Chapter 8

The business had a good start and everyone was producing almost at peak. I began to see that I was going to have to take one of my operators and teach him to code the work. I would use one of the men who Becker had trained. None were as good as the two I had working at this now. I had been paying these two a premium. I could use that as an incentive if it did take an incentive.

I was going to speak two days from now which was the end of the week about making the change. Just before quitting time I looked up and there were two young men who stood in the doorway to be noticed.

“Hi, can I help you?”

“We are looking for work. We graduated from high school last June, but haven’t found anything yet. We had a little band we played in, but the gigs are few and far between so all of us decided to disband and go to work.” He gave me a lopsided grin. “You know we studied a little about this in school. We at least know how to turn a switch on and how to keep the machine from running out of material.”

“How did you find out about this place? First though, what are your names?”

One spoke, “My Aunt Jordan works in a law office, She told us about you. She said you just bought the business and might need someone. My name is Jake Reynolds and his is Mike Moses.

“I do and I need an operator right now. Come into the office and I’ll interview you. Have either of you done any coding for product or prototypes?”

“Not much. We are good with computers though, do you need a lot of work on them?”

“Some of the jobs do, I’m thinking I’m going to need a backup by summer time. I have four operators who used to do a little code writing before I bought the business. I’d teach one of you to be a back up. First though you would be operating three machines at a time. The work week is five eight hour days and five hours on Saturday. That doesn’t leave much time for partying.

“I have a large project I’m working on that has to be finished by May. I have to buy more machines before then. I haven’t dropped the prototype line yet and I never know what will come through the door and I’m looking for more work all the time.

“When I purchase machines, I buy a dozen at a time. That’s because the operation needs three machines per operator. I may be dreaming but the dozen I’m buying will fill half of that long empty bench beside the full bench that is running at present. You can see that I will need one more operator.”

“Can you explain that?”

“Sure. I have two men writing code. I need one machine for them in case they need to run a prototype off, Two machines would be better. I have four experienced operators that can easily handle three machines each. I have two young women who are almost there so that’s six more machines. I have one more operator who is at seventy-five percent and that is three more. I need one more to make eight operators running twenty four machines.

“That doesn’t leave any machines for the two writing code. I also have work from my father-in-law making boxes for putting small tools in that he makes in his factory. So you see I need at least one operator and three machines for that job. That will be done as soon as I get the next dozen machines in here next week.

“I need every machine running until the first of May. Having spare machines gives me the ability to keep running if a machine breaks down. That will happen, I promise you. You understand I’m just getting started”

“How did you get smart enough to plan all of this?”

“I started working five years ago in my father-in-laws factory right out of college. I married his daughter and he pushed me harder than anyone else just because of that. He’s a great guy and was my friend after the day’s work was finished. We had a little personal trouble and he sent me to find a small factory for both of us to down size into. I found this and he decided he would stay where he was. He was good enough to keep me on the payroll. He did that until this big job came in and I could pay myself.”

“Lucky you,”

“I have had some luck. If you are interested, why don’t you two come back tomorrow morning and watch what this is all about.”

“We’ll be here.”

Kitten was excited for me (us) when I reached home to tell her about my two new prospective operators. It was only a couple of weeks until our baby was to arrive. Everything seemed to be on track to welcome him. I’d miss Kitten doing some of the installing of decals. Jenny was only barely keeping up. Some days she was stopping at the house and decided to keep Kitten company. The work was so nearly automatic that she could work and hold a conversation a the same me time.

Mary was moving in for a week from now and Mable was coming from the east three days before the baby came. For myself I was as ready as I could be. I had the twelve new machines installed and had seven operators fully trained with two that had two weeks training. Kitten was a good mother and we would be glad when the family left and Kitten and I could be a close family unit alone.

At work, I was training both new young men to operate. They would be ready soon when I had to take one of the operators to help write code if someone was sick or out. That person would only work part time on the code writing and the rest of the week working on the three spare machines.

William Henry Prentice arrived on time. Kitten had an easy time with his birth. It took some time for Kitten and I to figure out what to name our child. Henry had taught me in my career as an engineer after I had the basics in college. Not only that we had been through the fire together with our marriages. Henry felt the same.”Son, thanks for giving my grandson the name of Henry. The name Henry has shown up in my family every so often and I appreciate it.

“You know, I learned a few things about people when you showed me how wrong I was with Mable. We have never been this close before as we are right now. Happier too.”

“I could count a dozen things you have done for me too. Kitten suggested it so we went with it.”

“Howard, Mable suggested Henry’s middle name of Comstock after her mother, but I shot that down. I hated the old lady and I still fault her for teaching Mable and Lorna some wrong-headed thinking. She left Mary and Kittery out in the cold. I think Mable was joking when she made the suggestion and she went into a laughing jag when I said no to Comstock. That shows where I’m with Mable now.”

I looked for more efficient ways in my operation. Immediately I ordered two 3D machines that would load multiples and was able to cut the items that I did for Henry by a hefty percentage. This guaranteed I would get all of Henry’s work on this particular item. With so many machines running, I hired one person to bring the plastic pellets from the store room to the machine operators, thus saving the operator having to leave their station. In this persons spare time he/she would work packaging finished product for shipping.

One thing I kept to was the hours I was in the factory and not staying over more than a half hour. This assured I would be home most all evening. I had made this promise to Kitten. I would be a father for the baby and a wife to Kitten, and both could count on affection most every day.

At work, it was a rare day when I didn’t get around to speak to everyone working for me. I’d just stop and ask about their work or family or something about what had done on their hobby or what they did for recreation. It paid off because they knew I was interested in their lives which the appreciated.

Becker took a few days off in March and drove my car out. I had promised to pay for his flight back east. He just dropped in one day and he couldn’t believe how much the place had changed since he left after selling the place to me. At this time I had just installed another 12 machines, seven of which were running. He walked into the room filled with machines, thirty-nine which were turning out product. Three code writers were using three of the machines,

I spotted him about the same time as one of the operators who originally worked for him. The operator motioned to me to meet him. “Jesus Christ Howard, I can’t believe what I’m seeing! You must be rich with all this going on. The guys have kept in touch calling me occasionally and bragging about how much you are paying them.”

“I am making a good wage too, but I want to build another building back of this one by next year. I’ll do some figuring after the first of May when I get this big job done. The job most of the workers are doing walked in the door the day after you left. This was around Christmas. I made an estimate for him and the guys came in and built two prototypes. I had something to show him right after the New Year and he gave me the job. Not only that, he provided the crew to build the benches, made a shipping room, a break room, and an office. I only had to pay for the material.

“He also gave me and advance on the projected cost. That was when I started buying machines and hiring help. The job was big ... almost as big as you had in here for work for all of last year. I finished all the work in queue before the 1st of February and that’s our main work. I guaranteed I would finish it by May first and I’ll have it completed two weeks early.”

“Wow, that’s great for you. Do you have anything lined up for after you finish this?”

“I do. My queue is full until the first of July and I have a few small projects lined up further out. I’m still doing Henry’s tool boxes and I’ll continue making those for him. Those two machines you see that are running in that last bank of machines are where I run his. Those do multiples six at a time, so every cycle instead of one box I get six. I can do that many cheaper and Henry is pretty damned pleased.”

“I’d say so. Where did you get all your help? I wonder because I thought this place would take off and if it had I would’ve been out looking.”

“I hire workers wherever I find them. See those two Indian girls halfway down the first line, I went by them last winter and their pickup was out of gas. I gave them a ride and they started work the first of the next week. They are fully as good operating a machine as the men who worked for you.

“If I get a slow down, I’ll start another person in learning to write code. I’m sending their brother Steve, when school lets out for the younger family members, to the company who I buy machines from. I’ll want him to learn to service the machines to get the most out of the ones I have so I don’t have breakdowns. I have a farmer who was slow to start, but it has been at least two weeks since he has had a reject. I hired two boys that had a band, went broke, and hadn’t done anything except the band since graduating highs school last year. One will be up to doing part-time coding during vacations this summer. Just looking ahead a little.

“Hey, let me call Kitten and have you in for supper after work.”

“I hate to turn you down, but I was planning on having a reunion with the guys. First show me what has been making so much money for you.”

“John, follow me into shipping. You know Jenny, wife of one of your men. She tends to all the decals that got me this project. Putting decals on was my idea and is what sold Graziola on the idea to go with me.” I had a green rug of outdoor carpet set up and one of the costly set of building compounds displayed.

“No wonder you got the job, that’s beautiful. How many of these have you built?”

“The order was for 267 plots to have a different house set up on a display so prospective buyers can see what and where they will be living. The cheapest one is selling for a million dollars in a rich neighbor hood. I’ve run off a few others as samples.

“Next week, Joe Graziola, the person who gave me the order, is taking me to the architectural gathering to view this project now that it is almost finished. He thinks they will point me to other design companies who could use something like this one. I’m positive I can get more orders like this. If I can, that would give me enough capitalization for another building such as this one when I expand.”

“Say, how are you and Henry getting along?”

“Okay. Sometimes I wish I was on hourly pay instead of being on salary. I can see how you have done so well after working for him for five years. I thought when I started my business I knew how to run it. You pointed out the faults I was making and Henry is teaching me the finer points. I’m hanging in there for awhile yet.” I laughed for I knew what it was like working for Henry.

I asked Sheila or Sherry to drive my returned vehicle home when on the their way by my house. “Can we stop and see your baby?”

“Sure, we love to show him off. When is your sister and brothers getting out of school this year?”

“June some time, why?”

“I’d like to talk to Steve about working for me eventually.”

“He would like that. Sherry and I hate living with our Uncle, so maybe we could find a place to rent and all live together again. With three paychecks we could swing it.”

“It’s something to think about. I’ll tell him.”

“Thanks, Sheila.”

It was a good thing that I didn’t have Becker at the house. Mary had come to visit. “Hi guys, I’m here to decide what I’m going to do about my two horses this year. The people who kept theirs here last year want me to do the same as always. I guess I’ll take my two up to the ranch. That will take them off your hands. Then Howard won’t have to take care of them.”

“I can do chores okay. I don’t really want Kitten doing them. I want her here with the baby rather than out in the barn.”

“If I take my two out of here, I can rent out the business to one of my friends who has always kept her horse here to ride. Would you two be okay with that?

Kitten with tears in her eyes, “Oh, I’m going to miss the two old pets. I was so looking forward for them staying. I can chat with the people who rode the other horses. But this is your business Aunt Mary. Of course this year I am married. Last year I was knocked up, and hopelessly lonely.”

“Kittery, I’ll think about this some more. It may be as long as six weeks before I decide. Now let me hold little William. Ron and I are talking about having a baby soon. It is all about if he wants to go into old age with a teenager.”

“Everyone says that it keeps a person young. I’m tickled that I have a child. Lorna didn’t want kids but she is happy when she suddenly has two of them.”

“Howard, I know, Lorna calls me about them. I’ve had more calls from her in the last few months than I’ve had in my whole life.” Kitten had handed the baby to Mary and she asked while looking at me “Is his nickname going to be Billy?”

“Yeah, anything that isn’t Howard I can live with. Especially not Howie or Peter.”

“Aunt Mary, we wanted William’s name to be common, simple, and not cute. We are the last ones to put on airs.”

“Billy is about as common as can be.” She paused, and then went on to a different subject. “I guess I can tell you that I’m pregnant. Ron will like it when it comes, I know he will. Another thing, Lorna may be as well. She wants me to be her matron of honor when she gets married. I couldn’t get her to admit it. Kittery, I’m here to ask you if you mind at all that it isn’t you who she asked to be her matron?”

“No Mary, of course I don’t mind. I would like to be invited to the wedding, but Howard isn’t too enthused. I think it will be okay for Billy to fly. I’ll check with the doctor. It’s going to be Memorial Day week end isn’t it?”

“Yes, how did you know?”

“Lorna said something to me one time, hoping that Howard wouldn’t mind her marrying Rod Peters.”

“Mary, I’m glad he is marrying her, with Peters losing his wife the way he did and him feeling guilty about jumping the fence the night Lorna and I married. Maybe they can go on and have a happy life together. Actually I feel more for the kids than I do for either one of them. Anyway, I’m getting along with her and I want to continue to do so.”

“So Howard, you are okay with the way you and Lorna finished up?”

“Yeah, I am. It couldn’t be better where everyone is ending with the one they love. Henry and Mable have their life sorted out and I guess they are happy. Kitten and I are certainly happy and we are who we were meant to be with. This has all happened in the last ten months. Your life has turned out well and you are happy with someone to love. Not only that, I struck it lucky finding a business that came together and is making money.

“I’m making enough so Kitten can stay home and care for Billy and we are putting some money aside to expand the business as early as next year. I’m thinking I want to double the size of what I have now and I hope to breaking ground next April. I may have to borrow to put up the building, which over all, may not be too expensive. I should have cash enough to stock it with machines and equipment and pay for it by a year from this June.”

“Why June of next year?”

Kitten didn’t give me a chance to answer, “That’s an anniversary of when the Consummation Baby was conceived last year. Believe it or not, that was a big deal that neither of us expected. Howard didn’t know it and I felt so badly for him being cheated on his wedding night?”

“It has been quite a year, hasn’t it, sweetheart?”

“It has, almost. Aunt Mary, we ought finalize something about us living here, in your house and on your land.”

“Why, I’m not using it and you are keeping the house up.

“You won’t be coming back?”

“No, I’m making my life on Ron’s dude ranch. I don’t really know what I am going to do with the land here. You do know, Howard, there is another house that goes with the land don’t you?”

“I didn’t, where is it located?”

“I should have told you about it before this, it sets back from the road just before you reach here. The entrance is brushed in so you don’t notice the driveway, and it can’t be seen from either the road or this house. Kittery says it is spooky sitting in the woods on the back side of my twenty acres. Two and half years ago I had three people living in it who helped out with the horses and riders. When winter cold weather arrived, they didn’t want to keep the road open during the winter and never came back last year. But then I had Kittery to help me with the business when she arrived.”

“Just what does your business entail.”

“You know the paddock for ten horses and with the two I kept for my old friends who you cared for this winter? I rented out the ten stalls and they were full for people who boarded their animals here. Mostly they exercised on the track. They brought and kept their own tack in that other building next to the hay barn. If you go straight towards the woods there is a trail they can ride on for several miles after a rider leaves my property. Owners would often come at day break with a food basket and be gone until late afternoon.”

“You didn’t tell me anything about this Kitten?”

“No, I guess I didn’t. Mostly because I was wrapped up being pregnant and after Mary hooked up with Ron, we were kind of wrapped up in ourselves or your new business. I didn’t think she would have horses here this year.”

“Kittery, I just am not sure what I am going to do. One of the horse riders would lease the property, but she is awful pushy and I don’t know as I want to get that much involved with her. Also I’m not sure she would get along with the other women.”

I observed that it would be better to steer clear of her. “What are the chores that need doing when the horses are here?”

“Feed and water the horses and muck them out. You have to take them out to water or bring it to them. Good weather they can be out in the paddock. I only have gentle riding horses, and I won’t have any that buck, kick, or bite. There is the Gymkhana field and there are going to be two horses training with riders this year. Kittery knows what this is all about when she got familiar with the horses. The same women have contacted me already. Howard, why don’t you walk around the place tomorrow morning with me? I’ll show you what I have here.”

“I’d like to. Kitten, can you and Billy go with us?”

“If it is warm enough he can. You have to carry him.”

“I can do that.”

************The Consummation Baby # 5************

The day did warm and walking through the woods to the house was great. The path was a little brushed in, but that was just from some overhanging branches which could easily be pruned back. We hadn’t gotten far when Ron called Mary on her cell. We continued walking while Mary stopped. It was a lengthy conversation and the house we were looking for was in view.