The Day I Fooled Death – Part 1

Richard Dexter was uncomfortable in his, rarely worn, business suit. He normally wore jeans and t-shirts to work. He was nervously glancing at himself in the rear view mirror of his beat-up car, as he was driving into town. It had all started last week when Frederick S. McNamara, the chairman of the large R&D conglomerate for which Richard worked, passed away in the middle of a board meeting. He had suffered a massive coronary, while arguing the faith of a new research project with his old friend, Kenneth Price.

Richard remembered the old man fondly, especially his gentle patriarchal management style. In an field that was as cutthroat as Research & Development, it was a joy to work for F.S. McNamara Enterprises.  When Richard had found himself unable to cope with the hectic pace and the politics of a competing firm, the old man had taken him under his wing. He had nurtured the shy young man’s talents until they bloomed and gave him confidence. Richard was now a senior systems analyst in charge of his own department. The easygoing attitude of the company style suited him perfectly. When he had heard of his mentor’s demise, Richard had been overcome by grief. It was as if his world had collapsed. The normalcy of his office life had been maintained by the presence of Mr. McNamara. Now that he was gone, Richard was afraid that the influence of Kenneth Price would be felt. The man was a brilliant scientist, but his style of management was very antagonistic. His aggressive behaviour had always been curtailed by his admiration of Frederick McNamara’s work. Richard had not only lost a close friend. His office life would also be changed by this lost. And since he only lived for his work, it was devastating to him.

Soon after McNamara’s death, rumours of massive cut-backs were heard around the office. Some projects, including Richard’s own, were supposedly slated for the trash bin. Richard never put to much faith on such rumours, but he had frequently been at the receiving end of Price’s wrath. He now feared for his job. His anxiety was heightened because he had been convoked to the reading of Frederick McNamara’s will. This explained his unusual attire and his trip to the city. The old man had been his mentor, but it did not explain his convocation. He definitively did not belong there. Kenneth Price would surely be left in charge of the company, and he did not want to be there to see the reins passed to their new owner.

As he approached the tall mirrored tower, housing the law firm in charge of Frederick McNamara’s estate, Richard’s stomach started to knot. The loud rumbling and ache added to his discomfort. Has he looked up at the towering buildings he felt crushed by their weight. He drove into the underground parking. The attendant passed a few unkind remarks about his car, while handing him his ticket. Richard did not take notice of them, as he was too self absorbed.

On the way up the elevator Richard tried, without too much success, to regain his composure. As he exited the lift he came face to face with Kathleen McNamara, Frederick’s grieving daughter. She was a stunning looking young woman with a full head of auburn hair and delicately chiselled features. She looked a little peaked in her neat black business dress-suit. She gave him a tight, drawn smile. Richard had always been infatuated with her, but he never had been able to ask her out. His shyness and the fact that she was his boss’s daughter had prevented him to do so. This was a constant subject of gossip around the office that she had occasionally joined in good humour. As he approached her, she reached for him, gave him a tight hug and rested her cheek on his shoulder. This was one his dreams come true, but he was too dumbfounded too react. He just stood there feeling like an idiot. They were both brought out of their reverie by an abrupt, authoritative cough. Kenneth Price was standing in the open doorway of an office, looking at them with contempt. Kathleen moved away sharply from him, looking flustered and giving him a shy, confused smile. They both walked toward the lawyer’s office under the reproachful glare of Mr. Price’s eyes. Without any reasons Richard mumbled some kind of apology under his breath, when he passed the man.

The conference room in which they were ushered had a feeling of traditional solid values to it. It was panelled in dark wood and a long, massive table stood in its centre. The walls were adorned with paintings of elder, long deceased partners, who looked down with scorn and contempt at the assembly. At the head of the table stood Vernon McDuff, the genial senior partner of the firm. Richard had met him only once, when his employment contract, and what was expected of him had been explained. He had taken an instant liking to the man. Today, in different circumstances, he felt somewhat overwhelmed by the man. He felt completely out of place in this meeting of senior corporate executives, in their neat business suit. They all looked at him wondering about the same thing. Richard wished that he could at least look the part, but his rumpled ill-fitting suit prevented him to do so.

Sensing his embarrassment Mr. McDuff greeted him warmly: “Dear Richard, come this way. I know that you are wondering why you are here. It will soon be explained to you. For now, just be assured that it was under our dear departed friend’s direction. You know that he looked at you as he would have a son.”

He pointed toward and empty chair beside Kathleen’s, and said, “Please sit down beside the lovely Kathleen, and we will start as soon as everybody is seated.” He turned toward the assembly, and said in a louder voice, “Would you please be seated, so that we can get this meeting under way.”

As soon as everybody were seated, McDuff continued. “I will first play you a short videotape recorded by Frederick shortly before his untimely death. The I will read you the details of the will, in respect to the Company.” He turned toward a VCR sitting on top of a TV monitor that stood on a narrow table set against the wall. He pressed a key on a remote control sitting by his yellow notepad.

The patriarchal face of Frederick McNamara appeared on the screen. As usual he was without a necktie and his shirt sleeves were rolled up. He was looking straight into the camera. A quick smile crossed his wrinkled features. He said in a throaty voice that was uncharacteristic of him. “I am sorry about the emotion in my voice, but it his not everyday that you can speak after your death. I hope that I will not make a habit out of it. You all know that I am, sorry, was proud to have owned and directed one of the few large R & D companies that is independent and family owned. I only had to answer to myself in company policy. Due to this fact, my last wishes are that the Company continue in this mould. To accomplish this, the new President and CEO will be my daughter Kathleen.”

A look of astonishment came to Kathleen’s face, while a low growl escaped from Kenneth Price’s tightly pressed lips. His face was quickly turning brick red. The recording continued undisturbed.

“Before my good friend Kenneth storms out of the room in anger, let me explain.” This seemed to somewhat calm Price’s anger. “I want you to continue in your position of trusted advisor and vice-president of the company. A portion of the Company’s shares will be transferred to you as will later be explained in details by Vernon. Ken, I know that you wished to be in charge, but I think that the company should still remain in the family. If later Kathleen wishes to pass the controls to you she can do so, but she will have to wait for a period of 5 years from the day of my death to do it. In the meantime she will have to assume the day to day running of the company. Kathleen, I know that you will do me proud.” A long sigh escaped from Kathleen’s lips as she looked fondly at the image of her father. Meanwhile the recording continue.

“Dear Richard, I know that you are wondering about what you are doing in here with all these stuffed shirts.” A nervous giggle escaped from the assembly. “I have looked at your progress in the company and I feel that it is time that you should take more responsibilities. I know that you will not like it at first, but you will thank me for it in the future. You are now promoted to vice-president for data processing. I know that I will be as proud of you as of my own daughter…”

With these last words, Richard’s mind seemed to blank to the outside world. He barely remembered the remainder of the tape and the formal reading of the last will and testament that followed. His mind was overwhelmed by the fear of the responsibilities that would be trust upon him in the days to come. He left the conference room in a daze and much later, near the end of the day, he ended up back at the office without knowing why he was there.

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From 7/2006: The Day I Fooled Death

The Sass