by Murphy, R.
“Well, Tess,” I admitted hesitantly, “I have a little situation right now with my cousin and a health issue, but I can free up by Monday afternoon and I’ll focus on these assignments then. Shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Great. I’ll send you an email outlining my thoughts on the various messages we should include in each of the different communications, and we can just go from there. Oh, Roz”—Tess paused—“it would be so wonderful to have you here to take care of all this for me.”
“I’d love that, too, Tess, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your giving me this chance to meet everyone. I’ll really be looking forward to it,” I said, and meant it completely.
“We’ll be in touch.”
With visions of those unexpected work hours in front of my eyes, I did my customary happy tiptoe money dance, and went downstairs to tackle dinner preparations in a better mood than I would have anticipated. Before leaving the computer, though, I researched one-way air flights to Chicago from Rochester. Plenty of options to choose from, and I had just enough frequent-flier miles left to cover the cost. In my freelance world, work comes first. Terri’s departure was ‘meant to be.’
Terri did not take the news particularly well when I announced our new timetable. After a long nap she’d come downstairs and now she toyed with a glass of wine while I prepared dinner. Although I didn’t think mixing wine and painkillers was a good idea, she had insisted. As she watched me clean and slice the potatoes, I could see her mulling something over. Finally the question I’d been dreading since that beeping horn last night tumbled out.
“Roz,” Terri said, looking at the wooden knife holder I kept in a corner by the refrigerator, “why don’t you use that knife I gave you for Christmas?”
Ah-hah!! I knew it was a knife. Wait ‘til I tell Katie!
“It’s around here somewhere,” I replied in an absent-minded tone, thinking of the wicked black knife lying in its carton buried in a pile of boxes in the cellar.
“I’m surprised you don’t use it.” Terri said, puzzled. “It’s a really good knife. I found a great sale on Wusthof last year before Christmas and I remembered how much trouble your old knives gave you when I was here for Thanksgiving. I thought you’d love it and use it all the time. I know it would make your cooking chores a lot easier.”
My paranoid tendencies blushed a bit, wincing. Wow, had I ever misunderstood the intentions behind her gift. Sort of on a par with my ineptness around gifts in general these days. If I was feeling particularly masochistic I could start examining how many other things I’d misunderstood about Terri and most aspects of life over the past months, but I just didn’t have the energy to pop the top on that particular can of worms.
After our dinner of flounder, roasted asparagus, and new potatoes, Terri went upstairs to start organizing her luggage. Since she couldn’t juggle a lot of hand baggage, she piled her purchases on the dresser and asked me to ship them out to Chicago. Now that I had paying work to justify my decision, I was unshakeable and resolute. I told her we could do whatever she wanted tomorrow but, come Monday afternoon, I needed to be free to get work done.
Sunday found us visiting more stores than I even knew existed in my area. Somehow Terri discovered a nook that sold high-end quilting supplies and several antiques places. I treated her to lunch, and when I noticed how hearty her appetite had become, and how much pain-free energy she exuded, I hardly felt guilty at all for shoving her on that plane Monday morning. My usually empathetic nature worked hard to avoid thoughts of this woman recovering on her own in her posh house in the Chicago suburbs. I’d learned through bitter experience not to waste a lot of sympathy on her, although the thoughtful intentions behind her knife did complicate the issue now.
I’d ask Katie to check on Terri’s progress by phone over the next few weeks. Thank goodness I’d be too busy and, for Pete’s sake, it was the least Katie could do. (Obviously, thoughts of those English muffins on a tray still rankled.)
Chapter 15
America Wins!
The first thought that entered my mind was, Sheesh. Knobox sure picks nice hotels.
Manhattan’s Knickerbocker exuded Old World elegance, with marble floors and five-foot-high floral arrangements gracing their front lobby. Bob, awed into a rare silence, muttered to himself as he floated by my side, “So this is how the other half lives.”
After hours of driving, we’d finally arrived at the Knickerbocker. Even though the valet parker had stared at my fifteen-year-old VW in utter disbelief when I’d pulled up in front of the stately hotel on Madison, he’d unloaded the hatchback and taken the keys with barely a grimace of distaste. My old car did stick out a tad in the middle of the limos and caddies that made up most of the automotive clientele at the hotel.
True to her word, Tess had made my reservation and, with the Knobox clout, it had been upgraded. Not only that, but when I checked in I received a goody bag from the America Wins! competition, and Tess also ensured that I received the one Knobox gave out to all of its attendees. I couldn’t wait to get to the room, dump the gift packs out on the bed, and paw through them. I felt like a kid with a couple of bags of very expensive Halloween candy. Bob and I followed the friendly bellperson to my room, through hallways and elevators hushed with inches of plush carpeting.
The room was even more spectacular. I felt wealthy just walking into it. Two queen beds with down coverlets of deep burgundy, subdued lighting, a gift basket with wine, fruit, and cheese waiting for me on the medium-sized mahogany desk.
“Oh, my goodness, how lovely,” I said.
“Glad you like it, ma’am,” Andrew, the bellman, said as he showed me the air conditioner and drew open curtains to reveal the Manhattan skyline. “Knobox is one of our favorite clients, so we always like to give you our best.”
“You’ve definitely succeeded,” I said, pulling out a good tip and pressing it into his hand.
The door snicked closed quietly behind him.
“I could get used to this,” I said to Bob, scanning the room with my mouth half-open. “It’s been a long time since I had a chance to enjoy luxury. If this is how they live at Knobox, I really, really want to work for that company.” I flipped open the gift card on the fruit basket. Tess had written: Thanks for everything you helped to make possible, Roz! Here’s to working together more in the future.
“Definitely a lifestyle I could grow accustomed to,” Bob answered, settling deeper into the easy chair he had marked as his own. He put his head back and shut his eyes, preparing for a snooze. “See what you can do about that, Roz. Okay?”
“Sure. No pressure there.” After checking out the bathroom and admiring the upscale toiletries I’d get to use in a few minutes, I unpacked my suit for the evening and shook out a few wrinkles. When in doubt, stick with the classics, so I’d brought my trusty black suit, along with three different blouses I could choose from at the last minute. Heels, pearls, and a black velvet evening bag would complete the outfit. It might not be at the edge of fashion but, with luck, it would be appropriate.
After a quick shower, in which I discovered the delights of Bulgari’s Green Tea toiletries, I pushed my wet hair into place so it would air-dry in my usual waves. Then, dressed in my nightgown, I sat on one of the beds and dipped into my gift bags.
The phone rang.
Bob sprang out of his deep sleep.
I did a double-take. Who even knew I was here? Expecting to be asked a question about my bed turndown preferences, I picked up the receiver and heard a familiar voice.
“Roz? Roz? Is that you?”
“Tess!” I said happily. “I didn’t know you’d be here so early. I just love the room you reserved for me. This is a gorgeous hotel.”
“I know, isn’t it great? We normally wouldn’t stay in such an upscale place, but since the CEO and his wife are attending t
he awards ceremony, the company put the whole team in his usual hotel.”
“Well, I love seeing how the other half lives, that’s for sure,” I said happily.
“I’m calling, Roz,” Tess said, getting right to the point, “to see if we can get together for a little while before I become involved in those planning meetings with the team that I mentioned to you. How about lunch? The hotel has a fine dining room on the second floor, or we could meet at a great Italian place I know right down the street. I’d just like to get caught up and help you understand some of the dynamics you’ll encounter today.”
“That would be fabulous, Tess. I looked up some of the management names you’ve mentioned in the past, but it would be so much better to get your perspective. As for restaurants, I really don’t have any preferences. Frankly, I don’t have much of an appetite today.”
“Let’s do Italian. Minero’s. Just ask at the front desk―they can point you toward it. I’ll meet you there at noon. What will you be wearing? Just imagine, even though we’ve been working together for years, this will be the first time we’ve met in person.”
“I know, it’s pretty exciting for me, too. Now I get to put a face to the name,” I said warmly. We wrapped up our arrangements, and I sprang from the bed to finish dressing.
“I’m going to visit a few old friends while you’re gone,” Bob said, settling in to continue his nap. “I thought I’d stop by the Algonquin and see who’s hanging around.”
I turned from the mirror where I was trying, fruitlessly, to get my hair under control. “Really? Considering the shape I found you in the last time I looked for you there, are you sure you want to go back?”
“Now that I’m starting to put together some of the pieces of my past, that’s the place where I can learn the most in the shortest amount of time. And you could join me, you know,” Bob said with a gleam in his eye. “I did come prepared.”
Reaching into the pocket where he usually kept his flask of rye, Bob pulled out the ring I’d used the last time I went to the Algonquin. I walked over and studied it, laying innocently in Bob’s outstretched hand. Even though that ring let me share the afterworld with him, I still hated it. I couldn’t see those carved gold curlicues without remembering the gut-wrenching nausea they induced every time I put it on. Sure, as long as Bob accompanied me, the nausea moderated, but it lurked beneath the surface every time I saw that gold band.
Seeing my skeptical face, Bob said, “Come on, Roz, you know it won’t make you sick as long as I’m with you. We could have a lot of fun with the old gang tonight. And just think about how much you’d learn about the Algonquin Round Table,” he wheedled. “You’d pick up a lot more about the group than you’ll ever get out of those cockamamie books you’ve been reading lately.”
I stepped away from Bob and the lure he dangled in front of me, and returned to styling my hair. “Come on, you know I’m here to get a job. I’m going to be spending the whole day with the people from Knobox, trying to convince them that I’m the very best person they could ever want to hire for their communications position. I’d love to work with Tess, and that’s what I’m going to focus on today. It’s too bad.” I paused, giving up on the hair and walking over to my suit in the closet. “I would like to spend some time with your friends, but I just don’t think the timing will work out today. The award ceremony’s probably going to run late and then, knowing Tess, she’ll probably take the team out for drinks somewhere. I can’t screw up this opportunity, Bob.” I hung up my suit in the bathroom, where I’d finish dressing in a minute. Ghost or not, I still didn’t feel comfortable parading around in my undies in front of him.
Disappointed, Bob placed the ring on the occasional table next to his easy chair. “I’m going to leave this here in case you change your mind. Maybe your evening won’t run as long as you think, and you can stop by when you’re done.”
Glancing at the ring, I said, “I’m not sure you want to leave the ring out there in the open. Somebody could pick it up when they come to the room to turn down the bed. Just put it in my handbag over there.” I gestured to the black velvet evening bag with a discreet trim of sparkly rhinestones that I’d brought for the evening’s festivities.
Bob reached over, grabbed the bag, snapped it open, and dropped in the ring. Settling back into his easy chair, he closed his eyes and said, “I hope you can come, Roz. A few hours spent with the Algonquin Round Table would be even more remarkable than schmoozing with a few bigwigs from that company you’re so desperate to impress.”
“Maybe, but if I play my cards right there might be a good job offer at the end of this rainbow. I have to make sacrifices if I want to work for a company like Knobox―as you say, you like living like this, and there’s always a price to pay. Besides, I think all I’d have to look forward to at the end of an Algonquin evening would be a wicked hangover.”
A quick smile etched on Bob’s face. “It would be a night to remember, though. The hangover would probably be worth it.”
I shook my head and went into the bathroom to change.
Half an hour later, I walked through the revolving door at Minero’s Bistro. A woman with stunning gray hair wearing a beautifully tailored navy suit sat in a cozy booth about halfway down the room. Actually, I should say white hair, because it was pure white and looked as soft and fluffy as a cumulus cloud. Beautifully cut, Tess’s hair fell in perfect waves around a face in which kindness and intelligence had been etched into every wrinkle. A big grin broke out on Tess’s face when she saw me, and I’m sure a similar smile stretched across mine. What a treat. To work with someone for years and not only like them, but respect them enormously. How lucky was I!
Tess jumped out of her seat and we hugged in the middle of that snooty restaurant, surrounded by typical New Yorkers who barely looked up from their own plates and conversations.
Finally we sat, talking a mile a minute. After ten minutes of getting caught up, Tess glanced at her watch and said, “We’d better order and get down to business, Roz. I’m supposed to meet with the folks from America Wins! in forty-five minutes to run through the Awards Ceremony tonight, and then we have the team meeting later in the afternoon. I’d love it if you could join us at 1:30, and that way you could get to know my colleagues informally. No interview pressure, you know?” She gestured unobtrusively to the waiter, and he hurried over.
When Tess ordered salad and a sparkling water I sighed mentally but indicated I’d have the same. Why do women go to world-class, expensive restaurants and then just order the same green salad they could get anywhere? Oh, well.
I reined in my thoughts and refocused on Tess. “I’ve cleared my whole day for you, Tess, so you just point me in the most productive direction and I’ll be there,” I said assertively. If my mind wandered for a split second to thinking about the fun shenanigans Bob would be enjoying with his Algonquin mates, I thrust those thoughts away quickly.
During our glamorous, calorie-bereft luncheon, Tess sketched out the three Knobox team members I’d be meeting―Tom, Charlotte, and Wendy―always painting them in the most favorable terms imaginable. Tess reported to Tom, the VP in charge of Global Communications. She supervised US Communications and had direct responsibility for the America Wins! campaign as well as many other areas. Charlotte served as Tess’s assistant, and Wendy helped out everybody in her capacity as administrative assistant for the communications department. Wendy was one of those indispensable people who knew everyone and everything.
“I know Charlotte—we always call her Charli—wants to move into the Communications Senior Manager position that’s opening up.” Tess picked up the thread of our business conversation when our coffee came. “But she’s only a year out of college and she doesn’t have the business acumen we need in that position. We want a seasoned professional who’s been exposed to a number of business environments and critical situations. Your back
ground working on two company mergers offers just the kind of experience I need. I could easily see Charli moving into a similar position in four or five years, but she needs a lot more exposure before she’s qualified. I don’t think Charli sees it the same way, though.” Tess shook her head, running her finger along the handle of her elegant coffee cup. “She’s like we all were at that age: young, impatient, ready to rule the world if only us stupid older managers would get out of the way and give her a shot. It’s a big challenge―managing a younger work force that doesn’t really think it needs any managing at all.
“Anyway”—Tess visibly shook off her thoughts—“I’ll meet you in the Allegheny Room at 1:30 and introduce you to the team. I’ve got to run.” She signed for the check and collected her purse and phone.
“I’m done, so I’ll walk with you,” I said, pushing my chair back from the table. “I want to spend a few more minutes with the CEO’s newsletter article so I’ll polish that up and email it to you before the planning meeting.”
We walked at a brisk New Yorkers’ pace back to the hotel, and I went to my room to work. Bob must have gone out to be with his Algonquin buddies, because there was no sign of him.
Before I settled down to my article, I spent a few minutes exploring the treasure trove from the two goody bags I’d spilled on the bed before lunch. I found the nametag in the plastic holder that I’d need to get into the festivities later in the day, and of course I saw the usual supplies of pens and tee shirts and logoed pads and sticky notes and hard candies. After digging through the customary dreck I pawed my way to the good stuff.
