people.”
“People can think what they want.”
“I think he’s right.”
“Meredith can’t come rafting?” Wade said. First hint of warm weather, and there’d been five walk-ins. Nice to have a busy day, finally, and nice to get home after it.
“She will be working on a class project.” Cornelia looked real comfortable in the recliner. “And Lauren is going to a concert in Charlotte.”
Take off the coat. “So who cares about good old Dad anymore. Just as long as he pays the bills.”
“They are both very sorry. Lauren offered to stay home.”
Hang up the coat. “No.” Toss the briefcase into the computer room. “It’s okay.” Drop into the chair. “I don’t mind.”
“They would love to spend time with you. They are both feeling guilty and despicable. Meredith wanted to talk to you herself, and Lauren was almost crying.”
“Okay, okay!” Women. He was outnumbered three to one in his own family. “If I give them each a new car, would that make them feel better?”
Corny smiled. “Maybe. I’d need one, too.”
“Hey, and what am I supposed to do with this rafting trip? I already paid for it.”
“Can’t you cancel?”
“I’d lose my deposit.” Nothing was ever easy. “For Pete’s sake. You know anybody to go rafting with? Or should I just give the trip to somebody?”
“Well—there must be somebody. Do you have any clients?”
“Not that I’d want to spend a day with.” And then, a strange idea. “Hey, wait. You want to try something different? Randy McCoy. From the board. And his wife, what’s-her-name. Sue. Sue Ellen. Sue Ann.”
“Us? And them? Together? Do you want to?”
“Not hardly. But maybe I could shmooze him into voting for the road. Hey, I’ll think about it. There must be someone we know.”
March 13, Monday
The secretary walked the two steps over to the office door where Roland Coates was sitting plain as day, as short and round and bald and shiny as to make a person think of a bowling ball, and as visible to Randy as Randy was to him.
“Mr. McCoy is here,” she said.
“Come in, Randy,” the man himself said, and Randy did.
It was true that Randy saw Roland Coates once a week at church, where they would say hello and mention the weather, and they lived just two blocks apart. They only had an actual conversation once a year, though, when they negotiated Roland’s insurance contract.
It was not Randy’s favorite annual event. He always worked out the very best offer he could make and then added just a whisker onto it so he’d have something to give up.
Randy felt confident enough to ask him a question as they got started.
“Now, Mr. Coates, what’s this we all hear about you selling the factory?”
Well, that struck a nerve, and he’d known it would as it really was about Jeremy. But the gentleman took the comment in stride.
“I got a good offer. Not as much as it’s worth, but as much as I could expect.”
“When might that happen? I’m only asking so I’d know the term of this year’s insurance contract.”
“Not for a while. There are still a few details to iron out. If there’s time left on the contract, I’ll have you give me a refund.”
With that they settled down to their routine. The furniture factory was really a larger business than those Randy mainly dealt with, although that did not mean any particularly larger profit on the deal, what with the way Mr. Coates didn’t see why he should be putting money into other people’s pockets.
“I’ll just remind you,” Randy said, with the papers arranged on the desk, “that it’s a basic policy, like you tell me you want, and doesn’t have any bells or whistles. It’s a high deductible and it’ll get you back in business if you have a major disaster, but not too much else. And the liability coverage is just what you’re required to have and no more. That’s to get you the lowest premium.”
“The factory never has had use for the policy, not in eighty
“People can think what they want.”
“I think he’s right.”
“Meredith can’t come rafting?” Wade said. First hint of warm weather, and there’d been five walk-ins. Nice to have a busy day, finally, and nice to get home after it.
“She will be working on a class project.” Cornelia looked real comfortable in the recliner. “And Lauren is going to a concert in Charlotte.”
Take off the coat. “So who cares about good old Dad anymore. Just as long as he pays the bills.”
“They are both very sorry. Lauren offered to stay home.”
Hang up the coat. “No.” Toss the briefcase into the computer room. “It’s okay.” Drop into the chair. “I don’t mind.”
“They would love to spend time with you. They are both feeling guilty and despicable. Meredith wanted to talk to you herself, and Lauren was almost crying.”
“Okay, okay!” Women. He was outnumbered three to one in his own family. “If I give them each a new car, would that make them feel better?”
Corny smiled. “Maybe. I’d need one, too.”
“Hey, and what am I supposed to do with this rafting trip? I already paid for it.”
“Can’t you cancel?”
“I’d lose my deposit.” Nothing was ever easy. “For Pete’s sake. You know anybody to go rafting with? Or should I just give the trip to somebody?”
“Well—there must be somebody. Do you have any clients?”
“Not that I’d want to spend a day with.” And then, a strange idea. “Hey, wait. You want to try something different? Randy McCoy. From the board. And his wife, what’s-her-name. Sue. Sue Ellen. Sue Ann.”
“Us? And them? Together? Do you want to?”
“Not hardly. But maybe I could shmooze him into voting for the road. Hey, I’ll think about it. There must be someone we know.”
March 13, Monday
The secretary walked the two steps over to the office door where Roland Coates was sitting plain as day, as short and round and bald and shiny as to make a person think of a bowling ball, and as visible to Randy as Randy was to him.
“Mr. McCoy is here,” she said.
“Come in, Randy,” the man himself said, and Randy did.
It was true that Randy saw Roland Coates once a week at church, where they would say hello and mention the weather, and they lived just two blocks apart. They only had an actual conversation once a year, though, when they negotiated Roland’s insurance contract.
It was not Randy’s favorite annual event. He always worked out the very best offer he could make and then added just a whisker onto it so he’d have something to give up.
Randy felt confident enough to ask him a question as they got started.
“Now, Mr. Coates, what’s this we all hear about you selling the factory?”
Well, that struck a nerve, and he’d known it would as it really was about Jeremy. But the gentleman took the comment in stride.
“I got a good offer. Not as much as it’s worth, but as much as I could expect.”
“When might that happen? I’m only asking so I’d know the term of this year’s insurance contract.”
“Not for a while. There are still a few details to iron out. If there’s time left on the contract, I’ll have you give me a refund.”
With that they settled down to their routine. The furniture factory was really a larger business than those Randy mainly dealt with, although that did not mean any particularly larger profit on the deal, what with the way Mr. Coates didn’t see why he should be putting money into other people’s pockets.
“I’ll just remind you,” Randy said, with the papers arranged on the desk, “that it’s a basic policy, like you tell me you want, and doesn’t have any bells or whistles. It’s a high deductible and it’ll get you back in business if you have a major disaster, but not too much else. And the liability coverage is just what you’re required to have and no more. That’s to get you the lowest premium.”
“The factory never has had use for the policy, not in eighty
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