A dozer was usually needed for only the first part of a construction job. Once the project area had been cleared and prepared for construction, the dozer may no longer be needed.
If this part of the project only required a week or a few days, did that mean he would no longer be needed?
Would the fairy tale he had lived this weekend end in a few days and then he would find himself sitting on his porch again back in Starke?
Would there be other jobs he could do on this project so he could hang on here until the project was done?
After this weekend, he hoped he and Maggie could stay here as long as possible.
It would be a shame to have to go back to Starke after only a week. He was hoping to be here for the full two months and then have this job lead to more work.
After having a taste of the good life, Dave wanted more.
But after he forced himself to get out of bed and get dressed, he knew he would find the answers to his questions soon enough.
He just hoped he would like the answers.
If nothing else, he and Maggie had had a great weekend. If things only lasted for another week, they would have been able to enjoy the area for a bit longer and he would have made more money in that short time than he had made over the last few months combined.
He would just appreciate the time here and do his best.
It was all he could do.
It was a great opportunity and if nothing else, it had been the best thing to happen to him and Maggie since they got married.
He would at least be thankful for that.
Dave finished his coffee and wolfed down the piece of cold pizza he had saved for his breakfast this morning.
He walked over to the bed and bent down to kiss Maggie.
“I’m going to work,” he whispered. He liked the sound of that.
“Have a good day,” Maggie smiled.
“After you and Joey go for your morning walk on the beach,” Dave said, “why don’t you see if you can find a place to buy yourself that new zombie book.”
“I decided to save the money and not buy a book,” Maggie whispered back, “I’m going to go to the library and borrow one for free.”
“You should buy one,” Dave smiled, “it can be your souvenir of our beach vacation.”
“I have a bunch of sea shells for that,” she replied, “I’ll save the money.”
“OK,” Dave laughed. “Keep an eye on Joey today. He almost caught that cat yesterday. I think it likes pepperoni.”
Maggie laughed, “I’ll feed it when I get up so Joey can’t tempt it with anymore pepperoni.”
“I’ll see you tonight,” Dave said. “Have fun today.”
“You too,” Maggie replied and pulled the covers up under her chin.
Dave slipped outside quietly so he wouldn’t wake up Joey. He wanted Maggie to be able to enjoy the bed and the air conditioning in peace for as long as possible.
Besides, he had one job to do before he could leave for work. It could possibly be the hardest job he would do today, get Carl up and to work on time.
Carl had made the arrangements for this job and Dave didn’t know if his job depended on both he and Carl showing up for work together.
Until he knew the answer to that question, he was going to make sure Carl showed up today on time.
Dave walked to the door for unit six. The sun was just starting to come up and the bright rays of sunlight were making the sky glow above the marina.
Dave tapped on Carl’s door.
He waited a few minutes but didn’t see the lights come on in Carl’s room or hear any noise inside.
Dave tapped on the door a little louder.
Dave looked around. There wasn’t anyone at the office yet to let him into Carl’s room. He could pound on the door harder, other than his unit, the rest of the motel was now empty, but he didn’t want to disturb Maggie and Joey.
“Come on Carl,” Dave said to himself, “get up and open the damn door.”
Dave tapped on the door again and listened, this time he thought he heard snoring.
Dave pressed his ear to the door, he could still hear the snoring but it wasn’t coming from inside Carl’s room.
Dave turned and looked at Carl’s truck and saw a figure slumped over the steering wheel.
The snoring was coming from the truck.
Dave shook his head and walked over to the truck.
Apparently Carl was too drunk last night to get out of the truck and go to bed.
“This is probably a good thing,” Dave laughed to himself, “I would have never gotten him to wake up if he was locked inside the motel.”
Dave grabbed the door handle on the truck and opened the door.
Three empty beer cans rolled out and clanged on the pavement.
Dave picked up the cans and grabbed a few more empties off the seat and tossed them into the trash.
He then walked back into his room and poured a cup of coffee and walked back out to the truck.
“Hey asshole,” Dave laughed. “Wake up.”
Carl turned his head, “Hey how did you get into my room?”
“We’re not in your room,” Dave replied, “you slept in your truck last night.”
Carl sat up, his head bobbed from side to side as he tried to focus on where he was.
“Oh,” Carl finally said, “maybe you can help me get inside so I can get some sleep?”
“We don’t have time,” Dave answered, “we have to go to work.”
“Already?” Carl asked.
“Already,” Dave laughed, “Slide over and drink this coffee. I’ll drive.”
Carl took the coffee, took a drink and slid over to the passenger’s side.
“I guess it’s time to earn all the fun I had this weekend,” Carl words were slurred.
“Drink that coffee and stick your head out the window,” Dave instructed, “We have about fifteen minutes to get you sobered up so we both don’t get fired.”
“No sweat,” Carl grinned, “this ain’t nothing.”
Dave hoped so as he crawled into the truck and started the engine. This wasn’t the kind of first impression that they needed to make on a job that they both needed so badly.
Dave pulled out of the motel parking lot and drove out to Gulf Drive. He turned right and drove towards the northern end of the island on Gulf Drive.
Fortunately he knew where he was going. Yesterday he took Maggie and Joey for a ride to find where he was to report for work this morning.
Gulf Drive was the main street that went the entire length of the island. It was about six miles to the northern end of the island. At that end of the island was the old historic Anna Maria Island Pier.
Across form the pier was an old deserted shopping center that filled one square block. This was where they were to report to work this morning.
Dave didn’t know for sure if the job was there or it was just where the crew was to meet.
Whichever it was, he had ten minutes to get there and Carl had ten minutes to sober up.
Dave made it to the parking area across from the old shopping center.
He pulled the truck in to a spot and shut off the engine.
There was no one else here yet.
“Good,” Dave thought, “I have a few minutes to get Carl out of the truck to walk around and sober up.”
They hadn’t been out of the truck for more than five minutes when a black Cadillac Escalade pulled in front of the shopping center with “Gulf Coast Construction” painted on the doors.
A man about fifty years old with thinning black and gray hair stepped out. He was carrying two long round containers under his arm.
“Stand here and act sober,” Dave said to Carl, “I’m going over to see if this is our boss.”
Carl nodded.
Dave walked over to the Escalade. The man saw Dave and walked towards him.
“Hi, I’m Albert Jenkins, the owner of Gulf Coast Construction,” the man said holding out his hand.
“I’m Dave Kelly,” Dave smiled. “You must be my boss.”
Dave noticed two more trucks pull in and park next to Carl’s truck. There was one man in each of the trucks.
“Dave Kelly,” Albert said, “You must be my dozer operator.”
“Yes Sir,” Dave answered and smiled.
“Do I understand that you are also an engineer?” Albert asked.
“Yes Sir,” Dave replied, “Engineering Degree from Ohio State.”
“Good, have you had experience reading blue prints?” Albert asked.
“Yes Sir,” Dave replied again.
“Well Dave, this is a small operation for me,” Albert said. “I have all my project managers out on some big jobs up in Tampa. I was wondering if you would consider trying to be my project manager on this job. I could pay you an extra five hundred dollars a week. If it works out and you do as I expect, there may be some other projects I may consider you for. What do you say?”
“I would say yes,” Dave smiled.
“Good,” Albert grinned and handed Dave the two cardboard tubes he had been carrying. “Take these back with you tonight and go over what I am looking to accomplish here. When the project gets to the next, more intricate stage, I’ll work more closely with you. The next few days will be rather simple. In about ten minutes the flatbed should be here with our dozer. I would like for you to knock down this old deserted center here. The three men over there will assist you. Push all the rubble over to the lot next to the road. This afternoon, trucks will arrive. Load the debris on the trucks and they will haul it out of here. You have any problems with that?”
“No Sir,” Dave answered. “That all seems simple enough.”
“Do you think you can have this place demolished by the end of the week?” Albert asked.
“I can probably have this place down by Wednesday,” Dave replied.
“I like the way you think,” Albert smiled. “Then I will leave you in charge of this operation and I will return Thursday. Here is a cell phone in case you need to contact me. My number has already been entered. On Thursday we will go over the next stage of the project. I’ll be working closely with you when we get to that point. When you get the buildings down, you can start digging up the large concrete slab this place was built on. Read the blueprints. The center I am planning to build here will be much larger and we will have to put in a number of concrete anchors. So if you can have this place down and have a head start on ripping out the slab, that would make me very happy.”
“I can do that,” Dave answered again.
Albert looked Dave over.
“In case you were wondering, no I don’t just show up and give control of my projects to some unknown guy,” Albert smiled. “Consider this your audition or test. Demolishing an old shopping center is important but it’s not brain surgery. If you can handle this, then I will be willing to let you take the next step. Screw this up and well, I think you get my drift.”
Dave laughed, “Understood perfectly Mr. Jenkins. I appreciate the opportunity. You will not be disappointed.”
Albert smiled, “To make your job more difficult, I’m sorry to say your assistants are not the brightest bulbs in the store, but they are hard workers. I’m not sure about that one new guy over there, I haven’t seen him before.”
“He will fit right in sir,” Dave smiled.
Albert looked at Dave, “The flatbed with the dozer will be here shortly. I have to be in Tampa by nine for a meeting. So I will leave you to your job. If that flatbed isn’t here by nine, call me and I’ll get on their ass.”
“Will do,” Dave replied.
Dave watched Albert Jenkins walk over to the three men standing around Carl’s truck and start to talk to them.
Dave hoped Albert wouldn’t get too close to Carl or that he would at least stay downwind from Carl.
Dave walked over as Albert finished giving the men instructions. Then he introduced Dave and informed the men in no uncertain terms that while he was not at the site, that Dave was the boss. If Dave felt that the men were not pulling their weight, he had Albert’s permission to dismiss them and they would be replaced the following day.
Albert shook Dave’s hand, got back in his Escalade and drove off.
As the Escalade pulled out, a long flatbed truck with a big yellow bulldozer pulled up to the shopping center.
Dave’s first day on the new job was about to begin in earnest.
He liked that Albert Jenkins. He was more what Dave had expected the day he had walked into Emerson. Albert looked and acted like a professional. He had also given Dave the opportunity he had been looking for.
Now it was up to Dave to make the most of this opportunity.
After years of helping out on the farm, Dave wasn’t afraid of hard work or a challenge. Dave knew he could do this.
Dave looked over where the three men waited for him.
Then he saw Carl hold on to the side of the dozer to steady himself, as he threw up over wheels on the truck.
This of course was something new. He had never had to deal with any drunken dairy cows back on the farm.
It was five thirty when Dave pulled Carl’s truck into the Pelican Post parking lot.
Carl got out of the passenger’s door and Dave tossed him the keys.
“I’m going to go take a nap boss,” Carl smiled, “That new boss today worked my ass off. I’m beat.”
Dave laughed, “After you have recovered, come on over and have a burger with us.”
“Sounds good,” Carl said as he walked into his room and closed the door.
Dave walked over to the front of his unit.
Maggie was lying on the recliner reading a book. Joey was on the recliner next to Maggie, holding the cat.
Dave noticed the scratches on Joey’s arms.
Maggie jumped up and ran over to give Dave a hug.
“How was your first day?” she asked.
“Let’s see,” Dave said slowly, “I got promoted and am getting paid an extra five hundred dollars a week.”
Maggie’s eyes lit up, “That’s great.”
“The bad part is I’m now Carl’s boss,” Dave laughed.
“I thought I heard him grumbling about his boss riding his ass today,” Maggie grinned.
“That was only after the first day,” Dave grinned, “wait until you hear him tomorrow.”
Maggie laughed.
Dave felt a tug on his pant leg. He looked down to see Joey tugging on his pants with one hand while his other hand held onto the cat. His hand had slipped to the back legs of the cat and the cat was almost hanging upside down with its head dragging on the ground.
“I got a cat,” Joey said.
“It looks like the cat got him,” Dave whispered into Maggie’s ear.
“It was touch and go at first,” Maggie smiled, “but I think they are best friends now.”
“Pepperoni?” Dave asked.
“Yes,” Maggie grinned. “Lots and lots of pepperoni.”
Dave walked over to one of the recliners and dropped down to relax.
Joey and the cat crawled up on his lap.
Joey petted the cat as it happily purred.
Dave looked at Maggie as she slid into her chair and made herself comfortable.
“I know what Joey did today,” Dave said. “What fun thing did you do?”
“Well, first we walked on the beach. I waded in the water,” Maggie said.
“I went swimming,” Joey added.
“I’m sure you did,” Dave chuckled.
“Then we went to the library and I got a few books,” Maggie added.
“Were they all zombie books?” Dave laughed.
“Two zombie books,” Maggie replied, “but I also found this other book.”
Maggie reached down to the ground and picked up an old worn book and held it up.
“I found a book on Anna Maria Island,” Maggie said. “It has some really neat stuff in it.”
“We’ve seen a
lot of great things here so far,” Dave said. “What else did it say we should see?”
“It’s not that kind of book,” Maggie replied. “It’s more like a history of the island. It’s almost as good as my zombie books.”
“Don’t tell me that the early residents of the island liked to eat people’s brains,” Dave laughed.
“It’s not quite that good, but there are some spooky things in here,” Maggie added. “According to this book the island is haunted.”
Dave laughed, “It’s been real scary around here.”
“Listen to this,” Maggie said as she opened the book. “The island was first discovered around 1530 by Spanish explorers. They just sailed on by and went to the mainland. But around 1550 they sent a ship out to explore the island.
A year later when they didn’t hear anything back from that ship, they sent some people out to see if something had happened. They only found one person left. The book said the guy was delirious and kept repeating crazy stories about people eating each other.”
“Sunstroke,” Dave laughed.
“The book said no one ever came back out to the island again until the civil war,” Maggie said.
Dave smiled.
“The confederate army stationed a regiment on the island in case the Yankees came down this way,” Maggie said.
“That sounded like a real tough assignment,” Dave laughed again.
“But they never heard from that regiment again,” Maggie said. “In 1885 some people from North Carolina came down here to settle the island. When they never received any word from the settlers, another group came down in 1890. Only two people ever made it back. They told stories that said they found everyone dead. They buried the dead and left to go back to North Carolina. But their stories were so bizarre that everyone just considered them insane and disregarded what they said.”
Now It Begins Page 4
