charm school, it is now a twelve-week program that has evolved over the years to address the challenges and interests of contemporary teens. The classes, therefore, range from the benefits of diet and exercise to creative design and writing. Our five finalists, all exceptional, are Kate Daley, Robin Flowers, Lisa Gelber, Mari Kamura, and Kim Sullivan.”

  Dana paused as the audience applauded at the mention of the names of the finalists. She knew that parents, relatives, and friends of the girls comprised a large part of the gathering, and she was happy to learn that both of Kim’s parents were in attendance.

  “Each contestant brings a unique style, energy, and enthusiasm to the competition, which I know you will enjoy,” Dana continued. “The finalists will be judged in three categories. The first is fashion design, which includes a collage of pictures featuring their concepts of the perfect high school wardrobe. The collage boards are on display near the judges’ table, so I hope you’ll
stop to look at the amazing fashion pictures assembled by our teens before you leave today. Secondly, each finalist wrote a 500 word essay on a current trend, although it didn’t have to be on clothes or fashion. The essays were submitted to the judges on Monday. Finally, before lunch is served, each contestant will present a three-minute speech on someone they’ve never met but who has greatly inspired them. The fashion show will begin after coffee and dessert are served. The winner of the contest will be announced at the Sugar Plum Ball on Friday evening.”

  Dana then motioned to the table directly below the stage at the front of the audience. “I’d now like to introduce our distinguished panel of judges. They are, from left to right, Shelley Hack, supermodel and Revlon’s Charlie girl; Kathy Jones, creative director for Anne Klein; Ilaria Porett, senior accessories editor for Vogue; Judy Goodwin, president of the Fragrance Foundation; Mary Corderos, director of public relations for Balenciaga, and Kendra Ballard, vice president of development for the Fashion Institute of Technology.”

  A new round of applause came from the audience after the introduction of the celebrity panel of judges.

  Dana, who needed to get backstage quickly in order to ensure that each contestant was ready to present her speech, introduced keynote speaker, Marlo Thomas, who walked up to the stage to a new round of applause. Thomas, who had been named director of women’s interests for the McCall Pattern Company the previous day, spoke of her coming travels around the country to lecture on the role of contemporary women, with a focus on career choices for young girls, as well as business opportunities for women returning to the work force.

  With the girls presenting alphabetically, Dana approached Kate Daley, who would be the first to give her speech after Marlo Thomas had finished. Dana wished her good luck and told her to stand by—her second assistant would cue Daley when it was time to walk on stage.

  The girls’ alphabetical appearances turned out to be a godsend, for when Dana turned back to the other contestants, she saw Kim Sullivan in tears. She took Kim to the ladies lounge and asked what was wrong.

  “I just want to go home,” Kim said, almost choking on the words. “It was a mistake to have entered the contest in the first place. I heard Lisa telling Mari how she saw us having ice cream yesterday. She said I was nothing but . . . a . . . a . . . suck-up for spending time with you.” Kim paused and buried her head in her hands. “I can’t please anyone. Not my parents, not Lisa, not anyone!”

  “That’s not true,” Dana said. “You’re a finalist in the contest because you’ve already impressed a number of people. And I think you’re pretty special, too. But you have to remember that the first person you need to please is yourself.”

  Kim looked at Dana, puzzled. “But . . . isn’t that selfish?”

  “It would be if you were out to please only yourself. But you can’t please others until you have self-esteem and confidence. There’s nothing wrong in treating yourself well. It’s okay to be you, Kim, just like it’s okay to want to major in art history or wear the suede miniskirt.”

  Kim wiped away her tears with a tissue offered by Dana. “I know, but it’s really hard to remember all that sometimes.”

  “It is for everybody,” Dana said, “but you can do it.”

  Dana knew that her words applied to herself as much as they did to Kim. Dana had been moving to a point in her life where she needed to take care of herself. She was willing to compromise with anyone who wished to work with her constructively and in good faith, but she now understood that there was nothing wrong with wanting happiness for Dana McGarry. Andrew had been telling her for years to take better care of herself, and she was only now beginning to understand at a deeper level what he’d been driving at. Being a team player was necessary in almost any endeavor in life—Bob Campbell was correct on that point—but there came a point where being too conciliatory resulted in a self-effacing attitude.

  “Don’t worry, Kim,” Dana said. “I’ll handle this. I’m sure you’re going to do great—and also make your parents very proud today. Just remember to be proud of yourself, too.”

  Dana walked into the center of the dressing area and spoke to the other finalists, making sure to make eye contact with Lisa and Mari. Kate was already onstage. “I want everyone’s attention for a moment,” she said. “I know you’re very busy, but a water pipe burst yesterday and ruined Kim’s outfits. I called her to come into the store for a new fitting, and we took a break to have some ice cream. The same thing could have happened to any one of you.”

  Kim returned to the dressing area and stood by the brown miniskirt, which instantly drew the attention of Lisa Gelber.

  “But I wanted that skirt,” Lisa protested. “I saw it in Sunday’s ad and decided then that it was my first choice.”

  Dana turned to Lisa and spoke sharply. “I understand that, Lisa, but the shipment didn’t arrive on time. It was on display yesterday, however, when Kim came in for her second fitting. It’s just the way things worked out. Everybody here has picked out a great wardrobe for the show, and I don’t want to hear any more complaints. How you handle adversity offstage is just as important as how you perform in the contest. It’s a measure of who you are, which is what this entire competition is all about.”

  Lisa rolled her eyes and mumbled “whatever” under her breath.

  “Lisa,” Dana said, “your behavior is unprofessional and you’re on the verge of disqualifying yourself. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Yes, Ms. McGarry,” replied a chastened Lisa Gelber, who suddenly realized she could miss an opportunity for a Vogue internship next summer. “I’m sorry.”

  Dana nodded. “Good. I want to wish everyone good luck. Stay focused and you will all do fine. Do your best and let the results speak for themselves.”

  The girls resumed their preparations, looking at their speeches one last time and checking on their outfits. Dana’s speech had had the desired effect. The girls were focused on the contest rather than on each other. Robin was preparing to follow Kate, who was finishing her speech.

  How you handle adversity is just as important as how you perform onstage.

  This, too, was a philosophy of Virginia Martignetti. Dana was more grateful than ever to have had parents who demonstrated that life wasn’t black and white, yes or no, all or nothing. That was their big picture. You worked to help others, but at the end of the day, you needed to strive for personal happiness and contentment regardless of what life brought your way.

  As the afternoon progressed, Dana saw that the luncheon and contest were running smoothly. The girls had performed admirably thus far, and Dana knew that she’d done a great job. She also knew that she’d do a great job announcing the winner at the Sugar Plum Ball, where she would reveal her unique solution to the conundrum caused by Bob ordering her to rig the contest.

  It had been a busy week, one filled with highs and lows, worries and triumphs. As she watched the girls put on their outfits for the fashion show, she felt an enormous sense of peace.

  She didn’t have to know how everything in her life would work out. All the answers she needed were on the inside.

  Chapter Thirty

  Dana was tired as she settled into her desk chair at B. Altman, but she was more than satisfied with the way the luncheon and fashion show had gone earlier that afternoon. All five girls had done a spectacular job, and Kim had pushed away her self-doubts and recriminations in order to turn in a stellar performance. When the fashion show was over, Dana noted that Kim had eagerly sought out her parents in the crowd of people admiring the collage boards. Her mother and father had embraced her, each showing great enthusiasm. Such days, Dana thought, were worth far more than any paycheck. She had given Kim the necessary confidence to finish the contest, and hopefully her words would stay with the girl in the days and weeks ahead. After the results were announced on Friday, Dana intended to tell Kim that her door would always be open in case she wanted to talk.

  As Dana was basking in the day’s success, Bea Sa
vino’s assistant materialized next to her cubicle, looking very concerned. “Bea wants to see you immediately, Ms. McGarry.”

  “Do you know what it’s about?” Dana asked.

  “No, but she said that it’s urgent.”

  “Okay,” Dana sighed, rising from her chair. “Let’s go.”

  Dana was frequently summoned to Bea’s office, but whenever the words “immediately” or “urgent” were attached to the request, it usually signaled some impending crisis. Couldn’t she have ten minutes to herself to enjoy the day’s accomplishments?

  Dana followed the assistant to the executive suite on the fifth floor and went directly to Bea’s office. “You wanted to see me, Bea?”

  Bea waved Dana in and motioned for her to sit. She lit a cigarette, sat back in her chair, and stared straight at Dana before her entire expression unexpectedly changed. “Congratulations! You got the teen makeup section, plus I hear that the fashion show was a great success. Great work!”

  “But I thought you cautioned me not to push the teen makeup idea.” Dana was confused. She’d expected to be chastised for some faux pas, but Bea was effusive in her praise for Dana.

  “And that’s the beauty of it. You didn’t push it, but you nevertheless made it happen.”

  “Thank you, Bea. I appreciate your support. Unfortunately, I don’t think Helen will be kindly disposed to recent developments.”

  Bea inhaled deeply on her cigarette, blew out a perfect column of smoke, and leaned forward. “Don’t worry about Helen. She’ll come around—she always does. Is she going to your party tomorrow evening?”

  “I certainly hope so.”

  “I’m sure she will, and I bet she’ll be as cordial as can be. She’s a class act.” Bea paused as she crushed her cigarette in her ashtray. As she did so, she remarked casually that “You might want to think about taking your career in another direction. Your instincts are good, Dana. You may want to move into a line department. If you get buying experience, you can be a candidate for the fashion group and work with Dawn. Ira is revolutionizing the store, and there are many new opportunities. Keep your eyes open.”