Stan and Dad

Stan and Dad

Stan knocked on the heavy oak door.

“Come.”

Stan turned the handle and pushed the door open.

His dad was seated at his desk in the large office. Stan glanced around the room. There was so much dark wood, it made the room seem smaller that it actually was. The green and gold bankers lamp sitting on the corner of the massive desk cast a gentle light which didn’t illuminate the corners of the room. The office felt like a cavern.

Preston Parker raised his eyes from the file he was studying and his gaze softened for just a moment. Then quick, as if it had never changed, he was all business again.

“Dad. How’s it going? You wanted to see me?”

“Yeah, I do” His dad tossed the file aside and stood up. He walked around the huge mahogany desk. Gestured for Stan to sit in one of the armchairs seated near a coffee table that was set to the side of the office, and settled himself into the armchair across from it. Stan knew that this was a technique his dad used when he wanted to appear non-threatening. He and Dad on the same team. No obstacles between them.

“We need to talk.”

Stan crossed the office and let himself drop into the armchair across from his dad.

“Something wrong, Dad?”

“Well, yes, as a matter of fact. And I need you to help me out of a jam.”

“Me!?“ In all 30 years of his life, Stan had never been asked to help his dad with anything. It was always Dad doing for him, and everyone else.

“Just listen and then think about this before you object.”

Stan leaned forward. His elbows on his knees, looking into his dad’s face. This must be serious. Dad had never asked anyone for help as far as Stan knew.

“About 15 years ago, I made some investments One of the organizations I invested in, was a retirement home out in Pennsylvania. Sunny Acres. It was doing well at that time without any attention from me. But now the business is failing, and it has been in the red for the past three years. I’ve used it as a write-off. Recently, the director of the home retired, leaving the organization with no one at the helm. My choices are this. Close it down, or find someone else to direct the business. If I close it down, there will be 50 people that lose their jobs. Also, all the residents will have to be shipped out to other homes. I don’t know if you can imagine, but this would be extremely stressful for these older folks. I’d rather not do that. I’d rather put someone else in the position to run the organization. I feel it can be a profitable enterprise again. I’ve outlined the steps that need to be taken.”

He reached for the file on his desk, then flipped it over to Stan.

“I’d like you to take the position.”

Stan caught the file in mid air. “You can’t be serious!”

“As a third heart attack.”

“Dad, I don’t know a thing about running an organization!”

“I know that, son. You can learn .”

“But this? I don’t see how you can even think I could handle this.”

“Stan, I’m not casting you out all on your own. I’ll be giving you direction and everything you need to make any and all changes you feel are necessary to make this project viable. I’ll work with you and together we can do it . We can keep these people employed and keep these residents in their familiar surroundings.”

“I don’t want to do this.” Stan said.

“You don’t have much choice.”

Stan’s mouth gaped open. “No, Dad. Not like this, please.”

“You’ve passed the time when you should be making something of yourself. I’ve been patient and waited, thinking you’d pick it up on your own. But you haven’t. You’ve taken an interest in nothing. You can’t play your entire life, my boy. You need to work at something. I’m giving you all that you need to make this project successful and I’ll work with you. I’ll show you everything I know, but you have to put in some effort. You need to see how you can change things and make a difference. I know it’s in you.”

“Just like that? You expect me to just drop into the directors seat and make this business take off? I wouldn’t know how to start! I mean, I could head some more of your committee’s on funding or marketing, like I’ve done before, if you don’t think I’ve been working enough. But not this. This is too much, dad.”

“Stan, you know as well as I do, those committee jobs weren’t real jobs. This would be a real opportunity for you to get your hands dirty and really work. You can do this. It’s all there in the file. General Business 101. You’ve had all the classes. Something had to sink in.”

Stan flipped through the file. It might as well have been written in a different language. He had no understanding. “I can’t do this.”

“Oh, I think you can. And I think you will. There’s five hundred bucks left in your account. There will be no more, except for a small salary as director of Sunny Acres. Bonuses when the profits start showing up. There’s a table in the file to show you how the bonuses will be paid out. You can either learn to live on your salary, or you can dig in and make some serious bonus money. In the meantime, there’s a suite of rooms in the home for you to live in, rent free. You can take your meals in the home’s cafeteria. Spend that last five hundred wisely. Sunny Acres is expecting their new director on Monday. Today is Wednesday. I’d say you have some planning to do.”

Preston stood up signaling that the meeting had come to an end.

“Dad, wait, let’s talk about this.”

“Son, there‘s nothing else to talk about, and I’m pretty sure you understand what I‘ve said so far. Take the file home. Give it some serious consideration. We can talk tonight. But I mean what I say. No more playtime, Stan. Time to get to work.” Preston walked over to his desk and settled himself in his leather chair. He looked at Stan as if to ask, “What are you still doing here?”

Stan stood up. He felt dizzy. He hung onto the arm of the chair for a minute, then turned and started walking out of the room in a daze. The file was under his arm. He reached the door and put his hand on the knob, then looked back at his dad for a moment, confusion spread on his even features.

“You have no idea what you‘ve done.” Stan said. He opened the door and walked out of the office.

Preston sighed. Spun his chair around to look out at the view from his office. He knew what he was doing. This was practically a do it yourselfer. The home had once made some serious profits, until the past director had become ill three years ago. Preston hadn’t worried too much about the drop in profits. He used the loss to his advantage. But the time for the use of the losses was gone, and it was either close up the home, or make it financially healthy again.. He wanted to make it work. He had been serious about keeping the employees and the residents where they were. At the same time, it would be a good exercise to show Stan what working was all about. He had no doubt that with a little care and some fresh ideas, that Sunny Acres would be back in the black in no time at all. If he could show Stan how it felt to accomplish something that made a difference, perhaps the young man would begin to throw off the toys of childhood, and take pride in something worthwhile. Preston had all the faith in the world in his only son. He also had the means to provide Stan with the learning opportunity. Stan would learn. Preston would see to it that he did.