Core Beliefs - Chapter 13 - A Tough Thanksgiving

Core Beliefs - Chapter 13 - A Tough Thanksgiving

It seemed everyone was winding down for the holiday. Joe called and asked Matt if he wanted to come for turkey, but Matt had already accepted an invitation from Charlotte.

Thanksgiving morning came. Charlotte encouraged Matt to come early.

Arriving a little after 10:00, Matt found the house bustling. Immediately, he embraced the energy and the fullness of life around him. Matt smiled wider, brighter.

The kids challenged him to play video games. Matt threw himself into dashing into mazes and fighting monsters on the screen. He found himself laughing until he was breathless. Jacob and Janet won easily; Matt figured the young ones were toying with him, and at times, they let him come close to capturing a game. His competitive spirit drove him to try time and again.

Charlotte busied herself in the kitchen, and from time to time, Matt heard pots banging and the mixer whirring. It sounded like three people were working to prepare the meal.

Chris trekked by a few times, carrying fine china and glasses as he set the table, including the good silver. Matt asked if he could help. Chris shook his head and grinned.

“Please win a game or two,” Chris pretended to whisper. “They crush me every time I play.”

Eventually, Chris rescued Matt from the kids. The two adjourned to Chris’s study, just chatting.

So, Chris, why aren’t you and the family celebrating with your families?

“My mom lives in Florida,” Chris said. “She remarried a few years after Dad passed. They celebrate Thanksgiving with his family there. We celebrate Christmas together. Charlotte’s family is in New York, and we all decided that too much was going on to drag the kids up there.”

"I’m sorry you’re missing this time with your family, Matt said.

“Matt, we are in the right place, with the right people,” Chris said. "Let's see if we can help put food on the table."

About noon, Charlotte said that all was ready, and everyone made their way to the dining room.

Turkey and all the trimmings flashed into Matt’s mind from thirteen years before. Marylyn had a knack with turkeys, and the smell and sights slammed him with memories and emotions that he hadn’t dealt with for a decade.

His chest clutched, sorrow’s gloom darkened his spirit. Matt leaned against the dining room doorpost, his knees weak, reminding himself he was a guest in a friend’s house and shouldn’t upset their holiday. A deep sadness smothered his soul.

Everyone else had taken a seat by the time he took his. There was no doubt the food was delicious, and the conversation was good, but a lingering melancholy dwelt in Matt’s mind. He was actually glad when he could say goodbye and go home.

It was only 3:30 when he retired to his bedroom and climbed into bed, still wearing his clothes. A sob burst from his chest, and no amount of self-imposed discipline quelled the pain erupting from Matt’s heart.

Even when Matt drifted off to sleep, bad dreams woke him. He wandered the house for minutes, thinking he’d heard voices, but ended up back in bed.

Friday morning, Matt still felt depressed, and finally forced himself to the deli for lunch. The cold outside air, bright sunlight, and food seemed to help, and by the end of the weekend, the darkness had receded.

By Monday, he was back to himself.

Matt got updates on the venture. Eldridge had installed a new steel door for the access portal, which allowed them to lock and secure the silo.

Wednesday was interesting in that Charlotte called and told Matt she had located a house that might meet the requirements he had specified. On Thursday, Matt heard from Chris that Eldridge had started on the elevator.

Over the weekend, Matt spoke with Joe, covering a wide range of topics, including the fact that Joe’s son, Doug, had completed the programming job he had been working on.

“Joe,” Matt asked. “Do you think Doug would be interested in some manual labor at the silo?”

“Let me check with him and get back to you,” Joe said.

Joe and Doug drove to St. Louis on Tuesday and met with Matt.

“So, we are greed?” Matt asked. “I’ll pay Doug $25,000 for a year’s work, with benefits, including room and board. Doug,” Matt addressed the young man, “you’ll be expected to put in however many hours needed to get the job done.”

It was with more than one hard swallow that Doug digested the terms. “I accepted,” Doug said.

Even Joe found the conditions that Matt had set surprising.

“Uncle Matt?” Doug asked. “Any chance I might get to see one of your facilities?”

The three loaded into Matt’s car and took a tour of multiple companies, starting with Lasticorp.

Everything they saw flabbergasted Joe and Doug.

Matt stopped to check with Lucy about outstanding items.

“How is Arty doing?” Matt asked.

“The scuttlebutt indicates you made the right decision.” Lucy grinned. “Morale has already risen.”

The next stop was Cor-Digital, and Matt introduced Doug to Chris.

“Thrilled to have you on board.” Chris vigorously shook Doug’s hand. “I was sweating about how I was going to get everything done.”

While a supervisor showed Joe and Doug a production line, Chris pulled Matt aside.

“The resume of Clarence Chambers,” Chris said.

Matt was confused until Chris mentioned miniaturization.

“The neuroimager,” Matt nodded.

He had asked Chris what he thought about Clarence being a potential asset for the neuroimager project.

“Clarence is very good at specific tasks and seems to be able to focus and stay on track; however, he is not superior at multitasking and managing others,” Chris said. “But when it comes to making things tiny, he’s brilliant.”

“I think he might be a good fit for the project. Send me his resume,” Matt said.

The only other facility the men could reach and still give Joe and Doug time to drive home was Myoplex. Again, Joe and Doug were amazed at what was being developed and produced.

Matt asked Melissa Kyle, the VP of Product Engineering, if she had talked with Marcus Corush. She had, and they had reviewed the very unusual specs he had for materials.

The Lehman clan left the facility.

“Uncle Matt, do you really own all these companies?” Doug asked.

“Not anymore,” Matt said. “The employees now have a share of the stock, and I think things are actually better because of it.”

Joe said as they drove to Matt's, "That young woman Charlotte recommended for the accounting is online and doing an excellent job." We established a PO Box and sent duplicate copies of statements and invoices to her, while I received the originals.

Joe asked Matt what he could tell Doug about the operation. Matt told Joe he could share everything about the facility with Doug, but nothing yet about the experiment.

Joe and Doug left for Kansas City, and Matt went to a restaurant for dinner.

Every day seemed to bring Matt new highs, particularly when Eldridge called on Thursday and told Matt he had the elevator working.

Charlotte also called and said their family was going to drive to Wichita on Friday to look for a house.

“Do you want to come along?” She asked.

After some consideration, Matt said he would pass. “I think you know what we need, and I trust you to make the right choices.”

It was a rare moment when Matt stepped back and relinquished control.