Silver Arrow Ch. 17-19

"We haven't talked about salary or benefits, Harlan. I know this isn't the best time, but that will be a factor in my decision."

"Of course. I've had Rose, my P.A., draw up a proposal covering those things and some extra issues as well. I suggest you look it over and let me know if it is acceptable and if you'd like to view the coach in Chicago before it's delivered."

He passed me a manila envelope and I didn't open it at that moment. Time enough for that when I returned to the house.

Harlan spent some time explaining just what business he was in. He talked of the various ranches he owned and what crops they produced as well as where he sold them. It seemed like a lot of his harvest went to co-ops, but not all. He took out a map that had been marked with all his properties and showed me where we would be going on a regular basis.

"I was wondering, Harlan, what I'd be doing when I wasn't driving your coach?"

"Well, I have a nice, big car that I get around in as well. I don't see why you couldn't help out with some local driving there. I spend a bit of time at the state capitol, lobbying the agriculture and water board people. I take Rose with me, but she needs space in the trunk for her wheelchair. With you driving, it would make life a lot easier for both of us."

"Rose is handicapped?"

He nodded. "An unfortunate accident some years ago left her with very little mobility in her legs. She's a fine young woman and a wonderful assistant. I bless the day that we found her. You'll be impressed with her when you meet her."

"Well, you certainly have my interest, Harlan, so let me go over your proposal and I'll get back to you."

"Thank you. Margaret and I will be here visiting with Grant and Eleanor for the next week or so. Look for us here when you decide what you want to do."

"I will, and thank you for thinking of me. Thank you, Grant, for getting me this opportunity. I'm very grateful to you however this works out."

"You're very welcome, Doug, and good luck," he smiled.

I said my goodbyes to everyone and left, the large envelope tucked under my arm. The drive back to our house was mostly on autopilot as I thought about the possibilities of this job. I was anxious to open the envelope and see what was proposed. It all sounded good, but the proof would be what he offered on paper.

I was home well before the children were out of school. Christie met me in the living room.

"How was the meeting?" .

"Fine. They seem like nice people. He's given me a proposal to look over before I decide if I want to look into it further," I said, waving the manila envelope.

I put the envelope on my desk and headed for the bedroom to change into jeans and a t-shirt. I had another day before my next trip, so I would have plenty of time to study Harlan Cummings's proposal. When I returned to the kitchen, I could see Christie was curious as I was about what the envelope contained.

"Why don't I open up the offer and we can look at it together," I suggested. "Two heads are usually better than one."

"Sure, I'd like to see what he has in mind for you," she smiled, obviously pleased that I was including her in the examination.

I lifted the flap on the 9 X 12 envelope and pulled several pages out. I looked at them briefly in just a few seconds, noticing one page detailed compensation and duties, another was a map of the area surrounding the ranch, another was a photograph of a single story house, and still another with a list of services in the area of the ranch, including schools, shopping, medical services and the like. It appeared to be a pretty comprehensive package.

The ranch was between the towns of Davis and Woodland, just west of Sacramento. Harlan had captured an image of the ranch and surrounding area from Google Earth and it wasn't hard to find it and see where it was in relation to the surrounding area. Almost all the unpopulated area was in some sort of agricultural production. A couple of rivers ran through the district, which appeared to be fairly flat until you got east of Sacramento.

But what interested me most was his proposal for compensation. My salary would be slightly higher than my current salary at Silver Arrow. However, the use of a house was included for only the cost of the utilities. While there would be no tips for my driving assignments, the advantage of the almost free accommodations and the facilities at the ranch were a big benefit. The facilities included a swimming pool and a fully equipped exercise room. Finally, longer term was the offer of shares in his corporation. It was privately held by the Cummings family, but one other, Rose deSilva, his P.A., was also a shareholder. That would be very interesting to follow up on.

I looked at the listing of services available in Davis and Woodland, noting that Davis was home to an important satellite of the University of California. Cal State Sacramento was another major university in the area, along with about thirty other institutions within a short distance. The children would bus to school from the ranch, and we noted that the school district that served the area was well rated, thanks to its proximity to Davis. UC Davis had a renowned medical center as well. In other words, the area was well served with facilities, and it wasn't something to worry about.

"What do you think?" I asked Christie.

"It almost looks too good to be true," she said, still gazing at the material Harlan had included. "This would be very hard to turn down," she added.

"Yes, it would. I'm just wondering if I'm missing anything. What question am I not asking?" I said, more to myself.

"I wouldn't hurt to investigate further, Doug. I mean, his offer to meet him in Chicago and meet his personal assistant might give you a better idea of the kind of man he is."

"I trust Grant and Eleanor, and I don't think they'd put me in a situation that would be bad for me or the children, but I really need to be sure. It's a big decision to make and I want to do the right thing for everyone."

She nodded, saying nothing. I had made up my mind I would go to Chicago and see what his coach would look like and meet Rose deSilva at the same time. She might give me a clue as to the kind of man I would be working for.

"I'll call Harlan tomorrow and tell him I'll be in Chicago next weekend if that fits with him."

Christie smiled and gave me a hug. "I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised. I don't see anything here that sends up any red flags, so you go and meet him and see what kind of situation you might be getting into."

I'd been in Chicago before, but the coach factory I was visiting was in North Chicago, some miles north of the downtown area, near the west shore of Lake Michigan. The day I arrived was overcast and unseasonably cold due to a stiff breeze off the lake. California was looking better and better by the minute.

I met Harlan in the lobby of the coach builder's office and factory. He thanked me for coming and then turned to introduce me to a very attractive woman in a wheelchair. I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't what I thought. Rose looked no more like a Hispanic woman than Christie or Diane. In fact, she looked like a movie star. It took me a couple of seconds to gather my wits, but when I finally got hold of myself, we exchanged greetings.

"Doug, I'd like you to meet Rose deSilva, my invaluable personal assistant. Rose, this is Doug Hansen. I hope will be joining us to pilot this big machine," he grinned.

"Nice to meet you, Rose. Pardon my staring, but you look awfully familiar."

She took my hand and shook it, her grip firm and dry. "I know. Andie McDowell. If I've heard that once, I heard it a hundred times." She wasn't smiling.

Harlan was chuckling now. "Did you know that Andie McDowell's proper first name is Rosalie?"

"Ah, no ... no, I didn't. Anyway, I'm sorry if my comment offended you, Ms. deSilva," I said, afraid I'd gotten off on the wrong foot with her.

"Relax, Mister Hansen, I won't bite. Let's go see this monstrosity Harlan has ordered up." There was still no hint of humor in her voice.

"Now, Rose," Harlan said soothingly, trying to defuse the tension. "You know perfectly well it's not a monstrosity. After all, you had a big hand in designing it."

Rose looked at the older man and grinned as if they were sharing some kind on secret joke. A minute or so later, a man about Harlan's age came into the lobby and introduced himself to me as Morley Williams, the general manager of the shop and specifically in charge of Harlan's project. We were invited to follow him onto the shop floor and as we entered the cavernous work area, I could see a number of very large coaches in various stages of assembly and finishing. It was quite a sight.

Almost all of them had exotic graphics as part of their exterior paint job. I noticed one was lettered for a professional baseball team, while another for a major league soccer team. Still another was for a police training academy in Texas. Most of the platforms were familiar Prevost chassis and engine combinations. A couple were Mercedes Benz, the front end of one was almost a sculpture in futuristic design.

Harlan's new machine was at the back of the shop since it was nearing completion. As we approached, I could see it was tan in color, with brown and dark red swooshes along the side as design accents. It looked very striking. As we approached, I could see two front entrance doors. The forward one was in its usual place, but the second was right beside it and a little wider. Our guide pressed a button inside a panel near the door and it opened slowly to reveal a lift. It made immediate sense as Rose rolled herself onto it and the door closed behind her.

I could see that the chassis was a conventional air ride with pneumatic raise and lower capability. Rose was able to ride directly onto the lift platform and she could control it to bring her up parallel to the main floor of the coach. Morley, Harlan, and I followed through the conventional front door. Once inside, I could see all the modifications that Harlan had requested.

Rose was sitting on the lift platform, waiting for us.

"Rose can lock herself onto the platform while we are moving if she wants to sit up front with us," Harlan explained.

I moved to the driver's seat and noticed its height and tilt controls, a conventional pneumatic suspension, and an adjustable lumbar support. I looked over the dashboard and saw a "full house." It had every option and feature a driver could order or wish for. A TV monitor for backing up, a proximity monitor for parking in tight spots, large screen GPS system, built in satellite phone system, and more. I didn't want to imagine what this vehicle cost.

"What do you think, Doug," Harlan asked with smile.

I shook my head. "I've got to say, you haven't missed anything, Harlan. Everything possible is here. It might just be overkill," I grinned.

"If we're going to be spending a fair amount of time every month in this, then I want it to be safe and comfortable," he explained. "It's going to be a mobile office for Rose and me. It's going to be a makeshift motel room on some occasions. I even chose the colors because we're going to be in some dusty places on occasion and I want it too look as good as possible even then. Let's have a look at the rest of it."

A half hour later we stepped out of the coach. I couldn't help but be impressed. Harlan pointed out a number of areas that Rose had contributed to the design. There was a tiny kitchenette that would serve our needs if we were staying on the bus overnight. There were three bedrooms with single beds, each room separated from the other by a washroom or closet. It was never designed for a couple to use as a recreational vehicle or for a long term stay.

There was a work station for Rose. I learned she was responsible for all the record keeping for the ranches, and logged all the financial data on a computer, yet to be installed. There was a meeting room that would hold six people in a pinch, but four comfortably. While the quarters were tight, I could see exactly what the concept was and it was very efficient. The wheelchair never left the lift platform and Rose used forearm crutches to get around the inside of the big unit. It was interesting to note that she wasn't completely confined to the wheelchair.

I turned to Morley and said, "My compliments on the design. It's a very efficient use of the space."

"Thanks," he smiled, "but I have to give a lot of credit to Rose. She had some good ideas and knew exactly what was needed to make it work for her and Harlan. Are you satisfied that it meets the needs of the driver?"

"Absolutely. It's got everything and then some."

"Good," he said enthusiastically, glancing at Rose. "Then I guess we've done our job."

We adjourned to the parking lot after thanking Morley for the tour. Harlan suggested lunch and we set off to a nearby restaurant.

"Well, Doug, what do you think?" Harlan asked.

"I'm impressed," I said seriously. "I'm impressed with the coach and I have to say, the compensation package you are offering is very good. I guess I have only one concern."

"Oh," he said with a curious look. "What's that?"

I turned to Rose and spoke to her directly. "You haven't exactly made me feel welcome, Rose. Do you have an objection to my accepting Harlan's offer?"

She looked shocked at my comment and stumbled before answering.

"No ... no ... not at all. Your credentials are very good and you are a family man. No, I'm sure you'll do fine," she said, obviously embarrassed by my comment.

I was somewhat reluctant to sign on right at that point. I wasn't sure Rose and I were going to be compatible. We were going to be on the same coach for extended periods of time. She was invaluable to Harlan, so I was the odd man out if it came to making choices. Nevertheless, I wasn't ready to give up just yet.

"How do you plan to get the coach to your ranch?" I asked. "Drive it?"

"No, we're having it shipped by rail ... Union Pacific. I'll pick it up in their Sacramento yards."

I nodded. "Good idea. That's a long way in a brand new coach. We used to break in our new vehicles on shorter runs to make sure there weren't any bugs. You'd hate to be stranded out in the middle of Nebraska with a problem. That brings up another question. Where do you get the coach serviced?"

"There's a qualified service depot in Sacramento. I've already set it up with them."

I nodded. "Good plan."

"You've probably noticed that your moving expenses are covered if you decide to accept our offer," Rose said unexpectedly.

"I did. I'm surprised at how generous this offer is," I admitted. "I mean, you are essentially hiring a bus driver. There are literally thousands of us out there, and many are very good drivers."

Harlan was shaking his head, and I could see disagreement on Rose's face as well.

"No ... no ... you're much more than that, Doug. We'll be working together in close quarters and traveling from one ranch to another. You're more than a driver then. You're more like a companion to us. We can't afford to be on each others' nerves, so we have to get along. I may be speaking out of turn, but Rose isn't always this ... unwelcoming. She protects me like Margaret does. Grant and Eleanor have assured me that you are a decent, clean-living, family man. They are sure you would fit in well with our people."

I nodded, looking at Rose who couldn't look at either Harlan or me. Was it decision time, or did I need to take a longer look at this offer? I sat back as our lunch was delivered, delaying my response. We sat in relative silence as we ate until Rose's phone chirped. She looked at it and then spoke to Harlan.

"It's the Tracy ranch. Another problem with the irrigation. Shall I tell them to go ahead and get if fixed?"

"Yes, but tell them to use Mid Valley this time. I want it fixed and fixed properly. They can quit trying to save me money," he said gruffly.

She nodded and sent off a text message before resuming her lunch.

I don't know if it was that little exchange or not, but I had made up my mind. I liked the decisiveness that Harlan had shown. I also liked the practical side of him. The coach was a mobile work station first, not a luxury motor home. He didn't scrimp on the fixtures, but there were no frivolous expenditures that I could see. Those were the things that told me something about Harlan Cummings.

"Harlan ... Rose ... I would like to accept the offer of employment."

Harlan broke out into a big smile and immediately stuck out his hand. I took his firm handshake and immediately felt good about my decision. One look at Rose and I detected, for the very first time, the hint of a smile. Well, maybe this would work out well after all.

"Welcome aboard, son. I assume you'll have to give Silver Arrow some notice?"

"Two weeks should be enough. But, I've got to put the house up for sale and make arrangements for moving. School is almost out, so our timing is good that way. Would you like to meet my family?"

"I sure would," he boomed. "They're pretty important in all this, so I want them to feel welcome too. Rose is coming down to Louisville with me before we head back to the ranch, so they can meet her too."

I leaned back in the booth and looked at them both. I hoped I'd made a good decision.

To be continued