Epilogue

Cliff and Sandy returned from their honeymoon just in time to go down to Hilton Head for the Southern Auto Parts meeting. It was planned as a three-day affair. The first day was devoted to meetings on elements of store operations while the second day began with JL explaining the new corporate structure of Southern Auto Parts. The general meeting was followed by individual meetings to review the business implications of the local subsidiary structure and indicate specific steps for each unit and its manager to take.

The big dinner was scheduled for that second evening. A whole contingent of people came down from Milwaukee including Bill and Janet Stevens, who, along with Kelly and Kevin O'Rourke, had been married in the meantime. Jane and Steve Muller completed the contingent along with Sandy and Cliff Fitzpatrick.

Before their wedding Cliff teased Sandy about all the time she was spending on arrangements for the convention with JL. She replied that since she was no longer working her fingers to the bone as his secretary, all she had to do was watch the cash management wheels turn. "Besides, Cliff," she concluded, "you warned me months ago of the temptation to over-engineer a good cash management system. This keeps me out of trouble."

When they went in for dinner, Cliff — who had now been filled in on Sandy's plans — and Sandy were wearing their Milwaukee coats. When they returned from their honeymoon, there were two brand-new ones. The lettering on the breast now read S FITZPATRICK and C FITZPATRICK.

Dinner was served early, with JL mumbling something to his people that the bar would be open afterwards. "There's something about clearing the room or something," he said.

When the people entered the hall there were assigned seats and tables. The seating was by state, with an appropriate state flag in the middle of each group. All were states of the Confederacy. During dinner, a glee club from a South Carolina college sang songs of the South from the Civil War period. At the end of dinner, JL introduced Sandy as the featured speaker.

"Gentlemen," he concluded, "it gives me great pride and pleasure to introduce to you a true daughter of the Confederacy. Her great-great granddad fought with Stonewall Jackson and was wounded at Chancellorsville where General Jackson was killed. Gentlemen, the Chairman of the Board of Murphy Manufacturing Company, the owner and our boss, the Chairman of Southern Auto Parts, Sandy Fitzpatrick!"

The men in the room stood instantly and cheered their boss. The applause reverberated from the ceiling while she waved to the crowd. When they quieted and were seated again, she began her speech. She thanked them for the brilliant performance of the previous six months. Sales were almost triple the best full year the company had ever had. She talked about the reasons for the new organization, and how it was thought that additional motivation would make things better still.

Cliff was amused because, in addition to wearing her plant coat, Sandy had her auburn hair up in a bun and was wearing horn-rimmed glasses that he knew had clear lenses. She didn't wear glasses.

As she got to the end of her speech, she commented on her attire. "In Milwaukee, everyone in the plant recognizes me in this coat. It's like the one everyone else in the plant wears. It's come to my attention, though, that I'm recognized somewhat differently down here."

With that, she stepped out from behind the podium, took off the glasses and the lab coat and yanked out a pin that had been holding up her hair. Her auburn hair flowed free and she was standing there, tanned from her honeymoon, wearing her now-famous white bikini. There was a stunned silence in the room for a few moments and then a thunderous roar. The men were standing on their chairs cheering. Sandy stood with her arms up, waving for quiet. Finally, the group quieted down.

She turned to JL who had been leading the cheers and who was now grinning broadly. "JL, you were right. They do recognize me quicker this way!" Again there were cheers from the floor. "Guys, I have something for each of you.

At that point, large envelopes were delivered to each table. There was an envelope for each person. Inside was a new pin-up picture of Sandy with a personalized inscription to the man and his store.