Chapter 32

Saturday Dad slept in, and I fixed us a nice big breakfast of fried eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, and sausage. It was a snap. The bad joke made me smile.

I pulled Dad’s half out of the oven and set it in front of him, wondering what I was going to do with all these nice seasoned cast iron pans I was collecting. It was a delicious breakfast combination.

I gave him a glass of freshly squeezed OJ, the product of squeezing 15 different oranges until finding the perfect one from the pile of oranges in my photo from the grocery store. Five perfect juicing oranges was just enough to create a single 15oz glass of OJ. Fortunately I took a photo of the finished cup, so I wouldn’t have to do that again.

“Thanks for letting me sleep in.”

“If you don’t rest, this schedule is going to leave you tired and susceptible to illness,” I warned him.

“It’s ridiculous, the schedule, job and equipment requires at least seven people to cover it, and we are doing it with four. The boss promised new people after the new year.”

“Will there be more shuffling over the holidays, or is the schedule set now?”

“It’s set, if we adjust it anymore people are going to be working way too many hours. As it is we are all working three doubles a week. I’m just glad that the night shift guy only wants the night shift. He’s willing to work 7 days straight instead of doubles just so the rest of us don’t end up going crazy trying to fill in for him two days a week.”

“Have you considered complaining? Hiring new people has to be cheaper than paying overtime.”

“Who would I complain to? It’s not like I can call my congressman, the prison is run by a big company that has the State contract.”

“Could you send an email to your bosses boss?” I asked.

“He doesn’t even work in this State, I think he’s out of the Michigan office, and I have no contact information for him.”

“What about going to the guy who lives across the street? Isn’t he second or third in command over there?”

“That’s for the guards, there’s a firewall between facilities and guard workers, they are in completely different chains of command. That’s why my bosses boss isn’t even in State.”

“I’ll see if I can’t find an email address for you. What’s happening seems very wrong.”

“That might help, so new subject,” Dad said, “I’ve been thinking that I can rely on you, and give you a list of projects to complete on your own. If you need assistance you’ll just have to wait for a day off, like today.”

“Cool, I’ve been trying to figure out the logistics of everything. I think I’ll work better with a list.”

“For the items that will require a contractor, we can schedule those for Fridays, when I’m here,” he concluded.

We spent the next hour planning out the list of things we wanted to get done, from clearing the garage of boxes, to putting down an epoxy floor in the basement, and running wiring to the attic.

“This is the newest secret room I’ve found,” I told Dad later that afternoon.

I triggered the discussed wall switch, and the door opened inward. I handed him the flashlight, but held the door open while he went in first. He examined everything, even spotting the button on the floor. He used it, but nothing happened. I had discovered that the button only worked if the door I was holding open was fully closed.

“This might be a good place to relocate the electrical services to, or at least install a second panel to bring additional power up to the second floor, and the attic.”

“Do you think we should take out the secret room, or leave it in place?”

“I don’t know,” Dad replied, “I’m still trying to figure out what long term plans I want to make for the building.”

“Well we have the list, so I can get to work. There’s nothing I need your help with, unless you want to help me mow the yard?”

“I’m thinking of taking a nap, then maybe see how heavily painted that attic window is. I’d really like to see what the view is like from up there.”

“Great, It’s the 11th, so everything’s closed. I’m going to go mow, unless you think it’ll be too loud for a nap?”

“It should be fine,” he said, and wandered upstairs looking very tired.

I got the mower out, wishing that the yard was fenced high enough that I could use a Mr Meeseeks for mowing. As I finished the front yard, I noticed that Mr Tallman was standing by the fence watching me.

I stopped the mower, and walked over to say hi, “Good afternoon Mr Tallman, very warm today isn’t it?”

“You are doing a good job keeping the grass down, boy. Old man Peterson let it go after he lost his arm. The county only mowed once a month when they owned it.”

“It’s a big yard, I’m about to go and do the back, where I’ll have some shade.”

“Used to be some nice fruit trees back there. Cherry, plum, lemon, lime. County cut them all down instead of pruning them like they needed.”

“I had noticed the stumps, that’s a real shame. I was wondering what they were. I’m planning on a greenhouse back behind them, I’m missing my fresh tomatoes this summer.”

“Didn’t realize you were a gardener,” he said with surprise.