by Jim Wygand
“Ah, Charlie and what do you think? I don’t think Marie is the horniest woman in the world, I think that title belongs to me. And Tony’s got nothing on you, big boy.”
“Took the words right out of my mouth”, Charlie laughed, “but you know Gina, he’s right. I have never experienced the pleasure I have when I am making love to you. It really is different.”
“You gonna start clearin’ the table, Mullins?” Gina teased.
“Ah, I don’t know. The patrons here look a little uptight, wouldn’t want to scandalize!” he replied.
“Good idea. Try to restrain yourself at least until we reach the lobby”, she laughed in return.
When they reached the lobby, Charlie asked the doorman to flag a cab for them. When the cab arrived, Charlie stepped out of the hotel with Gina on his arm. He gave the doorman a tip and leisurely strolled to the cab with Gina. He didn’t see Tommy Peterson approaching Penn Square with his wife Helen.
“Look, Helen, that’s Charlie Mullins. Let’s see if we can say hi to him. We lived next door to each other for years.”
Tommy tried to call to Charlie but he was too far away to be heard over the din of the traffic. Helen stopped him, “Wait Tommy, he is with a date. Don’t bother the guy. You see him in Shoreville anyway. Don’t bother him.”
“Jeez, Helen, how often do you see someone from our neighborhood coming out of the Ritz-Carlton with a woman who looks like a movie star? Maybe she is. We might get an introduction and even an autograph out of this.”
“Too late anyway, Tommy, he’s already in the cab. Forget it.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Boy that’s too bad, no? She really was a pretty girl, wasn’t she?”
“That’s for sure, Tommy. She is pretty, without a doubt. But leave Charlie alone, the poor guy has had enough trouble in his life. First there was Mary Jo, then Sharon and Diane trying to fix him up with somebody. All those stupid dinners. Jeez, Tommy, the poor guy deserves to be left alone once in a while, no?”
“Yeah, you’re right. Charlie’s a nice guy. Let him find his happiness wherever he can.”
Tommy and Helen walked to the parking lot where they had left their car and drove back to Shoreville. The next day Tommy ran into Tony Mazza at the drug store. He saw no reason not to tell Tony that he had seen Charlie. He knew that Charlie and Tony were good friends. “Tony, I was in Philly last night with Helen and I swear I saw Charlie coming out of the Ritz-Carlton.”
“So?” Tony asked, “What’s so special about Charlie being in Philly at the Ritz-Carlton?”
“Well, nothin’ really, but you should have seen the gal with him! Wow, what a looker! She looked like she could make Sharon Stone run for cover. What a beautiful broad, Tony. I mean I would never forget that woman if I saw her again. She was just one of those kinds of women that you can’t get out of your mind once you’ve seen them. She had the kind of face you see on the screen down at the Grove movie house, know what I mean?”
“Well good for old Charlie”, Tony said, “nice to know he has hit the jackpot after all. You sure it was him, Tommy?”
“C’mon, Tony, I lived next door to Charlie for years. There’s no way that I could mistake him. It was Charlie, I’m sure of it.”
* * * * *
Charlie and Gina went back to the apartment totally unaware that they had been seen by yet another Shoreville couple.
It was the following Wednesday that Tony Mazza had asked Charlie if he had a girl friend. Charlie felt bad about having to hedge the truth with a friend as good as Tony, but there was too much at stake to risk. He had decided to admit that he had been with a very attractive woman on Saturday night but did not go beyond that admission.
When Tony had raised the issue on Wednesday night Bill Gallagher and Bob Simms had been nearby. They had heard Tony, and Charlie was sure they would comment with their wives.
Charlie and Gina had returned to the apartment that Saturday night and made passionate love once they arrived to the apartment. The next morning their clothes were strewn all over the living room in a path that led to the bedroom. They woke up later than usual and just lay in bed for a while. Charlie got up and went to the kitchen to make some coffee.
When he came back, Gina was sitting up. He handed her a steaming mug of coffee and kissed her. “Good morning beautiful, you look wonderful!”
Gina smiled, kissed Charlie, and took her coffee. Charlie climbed back into the other side of the bed and the couple sipped their coffee. “Well, Charlie, did you learn to appreciate poetry last night?” Gina asked teasingly.
“No, actually I learned to appreciate my woman. That was the best part.” They laughed together.
Sunday, Charlie rose at 6 AM, drove over to Shoreville and reset the timers then drove back to Philly and crawled back into bed. Gina barely stirred. He and Gina spent half of their Sunday in bed. They had some more coffee and finally Gina said she was hungry so they dressed and went down to the bakery where they had croissants, coffee, and jam.
XXV
When Charlie arrived to the Shaw Corporation on Monday morning things seemed to be a little different. People were clustered around in groups talking in hushed tones. That was a departure from the usual parade straight to their offices. When he got off at his floor he walked by Laura Metzer’s desk. “Did you hear the news, Charlie?”
“What news, Laura?”
“‘Junior’ Shaw was taken to the hospital last night. The word is that he had a heart attack. Nobody knows how serious it was, but he is in the hospital right now. The Executive Committee is running the company until there is more news or he returns to his job. What do suppose this means for the company, Charlie?”
“Well, it’s a little early to try to say, Laura. We’ll have to wait for more news. Obviously, the attack was not fatal so we’ll just have to wait. Heart attacks don’t always stop someone from working, you know. Let’s see what comes down the grapevine today. There will probably be some kind of announcement later on.”
“He was such a young guy, Charlie. Heart attacks at his age can be serious. I hope he’s not in any danger.”
“Any heart attack is serious, Laura. But you’re right. When it hits a young guy sometimes the damage is greater. But let’s be calm. There’s no way we can know anything until somebody tells us something. No use speculating and feeding the rumor mill.”
“You’re right, Charlie. Fred hasn’t come in yet. I wonder if he knows already.”
“I’ll talk to you later, Laura. Just stay calm. I’m sure everything is pretty much under control.”
Charlie walked to his office and began his day making a few phone calls to some of the operating department heads to see if they had any information. In the meantime, the Executive Committee sent a bulletin around the company and prepared a press release. The bulletin informed employees that Phillip Shaw II had a “coronary infarction” and was rushed to the hospital at 2 am Monday morning. The note said that he was recovering and that until further notice the Executive Committee would manage the company. The note expressed hope that “Junior” as he was affectionately known by Shaw’s long-term employees would be returning to his responsibilities as Chief Executive as soon as possible.
The press release said basically the same thing but added for the sake of the market that the Shaw Corporation was under capable management and that Phillip Shaw II was expected to return to his job as soon as his physicians determined he would be able to do so.
A couple of operating department heads who were close to the Shaw family indicated to Charlie that they thought the attack might have been pretty serious. But no one had any specific information.
Charlie noticed that Fred Perkins was particularly nervous. It was largely due to Phillip Shaw that Fred stayed in his job. Phillip respected Fred’s views while not endorsing his way of dealing with people. He knew that Fred’s comments were usually on the mark and that he brought discipline to the financial area and the budgeting process in the company. Fred had to
be worrying about his own skin if Phillip stayed out too long. For sure, Fred would not be as gruff as he usually was if he had to report to the Executive Committee. He would be a lot milder than he was when he held private council with “Junior” Shaw. Charlie wondered who might be sharpening their corporate knives now that Phillip was temporarily out. There would be some jockeying for position by the members of the Executive and Finance Committees. Fred was head of the Finance Committee and not everyone in that group felt that he was the right man for the job. He mused that Phillip Shaw might come back to a different company than he had left when he had his heart attack.
However, the note from the Executive Committee meant that everyone was to continue in a “business as usual mode”. Charlie dove into his work for the day. He had to prepare for the budget meetings that would start next week. When he walked by Fred Perkins’ office to get coffee he saw Fred at his desk apparently in thought rather than poring over the budget review papers. He wondered if Fred might be trying to figure out who might be his allies in a fight for corporate power during “Junior’s” absence. Charlie mused to himself, “He’s probably putting together a ‘suck-up’ list!”
At the end of the day the Executive Committee sent out another bulletin to inform employees that Phillip Shaw’s condition had stabilized. The physicians had said that his life was not in danger and that it now remained to determine the degree of damage to the heart muscle and get Phillip on a recovery path. The note was optimistic and designed to dispel rumors that had been circulating about the eventual health of the Shaw Corporation.
Charlie left the office at 5-o-clock and noticed that Fred Perkins had not yet tidied up his desk and was still staring off into space in deep thought. He said “Good night, Fred” and received only a grunt in response. He wondered if Fred would get another job if he got pushed out. He was a good professional but everybody in the business knew him as a prick.
* * * * *
When Charlie got to Gina’s place she was preparing dinner. He walked to the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her. “Who’s that who dares to grab me? My husband will be home any minute, be very upset, and come after you.”
“Very funny,” Charlie laughed, “you get grabbed often by strangers in your own home?”
“Oh, it’s YOU!” Gina said with mock surprise, “Give me a kiss!”
Charlie kissed her and pulled her to him in a strong embrace and she melted into him. “Yeeaaahh!” he growled, “that’s the way I like it!”
“Charlie, you up for eggplant lasagna? It’s good for you and it’s damned delicious, I might add.”
“You could make rock soup and I would love it, Gina.”
“Yeah and I’m Betty Crocker, right? Why don’t you open some wine. It kills bad cholesterol!”
“Speaking of bad cholesterol, Gina, we were informed this morning that ‘Junior’ Shaw had a heart attack last night and was rushed to the hospital. Word is that he is recovering but nobody really knows anything yet.”
“Wow, Charlie, he’s not much older than you. Did he have a history of heart trouble?”
“Not that I know of, anyway the Executive Committee will be running the company until he gets back on his feet and returns to his office. Fred Perkins looked nervous as hell.”
“I imagine he would. I mean he doesn’t exactly win the Mr. Congeniality award at Shaw. He must have at least a few enemies. With the CEO out, I would think a lot of people will be moving for more power. It always happens. And maybe some of those people are the ones who are not too fond of Perkins. What about you, amore, will the situation affect you too?”
“Well, somehow it has to. I don’t have any concern that my job is in immediate danger, I have good relations with the operating guys and I am known as a stable element in Fred’s area. But things might change in ways I don’t yet know. I’ve told my people just to sit tight. At least for the time being, it’s business as usual. Budget reviews will go on, the company will continue to produce and sell, and we will just have to see how the management thing shakes out. Nobody knows yet how long Phillip will be out so everything now is just speculation.”
Gina put their dinner on the table and served Charlie and then herself. Charlie took a forkful of the lasagna. “Oh my God! Gina, please don’t ever leave me. I could never go back to canned chili after this. I’ll die!”
“Oh, how romantic, Charlie, if I ever leave you I’ll leave you a copy of my mother’s recipes. How’s that? Now, before you answer, please remember that the lasagna is hot. You wouldn’t want in your lap, would you?”
“Uh oh, I guess that’s the price of marrying a Latin woman!”
“You got it, Mullins! We are temperamental, hot, and volatile. Don’t shake, rattle or roll us!” Gina kissed him.
“Wouldn’t think of it!”
“So, Charlie, you think there will be a fight for power in the company while Phil Shaw is out?”
“For sure, Gina, a lot of senior executives thought Phil was a bit too timid as regards expansion. Others wanted to see the company use its excess cash to improve productivity. No CEO enjoys unanimous support for anything. It’s not a lot different than politics or the Roman Empire for that matter. Corporations are political animals and when a leader is incapacitated, even for a short time, you know there is going to be some manipulating. There won’t be much happening at my level because I am not on either the Finance or Executive Committee. I’m not a challenge to anyone. Fred Perkins is and so are a lot of the Executive VPs in the operating areas. There’ll be some blood, I’m sure.”
“Sounds like my uncle talking, Charlie.”
“Well, every organization no matter what type, has the same problems, Gina. I used to say that when you have one person, you have an entrepreneur – a leader. When you have two you have a team. When you have three, you have politics. I suppose the organization survives and prospers because of that process, but I think once politics enters the equation, the ultimate health of the company becomes secondary. It’s a power game, that’s all.”
“Sounds a little depressing, love, want some more lasagna?” Gina laughed.
“You know, Gina, eating is the one physical pleasure a man can indulge in three times a day until the end of his life. Maybe I should have some more to assuage my anxiety.”
“Oh no, my dear, you should never eat because you are anxious. You have to eat because it is a pleasure.”
“Italians are sooo romantic!” laughed Charlie.
“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” replied Gina.
They finished their meal and Charlie helped Gina put the dishes in the dishwasher. “See why I didn’t want an Italian husband Charlie? You think an Italian husband would help clean up after dinner? They want their wives pregnant, barefoot, and in the kitchen. Ooooo, how wonderful it is to have an Irishman.” Gina readied the espresso machine, embraced Charlie and they moved into the living room to finish their wine before having their espresso.
They watched TV for a while and the news of Phil Shaw’s heart attack was on the business segment. The reporter said that the company expected Shaw to return to his normal duties soon. Charlie wondered how true that was. Gina was curled up next to Charlie, with his arm around her. The news could have announced an atomic attack against Philadelphia and she would not have moved.
Charlie did not think that Phil Shaw’s situation would affect his personal situation. He was still trying to find a way to resolve the question of his relationship with Gina. He would still be out of a job once the relationship became public knowledge no matter if Phil Shaw came back to work, had died in the emergency room, or never had a heart attack in the first place.
XXVI
On Tuesday morning the Executive Committee sent out another bulletin to the employees of Shaw Corporation. The committee was pleased to report that Phillip Shaw II had been removed from the intensive care unit and was now in a regular room. There were, of course, additional tests to be run, but Phillip’s life was no longer in danger.
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The news did not appear to mollify Fred Perkins. He knew that regardless of Phil Shaw’s medical situation, as long as Phillip was out the power game would be played by both his allies and his enemies, and he had few of the former and many of the latter.
Perkins called Charlie into his office in the usual way by sending Laura Metzer to summon him. Charlie followed Laura back to Fred’s office. On the way he asked her, “How is he, Laura?”
“Quiet as a church mouse, Charlie, he’s worried that some of his enemies will put his head on the chopping block.”
“Well, I think that’s unlikely at this point Laura. Cutting Fred’s power is one thing, but I don’t think anyone is going to be inclined to ask for his head until they know what Phillip’s situation is. He would not be happy to come back and find out that Fred had been fired.”
“I guess you’re right, Charlie.”
Charlie knocked on the frame of Fred’s door. “You wanted to see me, Fred?”
“Sit down, Mullins,” he said in a surprisingly civil tone.
Charlie took a seat in front of Perkins’s desk. “I’ve been going over the budget figures from the operating departments…”
“Oh shit,” thought Charlie, “those poor guys!”
“And, Fred?” he asked.
“And for the first time since I have been in this company, I think these guys have learned something. They all look pretty good. For the most part, they’re financially sound. I’m comfortable with them.”
“Oh my God, what a heart attack of the CEO will do!” thought Charlie.
Charlie let a brief smile cross his face. He knew that Fred Perkins was not about to take on the heads of operating departments while Phil Shaw was in the hospital and the Executive Committee was in charge. Those guys had a lot of influence on the committee and some were members. He laughed to himself. “I hope you have on brown pants today, Fred!” he thought, “You can’t afford to have anyone know you’re crapping in them right now!”
