THE LIFE
Darius Powell
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011 Darius Powell
Just my luck, he thought, while talking silently to himself.  I’m promoted to General Manager of the Midwest Division for Sinclair, Chanty & Ross Real Estate Holdings (SCR), transferred to the home office, one step from full partner and I’m going to be late on my first day.  Great to be home again!  All Elliot Paaschen could do was smile reluctantly and listen to sports talk on his XM radio.  He’d forgotten how bad Chicago traffic could be and did not plan enough time for contingencies.
He conjured up the story he’d tell his new boss:  a Jay’s Potato Chips truck ran into a CTA Bus and the Dan Ryan shut down for 30 minutes.  He thought otherwise when he considered that his new boss, Morrison, was a smart cookie and not too thrilled about his promotion in the first place.  Elliot surmised that Morrison would be looking for any opportunity to discredit his existence, especially since Elliot was taking over Morrison’s old position.
Morrison Sinclair II was the President of the Company and the only son of the founder and largest shareholder, Morrison Sinclair, Sr.  He didn’t care at all for Elliot.  Most of this disdain was out of sure jealously.  The elder Morrison, commonly called Moe, celebrated Elliot as a model executive of the company due to his three years of double digit sales growth while leading the company’s Southeast Division.  This adulation drove the younger Morrison crazy.
Morrison Sinclair II thought that Elliot’s success was all hype and felt that it was easy to achieve excellent sales results in the Southeast United States due to the population increases in the region.  On the other hand, he didn’t feel that he received enough credit for the positive business results he had achieved in the Midwest amidst what he felt was a declining population base.
Elliot arrived at the SCR building on the corner of Wacker and Lasalle at nine thirty in the morning; a whole two hours late.  He took the elevator to the eighty-ninth floor and the door opened into the SCR suite.  After being greeted by the receptionist he was escorted to Morrison’s office.  
“By all means, please come in,” said Morrison.  Elliot walked into a lavish office replete with marble floors, mahogany walls and leather furnishings.  It was also dominated by many portraits of Morrison.  Edgar Rice, the firm’s CFO, and Morrison were seated at one end of the office.  
“Morrison, how are you doing?  You should’ve seen the traffic on the Dan Ryan, it was horrendous!”
“I’ll bet it was...Whatever the case, you’re still late!  Not a great way to validate your promotion, hey?”
“It won’t happen again.  You can trust me,” said Elliot.  
Morrison gave Elliot a disapproving look and pointed his finger.  “It had better not!  Edgar will take you to your office and brief you on Project Omega.”  As Elliot and Edgar were leaving the office, Morrison made a sarcastic remark.  “Oh, Elliot, this is your big shot.  Don’t disappoint me.”
After showing Elliot to his office, Edgar handed him the files for Project Omega without giving much information.  I guess I’m not going to get much help on this one, Elliot thought.  He quickly familiarized himself with his new office surroundings and decided to get his staff together.  He picked up the phone to call his assistant, Sue Chesnut.  “Sue, I need to see you and Ned Chanty right away.  We need to talk about the Omega Project.”
“I’ll be with you in a second Mr. Paaschen; I have something to do for Mr. Sinclair.”  
“That’s fine, Sue.  Ned and I will start and you can join us when you’re finished.”  Elliot next called Ned.
“Welcome to the Chicago office Elliot.  I can’t come over right now; I’m working on some special projects for Morrison.”
Elliot found it interesting that although Sue and Ned were his direct reports they were both doing things for Morrison at a time when Elliot needed all the help in the world to get the Omega Project finished.  He waited in his office for another 30 minutes and then he had had enough.  Elliot garnered some nerve and waltzed towards Morrison’s office.
As he was approaching he saw two people, a man and a woman, both who he assumed were Sue and Ned in Morrison’s office shooting the breeze.  I thought they were handling emergencies for him, Elliot thought to himself.
He pounded on Morrison’s door.
“Come in Elliot,” said Morrison.  Elliot slowly opened the door but did not enter the office.  He decided to stand in the doorway.  “I need to speak with Sue and Ned.  We’ve got a lot to discuss about this Omega Project.”
“Sue, and Ned, I’ll get right back with you.  Mr. Paaschen and I need to have a conversation.  Elliot, please come in and have a seat.”  Morrison led Sue and Ned out of the office and slammed the door as he turned back towards Elliot.  “You have a lot to learn about the power structure in the office mister!  Don’t you ever interrupt one of my meetings ever again.”
Elliot, shocked by this outburst, replied.  “Morrison, I’m not trying to usurp any of your authority.  I was just trying to get my team together to get started on the Omega Project.”
Morrison began to laugh.  “What do you mean your team?  Everyone here, including you, works for me.  I’ll do whatever, whenever, and with whoever I want.  Do you understand?”
Elliot wasn’t a dog but if he were he’d have his tail between his legs by now.  Quietly he responded to Morrison.  “I understand Morrison.  I won’t interrupt your meetings anymore.”  Elliot left the office with a new sense of purpose.  He had no doubts that he would succeed with his assigned duties, but was uncertain that he and Morrison could ever co-exist for any length of time.
The Omega Project was not new.  It was a three-year strategic initiative that the company had put in place for complete gentrification of the major Midwest US cities:  Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Detroit, and others.  Elliot’s primary purpose was to lead this project, now in year three, to closure.  Chicago was the lone remaining city and SCR had a lot of competition.  This made the timing of Elliot’s work crucial.
When Elliot returned to his office the big confrontation with Morrison started to make sense.  Sue was Morrison’s mother-in-law, and Ned was Peter Chanty’s son.  Elliot figured that these two were pretty much set and didn’t have to lift a finger to stay employed.  He was mad at himself because he felt he should’ve figured the family ties out from the start.  In the end however, he knew that his future, as usual, depended on his performance and as long as he continued to bring in sales for Moe, he’d be fine regardless of his poor relationship with Morrison.    
Elliot spent the rest of the day and the better part of the night reviewing all of the Omega files and researched all of the completed deals from the other cities. 
He was quick to note that Morrison was craftier than he’d estimated.  He discovered that Morrison had used his family’s connections to leverage privileged information and muscle local politicians.  Although he made short term profits for the company, the unsavory deals were not in the best interests of SCR long term.  Elliot was tired after the long day of work and longer day of office drama.  He decided to leave at a quarter after midnight.  
The next day, he toured the downtown area, spending most of his time between Grand Avenue and Randolph Street.  Elliot was adept at spotting great deals and really specialized in older buildings.  The building that he figured was ripe for the picking housed, unbeknownst to him, the 
Chicago Cooperative for Underprivileged Youth.  Its prime location made it worth more than all of the previous Project Omega properties combined.
As he was standing outside of the massive twenty story building, circa 1910, a voice spoke to him from behind.  “Elliot, is that you?  When did you get back in town?”
Elliot turned around and smiled.  It was his childhood friend Larry Sans.  “Larry, how are you doing, bud?  I haven’t seen you in five years.”
“I know, Elliot.  You left Chicago and never came back.”
Elliot and Larry grew up in the same south-side neighborhood and were roommates at Northwestern University.  
“Have you called Sharon?” said Larry.
“We’re not on talking terms.  Our thing didn’t end well.  She wanted to stay in Chicago and I wanted to focus on my career.  It worked out best for both of us.  How is she?”
“She’s fine.  You should give her a call.”
“I’ll give it some time; I just got back in town.”
“Well, let’s go inside.  Great to see you man.  We can talk about family later tonight over some beers.”
They entered the building and went into Larry’s office.  Elliot was amazed by its good condition and nostalgic architecture.
“You work here Larry?”
“Yeah, I started right after you left town.  I’m the executive director for the center.  This old building is the last recreational facility for kids in this area.  The other buildings around here have either been razed or converted into condos.  I’ll tell you what; those development companies are killing the character and history of this neighborhood for a quick buck.  I hope you’re not working for one of them anymore.
Reluctantly Elliot had to answer his dear friend.  “I still work for SCR.  I’m the GM for the Midwest Division.”
“Oh,” said Larry.  “I should have guessed.  You’re still trying to rule the world.”
“Larry, let’s not argue about this.  SCR is not who I am.  There’s got to be other places like this for the kids.”
“I wish there was buddy.  Remember what I always used to tell you; it’s not how much you make in life but how much you give back!”
A pretty little girl ran into the office.  “Mr. Sans, it’s time for you to read to us,” she said.
“Okay Vanessa, I’m coming right now.”
“Hi little girl,” said Elliot.  The little girl waved to Elliot and gave him a smile.  “Larry, she’s a cutie.”
“Are you coming to read with us too mister?”  Vanessa asked Elliot.
Elliot hesitated for a moment then relented.  “Larry, if it’s okay with you, I’d love to come.”
As they were walking to the reading room, Elliot said to Larry, “this Vanessa is extremely mature for her age.”
“Yeah, Vanessa is one of our brightest.  She gets it from her mother.”
Elliot said, “Her mother must be an extraordinary person, although I can’t understand why Vanessa is at the center.  What does her mom do?”
“Her mother is a professor at UIC.  She’s a single mom and cares for her ailing parents.  This center serves as an affordable and convenient childcare option.”
“That’s too bad.  I wish I could help,” said Elliot.
“Sharon would love for you to step up to the plate, Elliot.”
Elliot stopped walking and went into a daze.  When he came out of it he said, “Don’t joke with me Larry!”
“I’m not joking.  I used to be your best friend.  I wouldn’t joke about something like that.  Vanessa is your daughter.  She’s just about to turn five years old.”
“Sharon never said anything about this.”
Larry continued, “You know Sharon; strong willed, independent, proud.  She wanted to do it all on her own.  Everything was fine until her parents became ill and she had to start taking care of them.”
Elliot stared at Vanessa’s cute face and thought about all of the time he’d spent chasing what he considered to be the life and it was here in Chicago all along.
“Elliot, I have to read to the kids.  Are you still going to stay?” said Larry.
“Not today bud, but I promise I’ll be back tomorrow.”  
“Sure thing Elliot, I’ll see you tomorrow for lunch.”
Elliot had an attack of conscience.  It was clear that he had to become part of his daughter’s life, but how could he do this effectively while still fighting up the corporate ladder in an unhealthy environment.  He spent the next two hours walking around downtown and even drove over to Grant Park.  I can’t do both.  To excel at one, I’ll have to lose the other, he thought.
He returned to the SCR building at four o’clock.  All of the offices were beginning to clear out except for Morrison’s.  Elliot didn’t have a chance to get one foot in his office before he heard Morrison yelling for him.  “Elliot, get in here right now!  Who in the hell do you think you are skipping a day at work without telling anyone?”
“I didn’t skip the day Morrison.  I worked until midnight yesterday and spent today checking out properties.”
“Likely excuse big shot.  You’re suspended for a week and if this happens again I’ll fire you.”
“Do whatever you want Morrison, I quit!”
Morrison for the first time looked like he was at a loss for words.  Elliot promptly walked away from him and headed for the door.  “I’ll pick up the rest of my personal belongings tomorrow,” said Elliot.
“You can’t quit,” said Morrison.  “What will I tell my dad?”
“That’s between the two of you.  You’re crafty; you’ll think of something.”
The next day Elliot sent a courier to the SCR building to recover his personal items and met Larry for lunch.
“How much money would it take to make this center independent Larry?”
“About a half a million,” said Larry.
Elliot smiled at Larry.  “What do you say that we keep the childcare portion as is, but convert the unused portions into office space and condos?”
“Sounds okay to me Elliot; how will we do that?” Larry asked.
“I’ve earned enough money and have invested well.  I can use some of my own money and gather some investors to buy the building outright.  After that, we’ll get creative and keep this place open for the next generation.
“It was Vanessa wasn’t it?” said Larry.
“Sure was.  Seeing her face made all of the difference in the world.  Do you have Sharon’s phone number?”