Cabot Purnell was in his car absently fiddling with the radio dial, waiting for the school bell to ring. First, there would be a slow trickle of kids, then the entire herd would come crashing through the double doors all at once in a flood of colors and sounds. Sarah would be in the hustling herd.
This was his daughter, Sarah’s, last week at St. Anthony’s. It had been a long painful year for both of them. Cancer stripped Sarah of her Mother and from Cabot, the love of his life.
That was sad, even soul-crushing, but this would now be the lowest point in their lives. From this day forward, everything will change for Cabot and Sarah —and for the entire world.
Last evening after dinner, Cabot got a memo informing him the entire Research and Development Department that he headed at TRIG Chemical was shut down and being dismantled immediately. The CEO closed by saying the entire R & D staff would be given a glowing endorsement and of course, a hefty severance package, which included health insurance ... Blah … Blah … Blah …
It had been a long, sleepless night. This morning, he paid the last of the hospital bills his insurance didn’t cover for Kelly’s cancer treatments. It nearly wiped out their bank account. What remained was just enough to cover rent and food until next payday, which now would be his last.
Later at the auto dealership, he mentally tallied everything his severance would have to cover. The salesman interrupted, by knocking on the car window. He had the paperwork ready for Cabot’s signature to cancel the lease on his car next week.
How had things gone so wrong so fast? He didn’t understand. What the hell am I actually facing?
No job
No car
Rent due.
No rent = no home
Bank account nearly depleted
Sarah back in public school
Only a year ago, he was a husband, father, Departmental Head with a six-figure income, stock options, a private school for Sarah, country club membership, two leased cars, and a rented high-end townhouse in the best part of town.
Why would TRIG shut down my department after yesterday’s progress report? I was open and honest. I focused on the tremendous volatility still attached to the project. It will need an additional six months at the very least to get it stabilized! It’s Goddamned dangerous —a freaking time bomb is safer!
Why did I ever sign that Non-Disclosure Confidentiality Agreement? They protected their ass, but they’ve left me with nothing I can do to protect mine.
Cabot had an appointment tomorrow with Jerry Graves. ‘Digger’ had been his attorney for years. Cabot decided he would lay it all out on the table. Then he had some questions.
1. Is there a way around the agreement? What can I expect if I go to the media?
2. Legally, can they dismantle the R & D Department? There was so much left undone and lives are hanging in the balance!
3. Whose ass will be on the line once the shit hits the fan —and it WILL!
There are critical issues with the project —it’s not safe. As head of R & D, Cabot had warned them time and again, and as of yesterday, they had no choice. If they were to stop it now, the government, the public, hell … the entire world will have to be warned about the volatility. It’s going to …
Well, this can’t wait! ‘Digger’ has no choice but to put me on his schedule. Today! The school bell hadn’t rung yet, so he auto dialed the number in his cell phone for ‘Digger’.
“Hello?”
“Nancy, it’s Cabot. I have to talk to ‘Digger’ now! It’s an emergency!”
“I’m sorry, Cabot, he’s been in a meeting with your CEO, VP and Department Heads all morning and they had lunch brought in, as well —-Cabot, why the hell aren’t you here?”
“Nancy, that’s one of the things I have to talk to Digger about! Now, right now!”
“Well, no matter. Cabot, they’re all still in there and they’ve asked me to cancel all appointments for the rest of the day.”
“Look, I’ll have him call you first thing in the morning …”
Published Poet/Writer/Author of 5 books.
Quora Top Writer 2018
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