Hal capitulated with a sigh and a nod. He tried to recall what happened. All he remembered was entering the break room before things faded out of focus.
He felt much better on the drive to the hospital though he was still a little woozy. Once there, Gary worked on his Acer tablet in the hospital waiting area while the doctor examined him. Forty-five minutes later, they emerged from the back.
“Are you his boss?” the doctor said, a moderate trace of an Indian accent in his voice.
“Yes. Yes, I am. Is everything O.K.?”
“Well… no. Not exactly. Physically, Mr. Baker is not in too bad of shape. His cholesterol is a little high, but that's manageable by losing about ten pounds and having a healthier diet. My concern is his work schedule. He’s not getting the proper rest. He says he only sleeps three to four hours a night. I’m surprised he has functioned as long as he has.”
Gary nodded a slow acknowledgment.
“He passed out because of stress. His body can’t handle the long hours and little sleep. He needs time off to recuperate.”
Hal saw Gary nodding but caught his lips pursing. He wasn't fond of Hal not being able to work. Gary counted on him and he didn’t mind that. He took the position because he knew he could do it and he did. He performed well as the regional manager. It called for a lot of traveling, a lot of late nights slaving over store records and double checking figures. A lot of eating bad food because it was the only thing that wouldn’t impede his work. He held in there as long as possible. Seven years long but it had caught up to him.
“Minimum a week. Better if it were two. How you work it out is up to you.”
With that, the doctor shook hands, reminded Hal to fill his prescription, told him the date of his follow up appointment, and scurried off into the office.
The first five minutes driving back to work were in silence. Hal glanced over at Gary a few times to get a quick read on his face.
“Hal,” Gary said, “I’m sorry.”
A sinking feeling gripped Hal's stomach. Sentences that started with those two words always portended bad news.
“I’m sorry that I’ve been working you so hard. I never thought… I never thought something like this would happen. Never crossed my mind. Too wrapped up in business.”
Hal let out a small sigh of relief.
“Oh… don’t worry about it, Gary. I’ll be fine.”
“No,” Gary said, shaking his head. “It’s not O.K. You won't do me any good if you’re not able to function right. I don’t want the job to kill you. We've already lost Dana. I don't want to lose you as well.”
Hal didn’t argue. Dana Johansen's sudden death had taken everyone at the plant by surprise. Hal didn't know him that well. The few encounters he had were not impressive. The guy was full of himself. For Gary, it was hard on two fronts because he was friends with him. One of the few he had.1
Hal realized he had been burning the candle at both ends for too long. Overworked, or more accurate, worked over. He put on a good act and got the job done but he sensed it coming on for a while. Falling asleep at the wheel, existing on caffeine by the bucket loads—it was a miracle he lasted as long as he did.
Gary’s face transformed, grinning from ear to ear.
“I have an idea. I acquired this cottage in Meechum Forest in Pennsylvania. Dana shocked me by naming me the beneficiary in his will. Didn't believe it. Only been up there to check out the property. It’s fantastic. I could flip it without doing a thing and make a great profit. But I kept it out of respect.” He paused in reflective contemplation before continuing. “It’s secluded, near a river I hear has great bass, beautiful forest. Be a great place for you, Veronica, and the kids to get away. Be perfect.”
“Oh Gary, you don’t have to do that. Really, I’ll be fine with just a solid, good night’s sleep.”
Gary gave slow nods, not taking his eyes off the road.
“You realize I’m not asking you to do this, right?
“Yeah, I know.”
Part II - Are We There Yet?
The drive to the cottage was exhilarating, every other mile a scenic barrage of incessant green trees and rolling hills. Maples, oaks, birches, and aspens were the stars of the natural theater. The verdant foliage spread across the canvas of white clouds and blue sky creating a panorama of inherent beauty. More than once they pulled over to take pictures. The tranquility of it was infectious. Aside from the occasional bicker battle between his son and daughter, Sean and Donna, the trip started off well.
He had to admit it. The trip lifted a burden from him. It was only the first day and just the thought of not going to work and being with his family made him feel much better if not somewhat strange. He wasn't used to it. His mind wanted to think about what they would do at work while he was away but he forced those thoughts out of his head as soon as they came. His mind needed a rest as well which was the hard part. He’d forgotten what it was like since it had been twelve years since he had taken a vacation. One where he relaxed. The free time he had he spent around the house on projects that needed completion. There was never any actual relaxing for him. There was always something to do.
They had been on the road for four hours. The GPS navigator had been active for the last two miles, a woman’s electronic voice alerting them to their location.
“You have arrived.”
Hal pulled off to the side of the road. It stretched on in front and behind him,
