“Mrs. Thorn, you aren’t actively employed and you haven’t worked in some time. You have no collateral. I’m sorry, but I—”
“You should be sorry, Mr. Squire, because I’m going to get a loan somewhere. You couldn’t wait to lend my husband money when he hadn’t even started to practice medicine. Who do you think set those clinics up? Me, that’s who. I know everything there is to know about operating a clinic. All my husband did was treat patients. I’m not trying to make light of his abilities, but I’m the one who paid off those loans by working nights and half days at the clinics. That should count for something.”
“It should, but it doesn’t, Mrs. Thorn. This is a bank and without collateral we can’t help you. You could try the SBA, but in the end you have to go through a bank. There’s tons of paperwork involved.”
“Are you trying to discourage me, Mr. Squire?”
“No.”
“All your loans were repaid, by me, in a timely manner and still you won’t help me. Is it because I’m a woman?”
“Absolutely not. Are you planning on opening a clinic on your own?”
Was she? Why not? “Yes,” she said.
“A family clinic?”
“No. What difference does it make if you aren’t willing to lend me money?”
“Mrs. Thorn, do you have any personal credit? I don’t mean credit cards with Dr. Thorn’s name where you sign your name on purchases.”
“No. I don’t use credit cards. I pay cash for everything.”
“What about your utility bills?”
“They’re…in Ian’s name. I never changed them over when he…when he left.”
“You need to do that right away. You say you’ve been paying them for over two years?”
“Yes, I have. Am I going to need a credit card?”
“Bankers like to see a credit history. I truly am sorry, Mrs. Thorn. I don’t think you’ll have much luck at any of the banks in the area unless you have collateral to put up. Sometimes collateral isn’t the answer either. Banks don’t gamble.”
“You gambled on my husband.”
“He was a doctor, Mrs. Thorn. Doctors are usually very successful. He had a profession that was unequaled in the eyes of most bankers.”
“You know what, Mr. Squire? That stinks, and if my words offend you, I’m sorry. Thank you for your time.”
Purse in hand, Emily walked to the low gate on the platform that led to the main part of the bank. She was about to unlatch the gate when she changed her mind and walked back to the banker’s desk. He looked up, a frown on his face. “When I’m as successful as Ian was, I’m going to come back here and show you my bank balances in other banks. That’s a promise, Mr. Squire. Now I’m leaving.”
Emily didn’t start to shake until she got to the car. She fired up an unauthorized cigarette and smoked it down to the filter. She lit a second one, then made a mental note that she had to forgo the two cigarettes she allowed herself in the evening.
So she was stupid. She should have thought about the utilities, should have thought about a credit card. She had collateral at the First Jersey Bank. She should have told him that. As long as she wasn’t borrowing more than the collateral there shouldn’t be a problem. Unless she failed. And then her old-age nest egg would be gone and she’d be in the same position as the women at the house. She might not even have a house if that happened. “And there go all my wonderful plans,” Emily muttered as she slipped the car into gear.
Fear. That terrible, awful feeling that made you sick to your stomach. She’d read, somewhere, that there was nothing to fear but fear itself. Whoever said that must be a man, she thought.
Ian had had no fear when he’d started out. And why should he—he had me to do all the worrying, all the work. He just sailed in in the morning and sailed out at the end of the day and everything was taken care of, right down to those awful white shirts and his underwear. Ian didn’t know the meaning of the word fear. Maybe there was a lesson to be learned here. If it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t have succeeded. She corrected the thought—he would have succeeded, but not as quickly. If I could make it work for him, then why can’t I make it work for me? The question is, Emily Thorn, do you have enough faith in yourself, in your ability, to make things right, to give up your financial security? Think about that.
Emily pulled into the parking lot of the United Jersey Bank. She pep-talked herself for five minutes. If I’m going to give up my nest egg for a loan I’ll be paying interest on, what’s the point? If I’m going to do this, I can use my own money and not worry about a payment to some bank which will end up owning my very soul. Ian always said never use your own money, use the bank’s money. Well, that was fine for Ian to say because he had an Emily in the background. She didn’t.
Emily backed out of the parking lot. She needed to go home and sit down at the kitchen table with coffee and another unauthorized cigarette. If she kept this up, she’d be into tomorrow’s allotment. Whatever it takes, Emily.
Damn, she was mad now. She stayed mad all the way home. By the time her coffee was ready, she was seething with fury. Instead of drinking it and smoking a cigarette she wasn’t supposed to have, she opted for her workout room, where she put in three hours on the treadmill, the NordicTrack, and her exercycle. Dripping sweat, she stretched out on the floor to think.
“Are you dead?” Lena asked from the doorway.
“I know first aid,” Martina said, peering over Lena’s shoulders.
“Listen to this,” Emily said, rolling over on her belly. She told them about her day. “I have a germ of an idea. If I can make it work and all of you are willing to work for very little. Actually, you have to work for nothing. For a while. Listen carefully. Mr. Squire asked me if I was going to open a clinic and I said yes. I said that just to have a response, but I’ve been thinking about it. That’s how Ian started out. A storefront clinic. Walk-in-off-the-street kind of thing. I can start an exercise clinic. Not a health club, but a clinic. The biggest expense would be the rent and the machines. We might be able to lease those. I already have three. I have tons of books on nutrition. Lena knows all about herbs and stuff. We can buy wholesale and package the stuff ourselves. If we all commit and work at it, I think it might work. Those house payments…that’s the only thing that worries me because I need your rent to pay the mortgage payments. Any ideas?”
“We can’t give up our benefits, Emily,” the ever-practical Lena said.
“I know, but we can take out a group policy. It will be cheaper than what we’re all paying now. Yours are still high, Lena, and your employer pays most of it. We’ll all be partners. I can put up the money. How much is twenty-five hundred dollars times twenty-four?”
“Sixty thousand dollars,” Martina said.
“Okay, I’m going to pay two years ahead. I don’t care if it’s stupid or not. We’ll all feel better knowing we aren’t going to lose the roof over our heads. The shore house pretty much pays for itself, and if I sell, Ian gets half and I don’t even know where he is to have him sign the papers. Do you think the others will go for this?” Emily asked anxiously.
“If somebody offered this to you, what would you do, Emily?” Lena asked.
“I’m all for taking chances. We aren’t kids anymore. I think all of us have learned a lot these past few years. Since there isn’t anyone around to take care of us, not that we want that, but since there isn’t, we have to do it ourselves. I’d love to know I”m going to have a stress-free, luxurious old age. I don’t want to struggle and just get by. I had that for too many years. I want better now and I’m willing to work my tail off if you girls will agree.”
“No more bedpans,” Martina chirped.
“No more coupons, no more paper cuts from the grocery bags,” Lena said. “Exercise clinics. Sounds promising.”
“For women our age,” Emily added. “Nutritional, exercise clinics.”
“What makes that different from health clubs?” Martina asked. “In case you haven�
�t noticed, there’s a health center on every corner.”
“And who do you see going in there? Certainly not women our age. Two years ago when I first started my exercise routine, I would have died before I walked into one of those places. My fat rolls had rolls of their own. Furthermore, I didn’t think they made those cute little workout suits in my size. I’m still not sure they make them, and even if they do, can you see one of us in one? If we can get this off the ground, it’s something we should look into. If we’re going to sweat, we should look as good and be as comfortable as we can. The way I see it, shame and embarrassment are going to be our two biggest hurdles. This is all off the top of my head now. I was so angry with Mr. Squire’s negative comments that I blurted out I was going to open a clinic. Then I ran with it and I’m still running.”
“We’re going to need a plan, for home and for your clinic. Businessmen are always talking about a well-oiled machine. We need that,” Lena said.
“Yes, we do. We have to assign out our house chores. Someone has to cook, no more of this each person making her own food. Someone has to help with the yard work. Someone has to pay the bills. I guess that’s me. We’re going to have laundry and grocery shopping to do. None of that is going to change, but we can work out something. I want us to have pension plans,” Emily added. “It’s a must.”
“Are we going to incorporate? I think you need to do that or you pay a lot of taxes. We’ll have to hire an attorney.”
Emily turned white. “I…I have to think about that. Tonight, after we talk to the others, I’ll make out a list. Do you think the others will go for this?”
“I think so. When it comes right down to it, what do any of us really have to lose? It won’t be a hard sell if that’s what’s worrying you,” Martina said.
Four hours later she said, “See, I told you it wouldn’t be a hard sell.”
“Details to be worked out. I say we all give our notice tomorrow,” Nancy said. “Let’s vote.”
“Guess that means the die is cast. In two weeks we’ll all be unemployed. Fresh coffee is called for,” Zoë said, hopping off her chair. “I don’t know the first thing about running an exercise clinic,” she called over her shoulder.
“I don’t either,” Emily said cheerfully. “We’re going to learn real fast, though. Now listen to this. When Ian and I opened our first clinic, we more or less fell into it. At least that’s the way Ian explained it to me. We did them one at a time. I think, and this is just my opinion, that we should open a bunch all at one time. Storefronts, so rent is low. We can fix them inside. So what if they aren’t fancy from the street. It’s what’s inside and the people working there that are important. Word of mouth is going to help.” Her voice was confident sounding.
“What’s a bunch?” Kelly asked anxiously.
“Well, there’s eight of us, so I say we go for eight.”
“Oh, no,” Rose and Helen said together. “We have to be with each other. What’s wrong with seven?”
“Eight is better. There are two of you and two pensions and two sets of health plans. It has to be this way or it won’t work,” Emily said gently.
“Cut the umbilical cord already,” Martha said, passing coffee cups around the table. “Sure it will be different in the beginning, but like anything else, you’ll get the hang of it. Think of it as the ultimate in adventures. Or this is where they separate the women from the girls. You aren’t girls anymore. You need to think about the future. How much longer can you go on with your tree-cutting business? You said business isn’t that good.”
“We’ve never been apart,” Helen said miserably.
“You can talk on the phone. You can meet for lunch. You can ride to work together, one drops the other off. You can do it,” Lena said positively. “Think of it as a monster tree that needs to be topped and no one wants to do it but you and Rose. You know it can be done. So can this.
“It’s going to be as new to us as it is to you. The good part is we’ll help one another,” Lena said. “I can’t wait to see our screwups.”
“Will you give it a try?” Emily asked.
In unison the twins bobbed their heads.
“Good. Tomorrow I’ll call an agent and scout around for storefronts. I think strip malls might be a good idea or someplace that’s in close proximity to a supermarket. Lena, can you post a notice on the bulletin board once we get started?”
“Sure. I can get a list of all the customers at the health food store. The bulk of them are our age or older. This might surprise you, but most of the people who work in the supermarkets, especially during the day, are women my age. I can get a list from the shop steward. I might even be able to get a list of all the employees from other supermarkets too.”
“I can put a notice up at the hospital,” Martina said.
“I can do the library. We have a lot of chubbies who love to read. I’ll take on all the libraries in a five-mile radius. We’re staying local, right?”
“For now I think so,” Emily said.
“I’m off tomorrow. Do you want me to call around about the equipment?” Nancy asked.
“That would be great. Find out about leasing versus buying outright. We’ll need eight of everything so you might be able to cut a deal. All those places have 800 numbers, so you can spend as much time on the phone as you want. Find out about service contracts and what their time record is for repairs. We need professional machines, not the kind I have,” Emily said.
“One of my customers is a lawyer. Would you like me to call her after work and set up an appointment to work out details?” Lena asked.
“Okay, that’s your job, Lena.”
Emily looked at the twins. “How busy are you for the next few days?”
“Slow,” they said in unison.
“Okay, then it’s your job to call insurance companies for quotes on health insurance. Can you handle brokerage houses to find out about how you go about setting up a pension fund?” Both heads bobbed up and down at the same time.
“Lena, while you’re getting the lists from the health food store, can you find out where we can get herbs and vitamins wholesale?”
“Can do,” Lena agreed.
“Zoë, you’re the librarian. Find out about health codes, licenses, and all that stuff. Especially bathrooms. We’ll need showers. Most storefronts don’t have anything like that. It could be costly. It’s possible the owners might make some concessions.
“Martha, you check out printers for mailers and business cards and advertising. We want anything that’s free or has a discount attached. Push eight clinics and don’t be afraid to mention the word competitor.”
“What are we going to call ourselves?” Zoë asked. Seven pairs of eyes stared at her blankly. “We need a name.”
“Yes, we do. Okay, everybody, let’s see what we can come up with,” Emily said.
“It should have something to do with Emily. It’s her idea and she’s the one putting up the money,” Martina said. “God, I just love the idea of us being our own bosses. I never, ever thought this would happen. More coffee, Zoë.”
Suddenly, Emily felt like the proud mother of eight grown children. It was a wonderful feeling, sitting here with her friends, all of whom were bending over backward to be fair to her, complimenting her and doing it sincerely, from their hearts. This is going to work. It has to work. I’m going to make it work.
They brainstormed far into the night with no results. What one person liked, three persons disliked. “I say we call it Emily’s Blast-off Clinic and be done with it,” Martina said wearily. She was booed lustily.
“I like the Figure Perfect Clinic,” the twins said at the same time.
“I like the Fresh Start Clinic,” Zoë grunted.
“Tell me one thing that’s wrong with The Second Chance Clinic. I happen to love it because that’s exactly what it is,” Lena grumbled.
“Yeah, well, I happen to like Starting Over Clinic,” Nancy said.
“Listen, all of you. None o
f the names you came up with have Emily’s name in them. I say we vote right now to call it Emily’s Fitness Clinic,” Kelly said.
The women stared at her, their mouths open. “No one came up with that name all evening,” Zoë said. “I like it.” The others agreed.
“What do you think, Emily?” Lena asked.
“If you all agree, then it’s okay with me. A show of hands. Okay, we are now, officially, Emily’s Fitness Clinic. Good night everybody.”
Emily slept deeply and peacefully. Tonight there were no demons invading her rest.
Chapter 11
It took a full thirty days before Emily’s Fitness Clinics were ready to open. All the legalities, all the permits, all the licenses were finally posted on the walls of the eight locations. The last bathroom, then the last inspection, was completed.
Emily had been stunned when the attorney told her the others wanted her to have a full half of the business, the other half to be divided seven ways. Emily agreed, but only if a sizable bonus was given to each woman at the end of the year. She herself would forgo the bonus. It was so agreed among all eight women.
“I feel like a fidgety cat who’s about to get neutered,” Emily said on the morning the keys to the eight locations were handed over by the rental agency.
“This is the best part, prettying up the places,” Lena said. “When things look pretty, women feel pretty. Pretty makes you smile. Pretty makes you happy doing what you’re doing. I’m glad we all agreed on our decor.”
“Listen up, everyone,” Lena said. “Do not forget today is the day the Courier is coming to take our pictures. Do you all have your sweatshirts that I very lovingly stitched the words Emily’s Fitness Clinic on? We’re wearing them. It’s free publicity. The Star Ledger is tomorrow and the News Tribune is Friday.”
Emily felt like an indulgent mother as she watched her friends leave, their cars loaded down with supplies and what Lena called “decor.” She was going to her location as soon as she finished working out with her personal trainer, Ben Jackson. She looked at her watch; he was five minutes late. Usually he was on time or early. She drank a cup of coffee standing by the window. She wanted one of her cigarettes, but she tried never to smoke until an hour after her workout with Ben. She was down to five cigarettes a day.
Dear Emily Page 13
