Chapter 3

Needless to say Joel was in what would be described as a funk for the next couple of weeks. He was now looking for things to do on weekends with Deb moving to Southern California and no longer being available. One day he was surprised to receive a phone call which the caller ID indicated was from Steve Brandle.

“Hi Steve, how are things going?”

“Things are fine with me but getting right to the point you told me that you were a golfer right?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“Well I was wondering if you would like to fill out a foursome this Saturday at my club.”

“Sure, what time?”

Steve told him and there was some additional chit chat before the call ended.

On Saturday it was close to a two hour drive for Joel to go to Steve’s club. Joel didn’t mind doing the drive because it isn’t that often he has a chance to golf at a golf course rated in the top one hundred in the country.

Joel was a little early for the tee time and was on the putting green when he saw Steve along with his wife and another lady coming towards him.

Steve said, “Joel I am sure you remember my wife Valerie.”

“Of course I do, she is the one who interviewed me for the program.”

Steve continued, “And this is Taylor Lang, she is the head of the accounting department at the Wilkinsing foundation division that Val is the CEO.”

Joel shook hands with Taylor and liked what he saw. She was about his age, give or take and had a pretty face along with an attractive figure she was subtly advertising by the tight green pullover and white shorts she was wearing. The warm smile she gave him was something he would remember.

The round of golf at this challenging golf course was also something Joel would also remember. The grooming of the fairways and the greens was exceptional. He chuckled to himself when he saw a worker get on hands and knees to trim the grass around a sprinkler head. The required shot placement made course management a key in posting a good score. Joel thought it was a thinking man’s course because of its high risk reward design. He posted a score of eighty one which was five strokes better than Steve’s score. The two ladies scores were both around one hundred and ten.

After the round Steve treated for drinks and some snackies at the club. Joel asked Val how things were going with the program of providing medical care for the underserved areas.

Val said, “The saying of “These are exciting times” certainly applies to what is going on. The program is fully installed in California, Oregon and Washington. We are now looking to install the program in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Finding the Staff to install and keep the program current has been the biggest challenge. Finding PA’s and Doctors for the program while not that easy has not been that difficult. The incentive of having no college loan debt in return for a six year commitment and guaranteed employment is now attracting a number of applicants.”

“You have probably learned that besides treating patients there are a multitude of other things that need to be done for a PA to be effective. Steve told me about you enlisting the PTA for help and we are advising the accepted applicants to consider doing that along with some other ideas. We also have found that the teaching hospitals are the most receptive to being the home base for the PA’s. We anticipate in certain States we will only need one home base to handle all of the PA’s for that State.”

“As you realize that there are tests patients need to have done and our reports indicate they are required in forty seven percent of the patients our PA’s see. In some areas there are testing facilities that are readily available for the patients to go to which doesn’t present a problem. To handle the areas where facilities are not readily available we have currently issued contracts on having four thirty five foot motorhomes built to our specifications. Each motorhome will have the ability to do blood testing, x-raying and stress testing along with ultra sound. The Wilkinsing “Shoot the Satellite” device will enable these motorhomes to connect to the internet no matter where they are which is making this mobility possible. Test results are immediately posted to the patient’s records and sent to whoever ordered the tests as well as to the appropriate supervising Doctor to review them.”

Joel said, “The next thing you know is that they will be doing mobile CAT scans,” and laughed after saying it.

Val responded, “You say that facetiously but that is presently being studied about having a motorhome or maybe a tractor trailer unit that has a CAT as well as a MRI in it. Preliminarily reports indicate it is possible and we are considering doing it.”

“I would add that if this comes to fruition they would be assigned as the motorhomes are going to be to the home base hospitals that will do the technician staffing. The hospitals seem to think that alternating the technicians to do this staffing of these mobile units will be a good morale booster as it will break up their routine and give the tech’s time to see some of this great country in travelling to these outlying areas.”

“And one last thing before I get off my soapbox. I speak quite often with Troy Kane who is a Director of the Wilkinsing foundation and I tell him of what our experience is with the hospitals we are in contact with. Troy tells me that our home base hospitals will be receiving from the Wilkinsing foundation a substantial grant for them to setup and have an air ambulance service. That may indicate to other hospitals that there are benefits in dealing with the Wilkinsing foundation programs.”

Joel thanked Val for the update.

Steve and Val stood and said they need to be going as they had a commitment they needed to attend. Steve told Taylor and Joel to stay and have dinner on him.

After Steve and Val left Joel turned to Taylor and said, “I am sorry we were talking business but it is nice to hear what is going on. Since that now is over tell me a little about yourself.”

“There isn’t that much to say. I graduated UCLA with an accounting degree and passed the CPA exam. I went to work at the Wilkinsing foundation and when this specific division of the foundation became a reality Troy Kane recommended me to Val as someone who was familiar with the foundation’s accounting procedures. Actually it’s a nice promotion since this division is financially larger now than the original one.”

“How do you like the small town living?”

“I am still undecided on that although I have put a payment down on a penthouse condo in the new building that is under construction. They say they will it will be ready for occupancy in three months. Until then I am renting an apartment this side of the University hospital. The drive to work in the morning isn’t all that bad.”

“Do you want to take Steve up on his offer and have an early dinner here?”

“Sure why not.”

Joel had a pleasant dining experience with Taylor. She was a good conversationalist and an interesting person. What he liked about her besides her good looks was that she didn’t steer the conversation to herself and her opinions. She was giving Joel some looks that seemed to tell him that maybe more could develop between them. The time seemed to fly by.

As they were getting ready to leave Joel thanked her for being good company and asked if he could take her out to dinner next Saturday. He could see she momentarily thought about it but said that would be fine and wrote her address on the back of a business card she handed to Joel.

During the week Joel couldn’t help but think about Taylor. She certainly was attractive and had a nice figure as well as an engaging personality. Being a CPA and in her present position he thought would indicate that she was intelligent. The looks she had given him or he thought she had given him may indicate that he could develop a relationship with her.