The Contract Ch. 03

"You're shitting me, aren't you?"

"Nope, this is for real, Paul. It's from the boss."

"The boss knows that Tonya cheated on me?"

"No Paul, You hit a co-worker on company property, and there were lots of witnesses. Hell, I even saw it. He wants me to fire you."

"But he swung at me first!"

"Doesn't matter Paul, You hit a co-worker on company property. He wants you fired."

"Did you tell him that I already quit?"

"No, I didn't, but I thought that you might want to come in a get fired, so that you would be fully covered during your divorce settlement, and then you could try to get your job back through wrongful termination, because you were defending yourself."

"Richard, does everyone have these weird conversations with their boss, or is it just me?"

"Just you. Paul. Just you."

"I'll call you back; I want to talk to my lawyer first."

"Ok, Paul, but this is a limited offer. You need to be here by noon."

I looked up at the clock, it was 8:48. The clock was another thing that I wanted to keep in the house, but Tonya hates digital clocks. I called Carol, explained about Richard wanting to fire me. She told me to not sign anything, and meet her in the parking lot beforehand. She wanted me at the down there as soon as possible. I hung up and went into the house.

Tonya car was not around, so I figured that Tonya was at the high school. I showered and put on a suit. It might have been casual Friday, but I wanted to look my best when I got fired. When I got to the parking lot, Carol was taking photographs with a camera. She asked me to show her where the scuffle happened, and to go though every thing that I could remember. She took some notes, and then some more photographs. She then had me go thought the entire thing again, with Carol acting the part of the idiot who attacked me. For the life of me, I could not come up with the name of the guy.

She was asking some additional questions when Richard Davidson, my ex-supervisor walked out of the office and came over. I introduced Carol to Richard, and they shook hands. I was about to see what kind of lawyer I had retained.

"Mr. Davidson, before we get to firing Mr. Beckson, I want to see the videos of the parking lot taken by that camera....and also by that camera over there. I have Mr. Beckson's statement about what happened, but I will need to know what I am up against when I file a wrongful termination suit. I will also want to interview the other employee, Len Goodwin, before we settle."

I looked over at Carol perplexed. How did she know the name of the other guy? Maybe Mary told her who the guy was?

"Ms. Bernstein, this is just a simple matter, and I just want to get Paul a little more compensation, that's all. Why don't we go inside, and I show you how generous his termination package is. You really don't have to go through the trouble of talking to Mr. Goodwin, besides he had already been terminated."

"Are you going to show me the videos?"

"Ms. Bernstein, Those cameras are just decoys."

"Then why did they both move and follow me when I started walking around the parking lot? You can stonewall me if you want, Mr. Davidson, but Paul does not have to be fired. I met with Len Goodwin when he came out of the plant earlier, and gave him my card. I am only Paul's divorce lawyer, and I can represent either Len or Paul in their wrongful termination suit at this point. I would suggest that it's in the best interest of Morton Packaging to let me represent Paul, and give me access to the videos."

Richard looked very flustered.

"You know, it would be a conflict of interest for me to represent Len Goodwin if I was representing Paul. That means I will have to not give Mr. Goodwin, or his lawyer any information if it might hurt my client."

Carol smiled.

Richard grinned back. "You know Paul, you didn't hire a lawyer; you hired a vampire."

I looked between the two, "You mean there is a difference?"

All of a sudden, we were watching the video recordings of the parking lot from two different angles, and Carol was taking lots of notes. The altercation took all of one minute and thirty eight seconds, and the actual fight was two seconds. Carol watched it from each angle four or five times.

Let me explain about a person throwing a roundhouse. Their center of gravity is shifted outside of their stance, and if they miss, they will at least stumble. The defense for a roundhouse is simple, back up and the fist misses your face. Push the arm in the same direction as it is moving, as it passes in front of you, and will make your opponent even more unstable, and he will spin away from you. Slam your other fist into his gut with full force (yeah, I lied) and you may knock the wind out of him. As you tower over him, lie, and say that you had pulled your punch, and the others will back down, even though you may be so frighten that you're ready to piss in your pants.

Finally, Carol had seen enough. She then asked to be alone with her client. When we were alone she started to talk to me.

"Paul, I am guessing that it's been a while since you actually got into a fist fight with someone. I am not talking about a match at your Dojo, but a fistfight. How many years as it been?"

"I was my sophomore year of college."

"So, it's been about ten years, then. Good! You have been a model citizen, and this could be considered a first time offence. Paul, I want you to watch this camera, I want you to tell me if you can see disgust in Sherri's eyes."

She played the video from camera six; it was right after Len Goodwin went down. The camera had the best shot of Sherri, but the people were small in the image and it was impossible to see any thing that looked like disgust. I shook my head.

"You did see her thank you, and then you stayed like a good and faithful knight in shining armor and waited for her to get into the van. OK, Now......, you are walking away......, and stop." She had halted the recorder as I was going back to the car.

"Does this look like the face of a Knight who has done a good deed? I really don't think so, Paul. This face shows disappointment. Do you see what I am seeing?"

"Yes, but I was thinking about how she had...."

She cut me off. "No Paul, you cannot get a jury to buy that. What they will buy is that a Martial Arts black belt had found out hours ago that his wife was cheating on him, and he tried to goad three guys on so that he could kick all three of their asses. That image right there will be used to show that you were not happy about rescuing the damsel in distress, but instead were disappointed that you couldn't get all three of them to attack you at once. Paul, there is no doubt in my mind that a jury will buy this explanation over yours. You didn't even ask the woman if she wanted your help, and a Knight in shining armor would at least to do that, too. Is it just a coincidence that your first street fight in ten year just happens on the day you find out your wife is cheating on you? I really don't think so! "

I looked at my face on the monitor, and knew she had a point. I knew that I had laughed at the thought of going toe to toe with Ben. I didn't feel like I was bristling for a fight, but maybe I was.

"Paul, even if they accept your resignation, you may have burned your bridge back to employment with Morton Packaging. I have a good idea what is going on, and I'm going to do my best to keep a way back to your job after you have been fired."

Carol got up, went to the door and opened it. She looked at Richard and the person who was assisting Richard. "OK, you two are going to convince me that it is worthwhile to expose my client and myself to a tampering with evidence charge, which is a third degree felony."

I was given a newspaper and told to do "just stay out of my way". The document was amended several times, and finally Carol, Richard, and a bewildered legal representative for the company sent for me to join them. Carol decided to explain the package.

"Paul, you are being fired because you struck a fellow employee. You can be re-hired back if you can be re-habilitated. You are going to have to go through some anger management classes and if your instructor believes that you have learned to control your anger, you can be re-hired. Since you have shown that you can't control yourself right now, we are going to put you out on sick leave until you have used up all your sick leave. After that, you have a severance package that gives you three months pay to re-habilitate yourself, and learn to control your anger. "

"Me? Go to anger management classes? You've got to be kidding me?"

I didn't like the idea that they thought I was an out of control wild man. Richard was clearly smirking as he saw my reaction to the offer that Carol was laying out for me. The legal representative was not taking this very well, but trying to stay quiet.

"Paul, this is serious business, you are going to have to show up at the Himaki Dojo at least twice a week for classes in Jujitsu and for Tai Chi Meditation. This will teach you to be in control of your emotions."

"Wait, I already go to the Himaki Dojo!"

"Yes Paul, this is serious; The company is going to pay for your anger management training at this Dojo. We are giving you a six month unlimited membership. We are hoping you will be able to learn how to control your emotions."

I turned to the legal representative, "You're paying my Dojo fees? Wait! Did you just say the unlimited membership, and all courses are covered? What about Caligraphy, and Japanese?"

The legal representative couldn't keep a straight face, covered her mouth, and nodded. Richard started to laugh out loud.

Carol was getting a bit annoyed, "Please people, this is serious business!" Carol was taking this very hard, and she was bitter about the levity shown by the others. After the two got control of themselves, Carol continued on.

"Paul, the 12 days of sick leave and the 13 weeks of severance leave should give you time to heal yourself, but if you need more time, you can still use your vacation leave, along with the additional sick leave that you will get at the beginning of next year. Should your instructors give us proof that you have progressed, you will be re-instated into your position at the company immediately."

"Wait, so you are saying that I'm fired, but what I'm really getting is paid time off?"

"Yes Paul, you are being fired. Should you decide to move on, and never come back to the company, it will be as if you were fired today, with a huge severance package. But if you choose to, you may come back, but you have to do so before all of your leave is used up, which is a little over six months from now. You can even come back for one day, hand in your resignation, and leave. By coming back for just one day, this termination will be removed from your record."

"I've never taken Jujitsu."

"Yes, and that will make it easy for you to earn your first level belt, won't it?"

"So if I earn a yellow belt in Jujitsu, I have passed my anger management training, and I can be re-hired?"

"That, and performing the Tai Chi short form."

I rolled my eyes. This was practically giving me my job back. This was unbelievable!

"Ok Carol, I'm in, but what's the bad side?"

"You will have to sign away your rights to sue for wrongful termination."

"Is it really that obvious that I would win?"

"Not really, but the company is limiting their liability this way."

"And your advice is?"

"Paul, shut up and sign the damn thing as quickly as you can, before they change their minds."

I did just that.

***** *****

Carol Bernstein was very serious about the whole event, where Richard and the legal representative seem to be floating on air. As we walked out of the building she made it quite clear that losing an important piece of evidence is a third degree felony. She had never mentioned the letter of resignation at all the entire time.

"Their real target Len Goodwin, who has already been terminated. The man had three complaints of sexual harassment, and had been involved in two scuffles, which he wiggled out of. This time, the parking lot camera's caught the entire event on video, and he went down. Their problem was that Mr. Goodwin was fired on grounds that he picked a fight with someone who was employed at this company. They needed you to still be employed to prevent Mr. Goodwin from filing for wrongful termination."

"So, my severance package is to keep me silent?"

"Just remember, you have no recollection of handing in a letter to Richard Davidson. Do you understand?"

"What letter?" Carol smiled and gave me thumbs up.

"Wrongful termination suits are very expensive, aren't they?"

Carol gave me a stern look and spoke to me. "Paul, don't press your luck here, and six months salary is a pittance compared to what they could be sued for, but we also have to weigh in their good will to take you back. I know you never studied Jujitsu, so just smile and go spend the next few months earning a yellow belt, will ya?"

I nodded, and then stopped. "Did you just say six months salary?"

"Paul, You're not the only one keeping silent, and did you notice that I didn't mention what my fee was for assisting you? I am getting three months salary, too. They were actually more worried about me representing Len Goodwin than anything else."

"Wow, three month's salary for three hours work. I do have a vampire for a lawyer."

"Yes, but I'm your vampire."

We went to the bank, and I gave Carol our financial information. With Carol watching, I transferred half of our finances into my personal accounts. She told me to rent out a storage locker and start moving my stuff out of the house. I told her that I would buy a shipping container, and have it delivered somewhere. She took all the financial information and went back to her office, to start drawing up the divorce papers. From what I saw of ability to handle my termination, I was feeling pretty good about her handling my divorce.

**********

I still needed to confront Tonya, and I didn't want to without an exit plan. I decided that Tonya could have the house, and I would move out. I had a good idea where I was going to live.

When I was in college, I inherited a small ten acre lot in the country, with an old trailer on it. It was only fifteen miles away. I had inherited it from one of my great uncles. The trailer was called "The Poker Place" because of the poker parties that I threw out at it during my college days. I had also loaned out the trailer as a love nest, so to speak, so some guys called it "The Poke Her Place". Presently, I was without a job, so I really didn't need to be in the city. I decided that this would be the start of my new life. I needed a workshop, and a place to store my things. So I spent the rest of the afternoon getting ready to move.

I ordered a forty foot shipping container, and I paid $100 extra if they could deliver it today. With this economy as it is, the container was already being loaded onto a rig before I left the parking lot.

Tonya and I had always talked about putting a cabin on the property, and I had already gone so far as to get the soil tested. I took the soil test to three different metal building companies and had them bid on a 1000 square foot workshop. I ended up liking one group that put up 30 foot wide arch buildings. They had a 40 foot long model. Their bid on a 1200 square foot building was less than all of the others. I gave them a deposit, and they were going come out today so that I could show them where to put the building. The lot was in an un-incorporated area, so no permits were required.

I went home and took half of my clothes, put them into some garbage bags, and threw them into the car. When I had filled my car up, I called the container company and the building company and told them I was leaving. I then drove out to the Poker Place; the shipping container rig beat me to the place. I showed the crew where to drop the metal box, and started bringing my bags of clothes into the Poker Place. It still had the faint smell of stale beer and vomit, and I started to have second thought about my plan. Maybe the shipping container was a better place to live?

The arch building guy took one look at my trailer, and laughed. He then showed a plan for a 50 foot long building with a kitchenette and a full bathroom. He said would stub out the plumbing in the slab, and then I would have to get someone else to erect internal walls and install the fixtures. I would also need to file permits for a new septic system, because that was a county requirement. I went for it. The total cost for the arch building would cut my personal account in half, but I had my bonus and my severance package to live on. I just hoped that the building would be finished quickly.

I grabbed a quick bite to eat on the way back to my home, or, soon to be ex-home. It was getting late and just had time to check the kilns. All the programs had expired, but the kilns were still hot. I cracked the lids on each kiln and wedged clay blocks in each lid to allow them to vent heat. I wanted to make a second trip to the poker place, but I didn't have time. I retrieved a new blank disk for the video camera and went to the football game.

While driving to the football game, I decided that I would spend my time making glassware, until the workshop was done. I was prepared to practically live in the detached garage for the time being, and come into the main house when I need to shower or go to the bathroom. I was going to keep silent about the Poker Place, until the workshop was ready. I would just have a quiet exit from Tonya's life.

When I got to the stadium, I set up the camera and went to sit near the drill team. I was trying to just sit and support Tonya and her drill team, just like I had done every other Friday night during football season. I was just the husband of one of the teachers, so I expected to not even have a soul talk to me all night, but not tonight.

I was a contracts negotiator at Morton Packaging, and I kept to myself. Sure, I was recognized at the banquet, and I had friends within my department, but I felt that I was not noticed by anyone. It turns out that Len Goodwin was quite known around the company, and not in a good way. The scuffle was seen by maybe thirty people as they were leaving for the day, but these thirty people must have gone back to their department this morning and told everyone they could. I was the company gossip, and I had taken down the slime ball Len Goodwin! When people went to my department to congratulate me, they found out I was fired.

Every ten minutes or so, a co-worker who had a child at the high school would come up to me and want to shake my hand. I was told about the petition that was being passed around supporting me. The story of me saving our helpless nurse in the parking lot had grown too. At least three people asked me how my knife wound was healing! I didn't know most of these people, but I politely shook their hands, and told them that I was going to go through anger management training before trying to come back to work. Several of the guys had a twenty in their hands when they shook mine. I refused their money, of course. Mary was chaperoning the band, and kept giving me Thumbs up signs every time someone would come up to me. They were treating me like I was some kind of great fighter who had mastered the Pinky Finger of Death! I was getting embarrassed by the attention.

I glanced over at Tonya a few times, and she was trying not to notice the stream of people coming to greet me. Just as the second quarter started, another person extended his hand towards me.

"Are you Paul Beckson?"

"Yes?"

"You are being served." And with that, he handed me an envelope. No, not just an envelope, THE ENVELOPE!