I smiled but didn’t interrupt.
He pushed the hundred-dollar bill to the center of the table as he reached into the pocket of his jacket. With his free hand he pointed to the single bill.
“We invest in people and businesses that can help us grow this into . . . this.”
He pulled his hand out of his coat pocket and produced a wad of hundred-dollar bills. He placed them on the table and smiled.
“When the investment makes a profit, we take back what we put into it.”
He took one of the hundred-dollar bills off the table and pointed to the remainder.
“Then we negotiate an equitable way of splitting the profit with the people who help produce it.”
I looked down at the money and then up at Bob.
“Mr. Jacobs, you have my undivided attention,” I told him.
He looked to Stuart to present his portion of the pitch.
“Randy, I’ve already identified over fifty potential locations. These are college towns with a population at least as large as Central Valley, situated near an Interstate. All of these locations have a Main Street shopping district. I believe, with the right expertise, we could re-create Chet’s in many of these markets.”
I asked Mr. Jacobs again, “What is it you want from me?”
“Mostly, we want your knowledge of the industry and your eye for detail,” he replied.
“We’ll also need recipes, especially for the chili. We’ll want the rights to the name, and we may want to use Chet’s or your likeness for advertising purposes. But you know, after seeing this place, I think we’d like to re-create the entire Grill in each of our new restaurants. This is authentic Americana. You can’t order stuff like this out of a catalog. I’d like to send some people in to take pictures and measurements.”
“Bob, I had been thinking that the décor was getting a bit shabby. Honestly, I was thinking of remodeling in here,” I replied.
“Randy, I love the feel of this place. It’s like it’s always been here. In fact, that’s what I love about the entire restaurant. It just fits seamlessly into the town,” Bob replied.
“That’s what we were going for when we opened the Viking Room,” I proudly replied.
“That’s what we want you to do for us,” Mr. Jacobs quickly replied. “We want you to help us blend our chain of restaurants into each location.”
“I have to admit, it sounds like an attractive proposal. I’d have to discuss it with Chet. He’d obviously have to agree with the deal. My wife would have to agree to the deal, as well. It sounds like a lot of time away from the family.”
Bob seemed to understand, “We don’t need an answer tonight. I know family time is important, but the financial rewards would be substantial.”
Mr. Jacobs took a cab back to his hotel. Meghan and I, along with Stuart and Shellie, had a night on the town with the limo at our disposal. It was fun being chauffeured even though every bar in town was an easy walk from my house. Heads turned as our limo pulled up to each stop.
For a couple of hours we relived college life. The entire town was full of alums, and we hit all our old college haunts. Except for the greying hair and expanding waistlines, I would have sworn it was 1979. I actually caught myself looking around to make sure guys weren’t hitting on Meghan.
Every time Shellie and Meghan walked away, Stuart was talking business. Shellie didn’t like him talking shop while out socially.
“Randy, I know it may sound scary at the moment. This idea will definitely work. Just imagine the profit fifty of your restaurants would generate.”
“I have a good imagination, Stu. I just don’t know about all the time away from home,” I replied. “You and Shellie don’t have any kids. Just wait and see how you feel about being on the road when you have a houseful of little ones.”
“Shellie wants to do the career thing first. We’ll talk about having kids later,” Stuart replied.
I chuckled at his comment. “Talking about it isn’t how you do it, Stu.”
Naturally, we ended the night at Donny’s. Hank bought the place a few years back, but he still did the bartending. He’d made a few improvements, and the place looked almost respectable.
Stuart and Shellie were surprised when we asked to go to Donny’s.
They turned up their noses in unison. “The townie bar?” they asked.
After the deafening din of the previous bars, it was a pleasure to be able to sit and talk normally. A spirited shuffleboard match ensued after a brief lesson. Stuart and Shellie quickly realized why it was our favorite bar in town. Hank even stayed open late for us. We hadn’t had many opportunities to howl at the moon in recent years, and we relished the chance.
Eventually, Stuart and Shellie had to get back to their hotel. We declined their offer to take us home in the limo. We wanted a little alone time before heading home. Meghan and I were the only customers left in the bar. Hank was in no hurry to close and told us to take our time.
Meghan had both hands on the table, and the light caught her engagement ring. Every time I see that diamond, I remember the day we stood in front of the jewelry store. I can still feel her hands clamping down on my arm.
“What’s Stuart’s big business deal?” Meghan asked.
“How much did Shellie tell you?”
“Not much.”
“Stuart’s company wants to start a chain of Chet’s restaurants,” I said. “They have big plans for forty or fifty locations.”
“That would literally put you and Chet on the map,” Meghan replied.
With little enthusiasm, I said, “Oh, I don’t know. I have to talk it over with Chet, but I’m not even sure I want to do it.”
“Why wouldn’t you?”
“What good is it to be a success in business and a failure as a husband and father?”
Meghan recoiled at my statement. “Wow! Where did that come from?”
“I already live at the restaurant and just visit you and the boys once in a while. If I agree to this deal, I’ll be gone for weeks at a time,” I replied.
“You work long hours to provide for the family you love. That’s the definition of a good husband and father.”
“Maybe, but you deserve better from your husband,” I said. “You deserve better than me.”
The long hours had been getting to me. I often thought about getting out of the restaurant business. I wanted a job where I could work from home and have more time with my family. It was all just a fantasy, though; there was no way I could let Chet down.
Meghan spoke up angrily, “What was it you said to me when I asked you to my dance in college?”
I didn’t answer because I was pretty sure the question was rhetorical.
Answering her own question, she said, “You didn’t think you were in my league.”
Still angry, she said, “You’ve never gotten over that, have you? You think I gave something up to marry you. Do you want me to tell you what I gave up?”
Once again, the question was rhetorical.
“All I gave up is a life of misery,” she said. “God forgive me for uttering his name, but I was so young when I met Eric, I didn’t know any better. He didn’t care about me. I was just something he was entitled to because he played football. He treated his dog better than me.
“I didn’t know someone like you even existed. I just assumed all guys would treat me like Eric. If I hadn’t met you, I would have married him, or someone just like him. I would have been miserable every day of my life.”
“Wait, let me stop you there,” I said. “Could you try not to sound so angry when you’re telling me I’m wonderful?”
We both laughed at how ridiculous my request sounded.
She said, “I knew I loved you the first time I held your hand. Eric always grabbed my hand and held it in a death grip. He did it to keep me under h
is control, not to show affection. You held out your hand and let me take hold. You have strong hands but the gentlest touch. You held my hand as if it were precious.”
She paused for a second, then smiled and asked, “Have you ever figured out why I didn’t want you to get your nose fixed?”
She took my hand and squeezed it, then gently ran her finger up and down the scars on my face.
“Every time I look at you, I remember the best day of my life.”
Top of the Ninth Inning
We had lived in our house in Central Valley almost since we were married. Owning a property like Meghan’s parents remained one of my goals in life. Unfortunately, I was never able to present an argument that would persuade my wife to move. She really was finished with scarecrows.
After tiring of my attempts to get her to relocate, she suggested we look into buying a vacation home in Stone Harbor. Money wasn’t really an issue. Five-and six-figure checks arrived quarterly from Jacobs International Investors. The chain of Chet’s Restaurants is one of their most profitable ventures. I worked with them for years helping open over seventy locations. I probably earned a couple million frequent flyer miles in the process. They lived up to their agreement and cut Chet and me in on the profits.
The time finally came for us to sell Chet’s Enterprises to Mr. Jacobs. Chet was ready to retire, and it didn’t feel right running the place without him. Mr. Jacobs and Stuart were ecstatic to get their hands on the original location. The mother ship, as they call it.
On our last day we threw a big farewell party. Dolores cornered me and damn near broke my back hugging me.
“This is all your doing,” she kept repeating. “If not for you, Chet would have worked until he died. I knew those tires were a good investment.”
I had almost forgotten about the tires she put on my Pinto all those years ago. I never forgot the note she left on the dashboard.
Chet and Dolores had been like family. When Meghan and I were dating, Chet did everything in his power to make sure we stayed together. He and Dolores treated our boys like their own grandchildren. It was a rewarding feeling to watch them sail off into a comfortable retirement.
We only sold Chet’s Enterprises to Mr. Jacobs. He leases the property from Valley Main Street Partners. Over the years we added a number of properties to our portfolio. They should generate a nice income for years to come.
I finally had a job where I could work out of my house. I worked as a consultant for Mr. Jacobs, scouting locations for new restaurants. If an existing location didn’t meet expectations, they sent me there for a week or so to see what was wrong. I picked my assignments and decided when I wanted to work. I finally had time to spend with my family.
We purchased a house, near the beach, in Stone Harbor. It was a happy day in the Duffy house when we made settlement. Neither Meghan nor I could remember how long it had been since we’d been able to get away for a weekend alone. That August both of our boys had summer jobs, and since Robbie turned eighteen, we figured we could trust them alone at home.
It was an awesome feeling to wake up in the morning and see the ocean from my bedroom window. I hoped that feeling never wore off. Meghan and I enjoyed breakfast on our deck, and then strolled a short distance for a day at the beach.
In the morning we took a long walk to the undeveloped southern tip of the island. Here you could see what the island looked like before people arrived. Nothing but dunes and scrubby vegetation occupy the space between the beach and the bay. Few people care to venture that far from the guarded beaches, so we had this part of the island to ourselves.
We returned to our regular beach and had a picnic lunch under our umbrella. We learned long ago that the seagulls would swoop in and take food out of your hand if you weren’t under cover. A pleasant afternoon was spent enjoying the sun and the surf.
One of the most important components of any beach day is the wind direction. A light wind out of the east is preferable. This brings the breeze off the ocean and usually makes for a very comfortable day. Wind out of the west results in a land breeze, which brings higher temperatures and bugs. Most common are the black flies that hug the sand while they nip at your feet and ankles. The worst pests are the huge green flies that take chunks out of whatever part of you they choose to bite. Some days the breeze switches back and forth from west to east. It literally feels like someone is turning the air conditioner off and on. A strong wind out of the south stirs up the sand and leaves you looking as if you’d been through a dust storm. When the wind is out of the north or northeast, it churns up the ocean and brings in colder air.
For several days there had been a land breeze. A coating of bug spray over a layer of sunblock was required. One of the strange results of a prolonged land breeze is something called temperature inversion. The west wind pushes the warm surface water out to sea and replaces it with cold water that surges up from the deep.
Few beachgoers had ventured into the surf, as the water temperature was in the fifties. August surf temperatures are usually in the seventies. Regardless of the hot breeze and cold water, it had been a great day on the beach. Late in the afternoon Meghan waded waste deep into the water. She deftly jumped each passing swell to avoid being drenched by the cold waves. She looked just as agile and graceful as she did in her cheerleader days. I couldn’t help smiling as she walked back up the beach.
“What are you smirking at?” she asked.
“Oh, I was just remembering a gorgeous cheerleader I watched at a football game some years back.”
“Anyone I might know?”
“Quite possibly. It’s too bad she didn’t keep one of those cheerleader uniforms. I’ll bet she would look just as good in it today.”
Meghan replied, with a grin, “Who’s to say she doesn’t still have one?”
“You know I never developed immunity to that smile of yours,” I confessed.
“You never will if I can help it!”
The lifeguards blew their whistles to clear the swimmers out of the water at the end of their shift. Following tradition, the least senior guard had to lift and drag the huge chair away from the water’s edge to the safety of the dunes.
Meghan folded her chair and shook the sand from her towel. “Sit here and relax a while,” she said. “I’m going to go start dinner.”
As she started up the beach, I said, “You know, Meg, I never imagined life would be this good.”
She paused and looked back at me. “Somebody had a good beach day.”
I replied, “It’s got nothing to do with the beach. I’ve been lucky enough to have you in my life for all these years. We’ve been blessed with two great kids. I can support all of you because I’ve succeeded in business far beyond the most insane expectations. I just never saw any of this coming.”
Meghan was silhouetted against the setting sun as I looked back up the beach toward her. There seemed to be an aura around her, and she looked almost angelic.
“All because you couldn’t hit a curve ball,” she said. Meghan smiled and continued up the beach toward our house.
Her words hit me harder than that screen door years ago. It was an epiphany. My life has been great because I was lousy at baseball. Suddenly, I had answers to all my questions. There had been a purpose to all of my struggles.
I thought my life was over when I was cut from the baseball team in high school. But if I had made the team, I never would have started working at the diner. The money I made working through high school enabled me to go to college.
It was embarrassing to grow up in Ricky’s large shadow. I’d often prayed to be more like him, thinking that would make my life so much better. Well, Ricky has two ex-wives and three kids who rarely speak to him. He put all his hopes into baseball, and he never made a dime playing the game. He lives in a one-room apartment and has difficulty holding a steady job. I offered to hire him once, and he told me to go
screw myself. He always was a sore loser.
The irony went beyond baseball. The best things in my life were all the result of my worst experiences.
Ricky’s trouble with Vicky meant trouble for me, as well. It’s amazing how other people’s actions can knock your world out of its normal orbit. Mine veered off on a tangent that took me to Central Valley and Chet’s Grill. I had to swallow a lot of pride bussing tables and washing dishes all through college. That humbling experience made my career possible.
Working and going to college full time was incredibly difficult. I had to work so many hours that I couldn’t keep up with my schoolwork. The second concussion was a game changer for me. My grades went from bad to worse, and I was certain my future was ruined. But if I had better grades, I would have gotten a job as an accountant after graduation. It is unlikely I would have done as well, financially, as I did in the restaurant business.
After my face was smashed, I thought I’d never have another date in my life. I often thought that if I had sat just one step lower, the door would have missed me. If it had missed me, I never would have met Meghan. She would have stormed past me without a word being spoken. I would have been some anonymous guy sitting on a porch step.
I sat back in my chair and savored the irony. The breeze suddenly shifted to the east, and the cool ocean air added to my enjoyment of the moment. It was near high tide, and the sound of the waves grew louder as the water advanced relentlessly up the beach. The now pleasant breeze and rhythmic surf turned my thoughts to a quick nap. It would be a perfect ending to a great beach day.
If it wasn’t for the damn sirens, I’d have been dozing already. For a small town, Stone Harbor has a huge fire department. During the summer months there are numerous emergency calls, and sirens are a familiar sound. Something big was going on, and it sounded like every one of the town’s fire trucks, police cars, and ambulances were out on the street.
Random thoughts darted through my mind as I closed my eyes. I remembered being a poor college student. Half-eaten sandwiches, left on plates, were often my lunch and dinner. Worrying about the bald tires on my Pinto kept me awake at night. Obsessing about Eric trying to win Meghan back now seemed pretty ridiculous.
A Life On College Hill Page 21