Interest

I prepared to run by doing my warmup and stretching exercises. I looked up at my residence. Not too many people could say they lived in the same structure they worked at. Fewer still, would those be that lived in a three-story bank building covering a city block. As I had so many mornings, I admired the Greco-Roman architectural style of the matched granite stone and the Doric columns rising majestically at the front entrance of the building.

My ancestor had built the first permanent building of the fledgling town. He had studied well the effect he wanted to project. Prosperity and permanence were the assurances that encouraged others to build. They closely copied the bank's architectural theme and the entire city square represented wealth, employment, and industry.

Or it had, I sourly thought as I looked at the ghost buildings of the dilapidated city square. Now, my bank remained the last bastion. The final reminder of the past that brought so much regret.

As I ran, the regulated tempo caused only the sound of my footsteps and breathing to break the silence. I used this as my quiet time. A time to reflect and focus.

Foremost in my mind was the business; the Camden Bank & Trust. It was being besieged from enemies; from within and without. I had to remain vigilant every day since I had taken over as President of the bank. All it would take was to commit one wrong move and all my hard work and the lifework of my father and generations before would be taken from me.

So many decisions to make and no one to help guide me. Not for the first time I felt all alone as I finished this run and staggered up the stairs to my third floor apartment. How I wished, I could forget all the troubles. A shower and a quick rest would have to suffice. People were depending on me.

I stripped and gingerly stepped into the shower. Within seconds, the hot water dissipated into a cold spray of water. Another grievance I would have to take up with Janet, I thought as I rushed to bathe myself.

Nine a.m. found me seated at my desk working as the official banking hours began. In reality, I had been working since seven a.m. shoring up deals for the bank's benefit. If all went well, it would continue to be this busy all day.

At 9:25 a.m. the intercom buzzed.

"Mr. Williams...you have some visitors."

The oddness in Janet's voice alerted my defenses. Why hadn't she announced the identity of these visitors? A small voice mentally told me to refuse the callers, plead a heavy work schedule prohibited seeing any visitors today. Delegate another employee to resolve any problem arising.

Realizing I had let an undue pause hang from responding to Janet's call, and I hesitantly told her to see the visitors to my office. The door opened and Carla Robbins, Susan Moix, and Staci Ellen Porter nee Buckman walked into the office.

For the first time in six years, I was seeing Staci up close. The passage of years had been good to her. Her features had morphed from her previous angular beauty into more rounded features. She matured from being a girl into a young woman in the prime of her life.

"Hello Troy," she sought desperately to catch my eyes. I knew she was trying to initiate a dialogue before any barricades could go up. In response, I waved my arm to the chairs on their side of the desk. Carla tried to initiate a hug with me but was made aware of my reluctance with any body contact with the three. If I refused Carla's hug, Staci could not be offended being refused. The three ladies promptly sat down in the chairs. I sat behind my desk.

"How are you, Carla, Susan, Mrs. Porter? What can I do for you ladies today?"

Staci winced at the cold civility present in my response. There was no warmness in the greeting, no sign that the passage of time had brought a desire to forgive the past wrong. She noticed that my gaze was fixed onto the high school classmates that accompanied her.

"Please Troy, I'm still Staci. I would appreciate it if you'd call me by my name."

"I'll keep that in mind Mrs. Porter. Once again, I'll ask y'all how may I be of assistance today?"

"It's been ten years since we've graduated high school, Troy. We are on the reunion committee. We are trying to drum up recruits for the committee and support for the reunion," Susan took the lead in explaining the purpose of their visit.

I remained silent. I had discovered in the course of my career that silence was a necessary and effective negotiating tool. Granted this didn't shape up to be the normal business deal I was used to, but the same principles applied.

"Well, Troy?" Susan asked with exasperation.

"I'm sorry, Susan. I didn't hear anything that requires a comment from me."

Susan sighed, "Would you help out and lead the committee, Troy?"

A minute passed before I replied.

"Susan, isn't it traditional for the Senior Class President to head up the reunion committee?"

Susan hesitated, knowing where the conversation was leading.

"Yes, Troy, but—"

"Refresh my memory, Carla." I turned to the woman I interrupted, "Who was the person that was our Class President?"

"...David Porter."

"That is correct, Carla. It seems to me that you are talking to the wrong person."

"David has already said that he wasn't going to serve on the committee, Troy," Staci explained.

I gave no indication that I heard Staci's comment or intended to respond to it.

"We could really use your help, Troy," Carla suggested.

"I understand, Carla, but since I will not be attending the reunion I don't see the need to be on your committee."

I pressed the intercom button, "Ms. Temple, would you please come in."

I could tell that the uneasy trio was searching for a new avenue of attack as all three insisted I had to attend. Before I made any comment, Janet Temple walked into the office.

"Ms Temple, please escort our guests out of my office. I regret to tell y'all that I have a pressing engagement, so y'all will have to excuse me."

"Come on Troy, you owe it to your classmates to attend our reunion," Carla valiantly insisted on one last effort.

I whirled my attention back to my three classmates.

"Oh, before y'all leave, I'd like to tell y'all a little story about owing people," I acidly began the tale.

"A beautiful woman walks into a bar. No sooner than she sits down, a man appears before her. 'Madam,' he says, 'for your information I am one of the richest men in the world. I am so awed by your beauty that I am willing to pay you the sum of $10,000,000 to spend one hour making love to you.'

At first, the woman is appalled at the suggestion. Then she starts thinking of all the things she can buy with $10,000,000. 'Okay, I will make love with you for $10,000,000,' she replies.

Then the man asked, 'Will you sleep with me for $5.00?'

Now the woman is quite upset at the insult.

'$5.00! What kind of girl do you think I am?' She screams at the man.

'We've already established that. Now, we are just discussing price.'

Do y'all understand the significance of 'owing' in that story?" I asked of my three classmates.

"Perhaps, I can give you a better example. Imagine some poor dumb bastard thinking he found the perfect woman for him only to be humiliated when she runs off with his best friend. What the hell do you think is owed to him? The opportunity to jump and do her a favor the first time he sees her in years?"

There was dead silence and icy glares for the insults bestowed. I was walking out of my office's back entrance which precluded me from the awkward situation of shaking their hands. I heard Staci's voice asking me to stop. Again, I chose to ignore my betrayer. I bounded up the steps and paced through my apartment.

I continued to stalk around my apartment. I was systematically checking the views from the windows hoping to spot the departure of the trio of classmates that ambushed in to see me. I heard the door open and Janet's footsteps echoing toward me.

I wheeled and hissed, "NEVER! NEVER! NEVER, do that to me again if you want to keep your job! Do you understand me?"

She recoiled in shock from the venomous tone in my stressed voice.

"...I'm sorry, Troy. I had no idea how to handle that." She replied in an abject apology.

"Well, you damn well better figure another way if that...that...woman, EVER comes back to see me!"

"They didn't tell me who they were! They only said they were your high school classmates," she protested.

I paused a minute to calm down, but things were still awkward between the two of us.

"Are they gone yet?" I asked staring out one of the windows. In my peripheral view I spotted Janet's nod to my question.

I could tell that she was nearly in tears from my chewing out as she nodded yes, not trusting her voice to break out into a sob.

"Then its time to go back to work," I brusquely walked out of the apartment to head downstairs to my office. Janet remained in my apartment to compose herself and fix her makeup before she made her appearance at her desk.

When closing time came, I was left alone in my apartment for the entire night. That trend continued for two weeks as Janet focused solely on her job and I focused on mine.

Then on a Thursday afternoon, right before closing Janet came into my office. With tears welling in her eyes she trembling asked me, "Are you ever going to forgive me?"

I went to her and held her in my arms as she started crying. We went upstairs to my apartment and I did my best to make up for all the pain I doled out to her. By Friday morning things were back to normal. Saturday morning, we spent relaxing in my bed.

We were engaging in pillow talk when she broached the subject.

"Why do you hate her so much Troy? Why can't you get past her?" She asked as she drew lazy circles on my chest with her fingernail.

I knew who she was referring to. I debated telling her that it was none of her damn business.

I sighed, "You've moved here four years ago, Janet so you don't know the complete story. I'm going to tell you this one time, and one time only and I will never discuss this with you again. Is that a deal?"

She looked at me with her big brown eyes and gravely nodded.

"You know about me and her and how I made a complete ass out of myself at my graduation party by proposing to her. I know you must have heard that story a thousand times around this town."

Her look told me the truth of my statement. Even after the passage of six years, I was still held in ridicule by the entire town. By now, my action was planted firmly in the town's lore and it was debated endlessly.

"You have to understand we all grew up around each other, played with each other, went to school with each other..."

I paused and then exorcized my reluctance of articulating their names.

"David...and Staci were my closest friends since kindergarten. Staci would insist that we play house with her and we attended countless meals of imaginary pies and cokes and cakes and ice cream and candy. One day I would be the father and David would be our child. The next day David would be the father and I would be their child. Staci, of course was always the mother who dictated our actions."

"As we got older, David and I grew into that period of childhood where we thought all girls had cooties and avoided Staci like the plague. Staci took it hard at first, but then she migrated to hanging out with all her girlfriends."

"David and I were as close as brothers. We were at each other's house every day, playing Little League baseball, or in the Boy Scouts, or playing football. There was always something going on with us."

I realized that as I began reminiscing that I couldn't help but have a faint smile from the memories. Well, that wouldn't last as I continued the tale.

"We would still all see each other. All our parents socialized at the country club and parties and benefits. And of course, being in the same grade, we all had the same classes and teachers."

"Then came junior high school and something magical happened to all the girls. Puberty started changing the girls into fantastic creatures. Boobs started appearing and asses filled out skirts and pants."

"And like every adolescent male...well at least every heterosexual adolescent male, we started lusting over these girls we had spent years ignoring. But they weren't going to make it easy for any of us guys. So we were required to jump through hoops, like carrying books for them, or buying them a cheap bracelet or ring, or letting us know of another boy's attention."

"That is what happened to me and David. We began seeing Staci in a new light and surprise...we both wanted her. And bigger surprise...we didn't want the other to succeed. And biggest surprise...Staci decided she wanted David."

"You know even at that early an age to be rejected was quite a blow, but I recovered. I started dating and still maintained being friends with David and Staci."

"Somewhere down the line, Staci and David derailed. He started cheating on her and he was open about dating others. It was messing Staci up and the week before Homecoming she came to me and asked me to take her out for Homecoming. I went to David and told him."

"He said he was okay with it. He didn't intend to ever date her again. So we started dating and feelings grew between us. I started doing things outside of dating like helping her with her homework, washing her car, you know, things like that."

"I even started spending time getting to know her parents better. I would go over there and get corralled into playing a game of chess and losing to Mr. Buckman, constantly listening to him lectures on whatever caught his interest. That was usually business, particularly concerning Buckman's Enterprises."

"He kept throwing out these hominems, like 'In business, the big eat the small' or 'Do unto others, before they do unto you.' I would just sit there listening to the world according to Charles Buckman, hoping to impress him."

"College came and Staci knew I was intent on preparing for our future. We had talked about getting engaged and marriage for a long time. She knew that I would be ready as soon as we graduated college. So this wasn't a bolt of lightning out of the blue."

"She knew... We talked about kids and everything..." She should've expected..."

I frustratingly groped for the words to make verbal sense of a situation that I still could not explain, much less comprehend. "She even picked out the damn ring." I commented while looking at Janet hoping this was making sense.

Janet nodded and patted my arm to let me know she understood.

Gathering my wits I continued, "I don't know when David came back on the scene. I never had any inkling that she and David were seeing one another. If she had told me...maybe I wouldn't be here today. Maybe, none of this would've happened. But I continued to see her every day at school and date her every weekend and I didn't have a clue anything was wrong."

"So I get sucker punched in front of the whole world and everybody is laughing at me and talking about Staci and David's little Romeo and Juliet's romance. I never considered how Staci felt but it was enough for me that Staci decided to take him with her to Europe with her parents' graduation present."

"She runs off with him and they go to London, to Paris, to Rome, to Athens and I'm stuck in Camden with my heart ripped from my body."

"Every fucking day, I have to man up and go to my job and pretend that nobody knows what happened to me. Staci and David came home to a whirlwind wedding to alleviate all the rumors flying from their European romp. Afterwards, they were shuttled off out of state until the clamor died down. Staci and David were hired to work at one of Charles Buckman's subsidiaries in California until all the fuss died down. Meanwhile, Charles Buckman is pissed beyond belief for me putting his daughter and his family in this situation of public ridicule."

"My little performance had consequences that were far reaching. The town was split apart on who was to blame for the fiasco. Unfortunately, Charles Buckman wasn't going to stand around and have people besmirch his little girl."

"He came to visit me and Dad at the bank and laid the blame totally on me. Then he told us that he had been studying the matter and decided that our town needed another bank to break what he called our stranglehold on the town."

"He was there to close out his accounts. They would be invested in a new bank opening across town, Buckman's Savings and Loans."

"My dad tried to persuade him not to do that. It would cause a major rupture in the bank's finances. But Charles Buckman was not going to be denied. So he took out his money and my father had to scramble to find alternate financing to meet his obligations."

"Word got out that he was in a bind, so he was negotiating at a disadvantage. Commercial lenders were charging him outrageous rates and he had to accept to keep the bank afloat. It was an hour to hour, day to day battle to keep the doors open."

"But Charles Buckman wasn't finished. All of Buckman's Industry employees paychecks were drawn on Buckman's Savings and Loans and all the employees were pressured to open accounts in Buckman's for direct deposits, and debit cards, and credit cards. Then car loans and house loans were given at a rate my father couldn't match due to the problems we were having."

"Customers were leaving by the droves. Buckman's ATM machines flooded the area as small businesses were persuaded to exchange our machines for theirs. Essentially, he had us in a stranglehold and he wasn't inclined to give up. He told all the local businesses that they would be well advised to move out to his location across town. They did, which caused the urban blight here on the city square."

"That translated to less foot traffic into the bank. Which meant we continued to bleed away money. I was fighting right alongside dad every day tying to atone for my mistake that caused all this trouble. I persuaded my dad to give me access to some of the dwindling funds to trade in the stock markets and arbitrage transactions to staunch the bleeding. Luckily, I was able to be successful doing that. But, we continued to take hits."

"My father was the president of the bank, but because of all the generations that passed there were relatives he was accountable to and they started raising hell that my father's stewardship was causing them to lose money."

"Lawsuits were beginning to be filed by second and third cousins seeking to take advantage and wrest control of the bank from my father. He continued to get up and fight every single day. I was right there beside him."

"But the stress was too much for my mother. Charles Buckman made sure that we lost our membership at the country club. Mom lost her positions on all the charity organizations. She was ostracized by the entire town...My mother, who never hurt anybody in the world was being ripped to pieces by every bitch in this town."

"Her blood pressure skyrocketed and the day came when my Dad was called to the hospital. My mother had suffered a stroke."

"He was never the same after that. He handed over to me the day to day operation of the bank while he tended to my mom. I would go home and watch him fuss over my mother. When he had spare time, then and only then he would discuss the bank."

"She lasted two months before she passed away. My father was the embodiment of a dead man walking after that. Three weeks after she passed, he suffered a widow maker heart attack."

"I lost everything I cared for in less than a year and now I was saddled with the responsibility with running the bank. I was inadequately prepared for that responsibility but now it was thrust upon me."

"I scrambled for every penny I could find. And there were a lot of people that wanted to see me fail other than Charles Buckman to pick up the bank's assets. I was under immense pressure. Things were so desperate that I had to sell my parents' house and my house to tide me over at one point."