Back to Bristol Ch. 08

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GaryAPB
GaryAPB
858 Followers

"I think I'll get my coffee while I think about that." And she went off to her desk, only to return a couple of minutes later with her big desk diary and a cup of coffee.

"And?" I asked.

"I can think of two possible explanations. You said your marriage broke up because she had an affair with Peter Davies, right?"

I nodded.

"Well then, perhaps she's very sensitive about that. She feels guilty that she allowed the affair to get physical before she'd said anything to you. Some people would say that if a marriage gets to the end of the road for whatever reason, then it should be broken up before you start getting too close to someone else. And you saying you were a good boy only emphasises that she wasn't a good girl."

"Pretty unrealistic in this day and age, don't you think? People jump into bed because they met and fancied each other over lunch these days. Pretty unlikely that she'd build an important meaningful relationship with someone, but not have sex whilst she goes through the divorce process. OK, what's your other idea?"

"That Peter Davies is a ladies man. Their marriage is on the rocks, maybe partly because of his having other interests, maybe several other interests over the years. So it's pretty upsetting to be reminded that husband number one was a darned sight better husband than the one you swapped him for. Peter Davies had quite a reputation before they were married, maybe marriage just made him a little more discreet."

I thought about that, it was certainly something I hadn't thought of. "But he says he loves her."

Carole smiled, "He wouldn't be the first husband who swears he loves and adores his wife, and that what he does in the afternoon with someone else's wife is nothing to do with his love or his marriage, it's just sex. And sometimes those men are also extremely jealous of their wives having any sort of relationship with any other man, including ex-husbands who suddenly turn up out of the blue."

I followed her train of thought, "And that jealousy probably stems from them knowing there are other men out there who behave like they do, they judge all men by their own standards." I smiled, "You may have hit on something."

I sat pondering her idea, and the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. Eventually, I dragged myself back to work, "What's the diary for?"

"To tell you that starting in about five minutes, you have an action packed day. Second to remind you that you must be on the 12:00 train tomorrow if you are going to make the two thirty meeting tomorrow afternoon. Third, to tell you that you thought you were having dinner with Stephen Parkinson tomorrow night. Well you're not. He's cried off for some undisclosed reason, Pamela sent me an email. Fourth, to remind you that the last sensible train back to Bristol on Thursday, after your dinner at the Savoy, is 22:15, and the very last train is the 23:30. Be on one of those. Anything you want me to arrange for Wednesday evening?"

"No. I'll probably just take the opportunity to go for a drink with someone at Head Office and catch up on a bit of gossip. My hotel booked, by the way?"

"Of course."

"OK, Could you do me a big favour when I'm out of the office this week?"

"If I can. What?"

"I'm running out of company lease on my flat. Can you contact the management, and ask how much they'd charge me for an extension? And do a round of the local estate agents, and get some details of furnished flats to rent. Something quite classy, suitable for an eligible bachelor on the make."

"I'll enjoy that one. I always like looking at other people's homes."

"OK. Anything else?"

She looked at me, and I felt there was more to come, "Dennis Murrell is happily spreading the rumour that you've bust up Peter Davies's marriage."

I frowned, "Thanks! That's just what I need. OK. Get him up here right now."

Carole headed for her desk, and I sat and thought about Dennis Murrell. He was a pain in the arse as a Production Director, he lived in the past. But if he's making personal attacks on me, then he's gone too far.

I buzzed Carole. "Have you got hold of Dennis Murrell?"

"Of course, he's on his way."

"Well hold him with you, make him wait. And get me Neil Davidson. If I'm going to give a director a thorough bollocking, I guess I should make sure with Personnel that I do it within the rules."

Within two minutes, Neil Davidson was coming through my office door.

"Close the door, please Neil."

He looked concerned, "As Dennis is sitting outside I guess this is about Thursday lunchtime."

I took a flyer, "You were there?"

"Yes, I told him to shut up, that he was out of order."

"Well, as an eye-witness, you can tell me about it."

Neil shrugged, "We were at lunch in the buffet room. And Dennis started on that you coming back here to Bristol, and having a relationship with your ex, had broken up Peter Davies's marriage. From that he moved on to generally curse you as a management robot sent down from ITI to practice the latest stupid bit of fashionable management theory. In general, you were wet behind the ears, and in his elegant phrase, you were fucking useless."

"If there is anyone in our top team who is fucking useless, it's Dennis himself. I'd already decided that he's not going to be with us for much longer, but he hasn't done himself any good with this little outburst." I paused and thought about things.

Neil filled in the pause, "Well, he could go next February and he really wouldn't have a leg to stand on. He'll be sixty, and at his level he can only go on to sixty five by mutual agreement. I know he expects to, but you could withhold your consent."

"Well, he would certainly be going then, if he lasts that long." I paused again, thoughtfully, "Who else was in the room?"

"I think all the tables had someone on them. John Wheeler and one of his salesmen, Peter Barnes, were at one table with a client. Bill Elswood was at my table with Dennis. After that I can't really tell you, I didn't really take note."

I buzzed Carole, "Get John Wheeler and Peter Barnes up here, and Bill Elswood as well. Leave Dennis stewing."

I looked at Neil, "I'm taking this very seriously. I reckon a Director shouting his mouth off like that is a sackable offence. If it was overheard by other tables, not just speaking in confidence between fellow directors, then he bloody well goes, right now, this morning."

We sat in silence for a minute, then I asked, "Did he define what he thought my relationship with Molly Davies involved?" I wanted to know if my being caught in bed with her was now common knowledge.

"No, not really. He just seemed to think you were building a relationship with her that put unreasonable pressure on the marriage. But then he moved on to just what he thought of you as an MD."

Just then Peter Barnes and Bill Elswood trooped in, with Peter Barnes apologising, "Sorry, but John has the week off."

"OK, this should be quick, you were both in the lunch room on Thursday when Dennis was there, talking about me." I turned to Peter Barnes, "Peter, you had a client. Did you hear what Dennis was saying, and did the client hear him?"

"I heard him, it was rather embarrassing. But the client was just a new member of the board of Wyvern Health. They're old clients, and the new boy was just making a courtesy visit. I guess he heard, but didn't recognise the significance. I'm not too worried, John and myself quickly covered up and took his attention away. I don't think any harm was done."

"Bill, you were at the same table, so you must have heard him. But who else was in the room and would they have heard him?"

"I can't really tell you, Chris. Except there was a group of juniors from my lot. One of the girls is pregnant, and very happy about it, and she and some of her workmates went into the buffet room for lunch on the back of it. I sent out for cream cakes in the afternoon to help celebrate. While we were eating them with our afternoon cuppa, they were talking about what they had overheard. I quashed bad talk fairly quickly, but I guess there would be some gossip in the pub later, you can't stop it."

"OK, thanks you two." And they trooped back out of the room. I looked at Neil, "He goes. And he goes now. Are you happy that it is serious enough? I will invite him to resign with immediate effect, but he might fight it."

"I hate doing this sort of thing, but if he fought it then he'd lose. He's a bloody fool, but Chris, if he's really contrite, think about giving him a chance. He's fifty nine and he won't get another job at his age."

I buzzed Carole, "Ask Bill to join us, please."

I got up from my desk and went and sat on one side of my conference table, indicating that Neil should sit beside me. I waved Dennis in, and pointed to a chair on the other side.

When we were all seated, I gave Dennis my sternest look. He met my stare, but did look uncertain.

"Dennis, you can guess what this is about. It is totally unacceptable for you to make the problems in the marriage of a long time colleague and senior member of staff into company gossip, and then to go on to be destructive about my management, ITI ownership and your dislike of group policy."

"I was talking to fellow directors. I have a right to make my views known."

"Your long term colleague, Peter Davies, deserves greater respect for his marriage problems than for you to make them company gossip. I don't know what's gone wrong in their marriage, and I spent several hours yesterday with my ex-wife and my ex-in-laws and my sons. But I do know this, any marriage break-up is sad and very painful for the people concerned. They deserve respect, privacy and not gossip from senior colleagues."

Dennis looked as if he was about to say something, but I continued, "And you weren't in private. You were overheard by a senior sales executive and a client. That is unforgivable. In addition you were overheard by junior members of the client support team, the very people who carry the image of this company to our client base. And you could have reasonably known you would be overheard. I want your resignation now, with immediate effect. You will receive whatever your contract states as your entitlement or the legal minimum, whichever is the greater."

Dennis just stared at me, I don't think he ever believed it would come to this. I think he saw himself as untouchable.

Eventually he responded, "You fucking little bastard. You come in here. What? It's only been a few weeks, and you start all your namby pamby soft management ideas. Being friendly with the juniors. You're like a fucking politician sidling up to everyone, even the bloody office cleaners I expect. But, then that's all you are, a politician. Well, I'll fight you all the way. I don't know what my rights are, but I ain't leaving this company because a little boy scout from ITI tells me I've got to go. I joined this company when Walter Franks was still around, and I'm not quitting now."

I wrote on my notepad 'Contrite!?!?!' and slid it along to where Neil could see it.

"Don't fight me on this, Dennis, because I warn you, you'll lose. And you'll lose with no compensation whatsoever. Now I can fire you for gross misconduct, with no pay beyond today. Or I can let you resign with full contractual pay, paid tax free ex-gratia. It's your choice. Which will it be? I'll go and tell Carole to type up a resignation letter for you, which you can sign, or I'll put into action the alternative. You've got as long as it takes Carole to type."

I left the room to talk to Carole. And waited while we composed and she typed a simple resignation letter. When I returned, my guess is that Neil had been counselling Dennis.

Dennis tried to look sorry, "I think I just said some things that I shouldn't. I'm sorry."

I looked at him, "So am I. I can't have a senior director of this company that says things he shouldn't. Now how do you want to play it?"

He looked at me obviously not comprehending, so I added, "Are you resigning, or am I sacking you?"

Dennis realised that his half-hearted partial apology hadn't been enough, and his face flushed angrily, "Fuck you, Bennett. Peter Davies was right when he fucked your wife years ago. And she wasn't the first wife he'd fucked, and a couple of them worked here." He paused and looked at me, "You don't understand do you? That's what real men like Peter and I do. We see something we want, and we take it. That's what alpha males do. Not little schoolboys from head office." He looked at Neil, who had a real look of pained horror on his face as he saw an old colleague commit career suicide in front of him, "And you needn't look so innocent and hurt, Neil. I saw you at that weekend conference last year. You, chatting up that little barmaid. It's what men do, even men like you do; it's natural. Was she any good? Did you enjoy screwing her?...."

Where was this coming from? And what relevance did it have? I interrupted his flow, before he dug his grave any deeper, "I don't know whether I'm an alpha male or not. I do know that I'm Managing Director of this company, and I have the full support of the shareholders in that job. And I know I don't need men like you in my team. Now, are you resigning or are we going to have a long drawn out fight where you get substantially less?"

Dennis suddenly saw that he was defeated, and tears welled up in his eyes. He went very white. "You can't sack me. What will I do? What will I tell my wife? Please, Chris......"

"Sign the letter, Dennis, and Neil will see to it that you are dealt with decently. But there's no room for your attitude in this company. Not any more. I'm sorry." I paused to look at him, "There is a school of thought that Peter Davies's problem is of his own making. The same goes for you. Now sign the letter."

I passed him the resignation letter, and a pen. He signed it and left with Neil, without a further word.

After they'd gone Carole came in with a concerned look on her face. I was still just sitting at the conference table, in quiet anti-climax. She went out and came back with a glass of water for me, "Are you OK?"

"Yes. That sort of thing comes with the territory. But it isn't much fun."

Just then Neil returned and sort of hovered, waiting for Carole to go. She took the hint, with a last comment, "I cancelled your nine o'clock, obviously. But you've only got ten minutes 'til your next one."

As she left she closed the door behind her. I looked at Neil. "Is he OK? Should we get someone to drive him home?"

"I've already arranged it. One of my guys is with him whilst he clears his desk. And he has instructions to drive Dennis home if he has to, and then take a taxi back. What do you want to do about announcements and a replacement?"

"The announcement should be that Dennis decided to leave to pursue alternative interests, as he had disagreements with the new owners about company strategy. As for replacement, put his deputy in temporary charge. I'll see her and talk to her next week, I just won't get a chance before then. But she's good, and should be able to hold the fort."

"Um...About what he said about the barmaid...."

I looked at Neil and waited until he continued, "It was very flattering to flirt with a nineteen year old, and she was very attractive. But, I'm fifty three and married, for God's sake. It was a mistake, but that's all it was, flirting..."

"I didn't hear him say a thing."

"Well, I wouldn't want my wife to get the wrong idea. Nothing happened, I promise you."

"As I said, I didn't hear a thing. So I can't possibly say anything to her, can I Neil? Don't worry. We all make mistakes once in a while."

GaryAPB
GaryAPB
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AnonymousAnonymous24 days ago

@anon below m, ignoring the fact that the whole alpha male thing is a load of erroneous research conclusions only fit for animals and men in captivity. The essence of the concept wouldn't automatically make the MC an alpha male just because he was in a position of authority.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 1 month ago

Why would he give Dennis the chance for resignation after he went on an egregiously unprofessional 'alpha male' rant. Chris is the alpha male, that's why he could fire Dennis--and he should have. MC shows a bit too much mercy imo. I think Molly deserves mercy, she seems really messed up and I know Susan is the snake poisoning her from the start. I guarantee she's responsible for the affair that ruined her first marriage.

Peter deserves no mercy

AnonymousAnonymousabout 2 months ago

I believe Susan set up Peter to meet Molly and pursue her (chapter one). According to Ralph, Susan doesn't like to travel, and as a result of Chris and Molly staying married, or getting back together she might loose her grandchildren because she doesn't travel (fly). As a result, Susan is pushing Molly away from Chris, so she can control Molly and keep seeing her grandchildren. She's also working on getting Peter back with Molly, that way she'll still be able to see/take care of the kids. It's also why when Chris and Ralph started talking about plants in foreign countries, that Susan left the room and started reading a newspaper. She didn't want to travel to see the plants that got Ralph excited.

AnonymousAnonymous3 months ago

@skruff101 you obviously have no idea that MD's are as fucked up as we are. Personally I would not piss on one even if on fire.

AnonymousAnonymous3 months ago

Still Here. And enjoying the merry-go-round

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