BOOK 4: PREPARATION / CH. 29:PERSONA NON-GRATA.
THURSDAY, 21ST DECEMBER
Getting to the airport and picking up his ticket had proved entirely uneventful for Robert, and he handed his passport to the airport security officer just expecting to get an exit stamp. “You've overstayed your visa.”
“I have a two year work permit.”
“You had a two year permit to work for the employer who applied for your work permit. You stopped working for them six months ago, and your permit ended at that time. You had a two month grace period to find new employment in which case your work permit would have transferred to them. After that your status automatically changed to tourist. Tourists are only allowed to stay for two months.”
“I didn't know. I've been looking for a job, but I stayed looking too long and when I realised I probably wasn't going to get a job I realised I couldn't afford a ticket home either. Now my brother's found me this ticket.”
“As soon as you realised you couldn't afford to leave, you should have contacted your embassy. You've been an illegal person for two months, your motives for staying are suspect, you're either a criminal or an idiot. Probably both. There will be a fine.”
“How much? I don't have very much cash. My brother was going to send money for the journey, but I don't know if it's reached my account yet.”
“A likely story. I see. Illegal destitute alien. I could arrest you but then that would cost my country more. So, as a true patriot I'm letting you leave.”
Robert let out his breath in relief, as the official searched in the draw of his desk, and pulled out a rubber stamp almost as large as a page on Robert's passport. With a look of pure glee he said “I've always wanted to use this one. I've no idea if they'll let you in at the other end, but don't come back here. Ever. And with that he inked the stamp and with great relish applied it to the passport. He then he applied several other smaller stamps to spaces on the same page, took photographs, Robert's fingerprints, and filled out a form. It didn't take long. Handing back the passport he said “Now, get out of my country.”
“Thank you.” Robert said.
“What for?”
“Allowing me to leave.”
“Idiotic infidel foreigner.” he muttered as Robert left.
Sitting at the departure gate, Robert looked at what had been stamped in his passport. The smaller stamps said, in English and the national language, 'destitute', 'visa violation', and 'illegal overstay'. That was bad enough, but the big one said 'Persona non-grata.' at the top then in ten more languages it said he was an unwelcome person.
He waited until the plane was being pushed away from the gate before he checked his bank account. The money his brother had sent was there. So, he wasn't destitute any more, hopefully they'd let him in at the other end. He rang his brother.
“I'm on the plane.”
“Bravo, phrala! You've also got a booking to near uncle Jack's house. That's as near as I could get you. But at least you'll be with friends.”
Uncle Jack was an honorary uncle, had been their dad's life-long friend.
“You know what it means though, don't you?”
“No. What?”
Robert didn't need to double-check the calendar. “Madeline's just turned nineteen. She's still not found anyone else?”
“Not as far as I know. Oh, boy. I didn't think of that.”
“No chance to change the tickets?”
“No. Maybe she'll be happy to see you.”
“I doubt it. Last time I saw her she spat in my face and told me she hoped I could stay away until she'd turned fifty, or at least twenty-two and could call the arrangement null and void.”
“Why does she hate you so much?”
“I don't know. I know I like her.”
“Well, you've got about twenty six hours before you land, with the lay-overs and everything. I suggest you get talking to her.”
“Arranged marriage or not, I'm not going to marry her if she doesn't want it. I've told her that. Does uncle Jack know I'm coming?”
“Not yet.”
“Keep it that way, please. If Maddie doesn't want to marry me, then he can't know. You know what a traditionalist he is.”
“So where'll you stay? You're not going to be able to hitch-hike home at this time of year.”
“I dunno. Maybe Maddie will be able to come up with something. I owe you big time for even getting me that far. Thanks, man.”
“Not me. Some woman with a funny accent called, she sent the money. I just landed you in trouble.”
“Oh, we're taking off. I'll call when I land.”
“Don't you dare. It'll be three AM here.”
“Oh yeah. Sorry.”
“There's a chance that the woman'll send some more cash, but I don't know that for certain, so I just had to end you somewhere I knew you wouldn't starve, Bobbie. I had to.”
“I'll see what we can work out. Bye.”
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Robert decided he'd not talk, but would write to Madeline.
'Dear Madeline, you NEED to read this. I know you hate me and don't want to see me for another decade or so, but please read this, it affects you. I hope you've been reading my newsletters, so you know I got stuck there with no money. Someone else did, and sent Matt some money to get me home, so I'm on my way home now, in the air, even, praise God! Five more flights to go. Only the money ran out for the last one. Matt's got me tickets that get me as far as near your place. He says he had to route me that way, so there'd be somewhere I could stay. He didn't think it all the way through, but you know what that'd mean. We hope that the woman who sent the money might send more, to get me the last leg home without bothering your dad. If not, any ideas? I don't want you hurt, or forced into something you don't want. You know I love you, I hope. That means I'm not going to insist on anything except your total freedom of choice. Do you know of any barns I could stay in or something until the roads re-open and I could hitch-hike home? That way your dad needn't even know I'm anywhere nearby. But I would like to see you again, even if it's just so you can spit in my face again.'
It didn't take Madeline long to reply: `My dearest blithering idiot, never heard of people saying things they don't mean when they're angry? Say, like I might get when you announce that I'm not going to see you for 2 years? And what was I supposed to do when you asked for a kiss in front of my Gran? A girl's got to have some pride! Something more personal than just your prayer letter would have been nice, but I suppose if you thought I hated you then that explains it. Sleep in a barn? Not without me you don't! After we're wed of course, so don't you dare go past without dropping in to talk to Dad, and then we'll go see the pastor. Since you're so poor it's a good thing you don't need to pay for me, like grandpa's generation did, or I'd have to get Dad to lend you the money. By the way, I've got a job, so we won't starve. Maybe they'll have something you can do too. Boss often asks if I know anyone trustworthy. Missed you lots, you nut-case. Of course I'm breaking all tradition by writing to you this honestly, but it looks like you need me to. My free choice is you. Don't expect me to welcome you with open arms; that's not traditional, but now you know my heart. Anything else is an act for traditions sake. Destroy this letter, or my name's worse than mud.'
Robert read and re-read the message. He'd known her father was traditional, it hadn't occurred to him that at the very least she'd have to act the traditional way around him, and not betray her feelings. He'd need to be traditional about it too. He sent a message to Matt. 'I might have been misreading the situation. Don't book any more tickets. I'll contact uncle Jack.' And then he did.
'Dear uncle Jack, by God's grace I'm out of the trap I got myself in. Matt got given some money to get me away from that furnace, and I'm on my way back to good company and people I know will welcome me. I know Madeline won't, and I've have got a pretty stamp in my passport she'll like to point at, which says I'm an unwelcome person. I hope that's not the case for anyone else in your house, and that you'll give me the chance to persuade Madeline to change her mind about me.' He thought a bit, then added:
'The other stamp in my passport says I'm destitute. That's not quite true, yet, but I'd certainly welcome the chance to earn some money. I don't suppose you know of any jobs going in the area?'
----------------------------------------
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER 21ST. TREC MEETING.
“Thank you, minister for transport, That's very encouraging news indeed. Did you have a date for when the first containers would be available?”
“Sorry, your majesty, I thought I'd reported that already. We've got about fifty percent of the required number available already. Each week we ship more than enough containers, but requiring every one of those would seriously disrupt too many industries and the knock-on implications would be huge. We've therefore set a more reasonable number to be left empty each day.”
“And minister for planning, you've got information for us, I hope?”
“Yes, your Majesty. The first news is that our survey indicates that twenty percent of the population will relocate to another location, mostly this is people following their jobs, but it also includes students not returning to Restoration for university. Thus the figure needing storage and temporary accommodation is reduced to four hundred and fifty five thousand people. A further twenty-two percent of the population say that they will certainly relocate on the impact occurring. These are mostly in rented accommodation, and retired people. Single unemployed renters are also almost all relocating should an impact occur, unless their skills are in the construction trade. As a group, the entire population of retired renters will be leaving should an impact occur.”
“That sounds reasonable.” The queen said.
“Yes, Maam. A further fifteen percent will try to relocate if the impact occurs. This is mostly home-owners in the above forty age range. Twenty-three percent have stated that they will certainly stay, and twenty percent don't know. The 'certainly stay' figure tend to be in state-employed or location-based jobs, like shop-keepers, teachers, medical sector, police, firemen, ministers of religion and the like. We assume this is because they see a need for their jobs no matter what happens. Most are also under forty, and tend to be married. The conclusion of this is that based on this survey, should there be a need to rebuild, then the demographics of the city will have changed dramatically.
"While there will at least be a temporary void in certain age-ranges, the number of school-aged children will only reduce by twenty to thirty percent, while the population halves.”
“So, a big priority will be for reopening the schools and building family homes?” Albert asked.
“That is our conclusion, yes, your highness. A further point is that a two or three bedroom family house is also a reasonable way to accommodate single people, at least temporarily, as most students know. Further to your Majesties' request, we've identified ninety potential camping sites, each capable of holding an average of two thousand families.
Based on the requirements determined for campsites, each of these sites would need approximately one hundred and forty toilets and wash basins, if we wish to accommodate the morning and evening rush. However there is a school of thought that says that a lower number could be provided as this is emergency accommodation, not a long-term residential site, and also we presume that those people who have stated they will certainly relocate would have little need to stay there more than a few days in order to make their way to their chosen destination.”
“The laws of supply and demand will surely come into play with such a large number deciding to relocate on a single day.”
“Yes, your majesty. We instructed the local councils to identify unoccupied and partially occupied residencies in major locations, and request that owners consider renting them out. With the decreasing population trends over the previous decades there are more than sufficient unoccupied rooms, should people be willing to rent them out.”
“Yes, that's the question. Are they willing?” asked the Queen.
“We have done some surveys asking people with significantly unoccupied homes if they'd be willing to make a room or two available, in this time of crisis, and what rent they'd ask for. A significant number indicated that they would. Assuming the surveys were representative, then there will not be a housing crisis in the rest of the country. Rent rates were, in general, lower than those in Restoration. I'm sure that there will be some adjustments to rental rates, but in the long term it might even be downward.”
The finance minister raised a hand “If I might play devil's advocate, since there seems to be sufficient unoccupied housing in the nation as a whole, do we actually need to rebuild the city?”
“I can think of several motivations, minister, including emotional ones.” the King replied, “But perhaps the minister for planning can answer on a purely practical level?”
“Yes, your Majesty. The rental option is not a problem for the proportion of the population planning to leave — mostly comprised of single people and couples without dependent children. However, if we were to permanently evacuate the entire city, then that would mean a massive demand for family homes. There isn't much slack in that portion of the market.”
“So either we rebuild Restoration, or we build the same number of homes elsewhere?” Eliza asked.
“Yes, maam. At that point, the other arguments, regarding the existing underground infrastructure in Restoration — the roads, drains, pipework, and so on, all come into play. Even if all the buildings are destroyed, we expect that pipes, cables and the like a metre below ground-level should not be significantly affected, making rebuilding Restoration more economically viable,” the planning minister said confidently.
“And is that expectation based on research, or on gut-feeling?” the King asked.
“Urm, much more on gut feeling than hard research, your majesty,” he admitted.
“My gut feeling would tend to concur, however,” the science minister said.
“I'm glad.” the King said “Because that'll make rebuilding cheaper. We're not going to leave one of our major cities a wasteland. Maybe it'll be smaller, but we're going to rebuild.”
“The minister for planning mentioned roads. Is the current plan then to rebuild like-for-like, using the existing street-plan?” the finance minister asked.
“If we build roads where they didn't used to be, then land-rights become an issue. Not insurmountable, of course, but an issue.”
“The idea of people deciding to relocate wasn't addressed in our early discussion on the impact.” the minister for finance stated. “For land-owners relocating, whether commercial or private, will there be any state purchase of property rights should the impact occur? Or will a free market solution be considered?”
“Yes, it's an issue we haven't really discussed, isn't it?” the King said. “With the currently implemented plan, property rights are either kept or transfered to a mortgage holder on foreclosure. Renters are obviously able to leave, but we've in effect declared that home-owners should stay put. I wonder how many home-owning folk we've caused distress to by saying they need to wait for us to rebuild or to suffer the indignity of foreclosure.”
“I think we're protecting them, father. I imagine that if there was a free market trade in houses at the moment, then we'd be seeing a significant drop in house prices as every new piece of news about the asteroid comes in, and people seeing that will under value their homes in the hope of a quick sale. I'm sure that there would be people hoping to make quick profit if the impact doesn't happen.”
“I think any people betting along those lines are about to get a nasty surprise, your highness.” The science minister reported.
If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
“Oh? New news?”
“Yes. I understand it'll be on the main news channels this evening. They're still debating the issue of whether it's an icy asteroid or stony comet, but whichever it is, there has been a short release of gas from it, and a corresponding shift in the orbit. Therefore, they've now got two error ellipses. One is now about the size of the moon's orbit, because they think it might eject more gas, the other is just based on what they know of the orbit at the moment. That's still over an earth diameter, of course, but the center indicates a direct hit on Restoration.”
“I don't know whether to be relieved or saddened.” the King said, “But at least now that it's heading for us there might be less international mockery for our ambassadorial staff.”
“That would be most welcome,” the minister for foreign affairs said. “Perhaps this is the moment to bring up an offer from one of our trading partners.”
“Yes?” The King asked.
“I don't know how seriously to take it, or whether it was a joke, however we have just been offered fifty shipping containers of what they termed an experimental walling material at what I'm assured is a very competitive price. According to the blurb I've just been reading, it is some kind of multi-layer plastic sheet which you stretch it over a frame, inflate it and the inflation triggers a chemical reaction which turns it into a water-proof, fire-resistant semi-breathable solid within twenty four hours. Our ambassador there says he's not seen it being used anywhere, but he's seen what they claim is the end product. He says what he was shown looked a little like an artificial Balsa wood, about a two centimetres thick.”
“And we're being offered fifty shipping containers of this stuff?”
“Yes, your Majesty. I personally thought that fifty shipping containers was rather a lot for an experimental material, but apparently they're intending it for emergency housing post-earthquake, and this is how much their experimental plant has been able to produce so far. They're keen to have it used under real conditions, apparently, so that they know whether they should build some larger factories.”
“So we'd be the guinea pigs, and then they'd point at us saying either 'they didn't use it properly, that's why it was a disaster', or 'look they used it and rebuilt their city very quickly, don't you want some?'.” Albert said.
“Yes, that's about it, your Highness.”
“How do you inflate it?” Eliza asked.
“Ideally, a normal air compressor, supplying air at about one to one and a half atmospheres. But apparently it's also possible to do it with the sort of manual pump that people would use for a camping airbed.”
“Sorry, I asked the wrong question. It comes in some kind of roll, I presume, and you cut it to length? How do you seal the edges in order to inflate it?”
“Oh, sorry. You cut it to shape and heat-seal the edges together. You can make any shape, they say, if you need to. A domestic iron with some silicone-paper is a makeshift option, but they suggest a proper heat-sealing unit.”
“And how many metres of wall does a shipping container make?” the King asked.
“Each container is said to contain eighteen three-metre long rolls, with each roll having a diameter of a metre. There's apparently a total of three kilometres length on each roll. I haven't worked out how many houses that turns into.”
The science minister quickly did some maths. “If we assume a square house ten metres by ten metres, divided into four parts, that'd make the walls for fifty houses from each roll. So if this system works, then what they're offering is walls for forty-five thousand houses. But, I haven't included anything in terms of roof or ceilings. But I'm a bit worried about its strength and low weight though. I presume it's not going to be very strong, and a house made of balsawood would surely blow away very easily or need roping to the ground. I imagine this as a good for a refugee camp where you want something a bit more permanent and insulating than a tent, but I really wonder if it meets our requirements.”
“I think one important question might be how actually fireproof this material is, how
long it lasts exposed to the elements, and so on, so that we know whether it's going to be something that could be a permanent feature of the houses or if it's something that would need to be stripped out after a few years.” Albert said.
“Not to mention how much it costs.” Eliza added. “It seems like it would clearly allow rapid construction of a living space on prepared ground. I don't know if anyone has an idea of how rapidly the ground can be prepared, but I don't.”
“So, if the material is stable and is suitable as an interior wall surface, then perhaps it'd be a very good first stage to getting people back onto their property,” the minister for launches said, “But on the other hand, maybe we don't actually want people living on a building site. Which means pretty much the entire city, really.”
“It probably depends if it's their building site or not.” Albert said “I mean, if people are rebuilding themselves, they might very well want to live there, but if it's contractors, then people living on-site is probably just a complete pain.”
“That sounds very true. Now, we agreed that there would be the opportunity
for people to opt-out of the rebuilding aid programme, and just build themselves.” Eliza prompted “Do we have a third category of people who'll work on their own homes, but with state aid? Do we, in fact, want lots and lots of people to be in that category?”
“That depends. If we have everyone building with whatever they can rescue, then the city turns into a shanty town.” The King pointed out.
“If we have purely prefabricated houses, then that's fast, but the result is an entirely bland and characterless city,” the queen said, “And I don't think we want that. If we have home-owners doing what they can, and then calling in the experts, then we probably end up with something that is very frustrating for everyone.”
“I'm assuming that immediately after the impact, heavy machine is going to clear the city section by section,” the King said, “I think the minister for planning has more details.”
“Yes, your majesty. Having talked to various experts, we've concluded that the best plan is that the heavy machines try to be careful and not destroy anyone's foundations or concrete slab floor, if there is one, and likewise they should be clearing the roads of large debris, but but not digging up the surface. The second stage will be for smaller, lighter machines to clear the smaller debris and doing some kind of sweeping things clean. Once that's done, each plot will need to be assessed to see if what's left of the foundations is in good order. If not, then those will need to be re-dug and concrete or geopolymer poured. Depending on whether the foundations match the prefabricated building's dimensions, somewhere between zero and three walls would need new foundations, and the new foundations would need tying to the existing ones. If we are able to use this instant wall material to effectively do away with the prefabricated stage, then we would clearly be able to match the existing foundations on two walls, possibly three, with the expectation that this will then form the corner part of the rebuilt home. However, I suspect that there will be people who will want to adjust the size of their house rather than rebuild like for like.”
“I'm sure there will be.” the King said. “We obviously will have to discuss special planning regulations for the city. And like for like does not mean identical construction methods, I expect.”
“Ah, no, sire. And obviously, there will be a need to determine the limits of state aid.”
“Yes. It is our stated intention that state reconstruction aid will initially provide everyone sufficient basic shelter, and eventually enable people to have a home of equal size to what they've lost. We have made no declarations about layout or internal arrangements. Matters of interior decor, fixtures and fittings are, of course, beyond the scope of our budget, which is of course why we're providing people with the storage space. If people are that attached to their carpets, marble work-surfaces, and so-on, then they should make arrangements for them to be stored.”
The member of parliament for Restoration raised his voice, “Your Majesty, I've had quite a few queries from constituents who have precious and non-movable floors, some of antique wood, or marble, for instance, which might survive the impact if they covered them with some kind of protective layer, but would not survive a bulldozer driving over them. The owners have volunteered to perform the clean-up themselves, and would like assurance that this would be possible, and that they won't find that their preparations have been in vain. Speaking of which, one person even suggested that he intended to set up a forcefield over his two-hundred year old oak and maple floor, to be powered by batteries for the calculated impact time, so that when things fell, then the forcefield would take the impact and then when the batteries discharged the debris would only fall a few milimetres onto the foam he intends to place directly on top.”
“Ingenious!” Albert remarked, “I wish him luck.”
“Obviously, it would not be in anyone's interest to destroy such treasures, but it would clearly require careful thought. By setting up some kind of exclusion area for the machines, I presume.” the King said.
“That technology will already need to be in place, so that they don't drive into a swimming pool, or a fuel station.” The minister for planning stated, “I suggest that we instruct the local authorities to use the planning permission application system to allow a home-owner to specify an exclusion area. They'd just walk the periphery of the site and send the location data from their wrist units, like when people lodge an initial site inspection request.”
“Any objections?” the King asked.
“Should there be a penalty for frivolous use?” Albert asked. “I mean, someone deciding they don't want their flowerbed flattened is hardly of the same nature.”
“I think that the required commitment to clean up their own rubble would be a sufficient deterrent, Albert.” pointed out the queen.
“Do I understand your intention that a hazard area could not be specified without the entire site being off limits to heavy machinery?” asked the religious affairs minister.
“I suggest that there be different categories.” the queen answered “Hazard is one, preservation of precious flooring should be treated differently.”
“Yes.” his Majesty agreed, “hazard to the driver and equipment is certainly a different category. Speaking of which, I suggest that we make registration of such hazards a requirement of all home owners. If there are any houses out there who still have liquifuel powered heating, for instance, those should be dealt with pre-impact, to reduce the chance of pollution and fire.”
“Are there any?” The queen asked.
“It's possible.” the planning minister said “Even if they've not had a delivery in a decade then some people might still have the tank half full as a backup heat source.”
“I'm sure that hospitals and other institutions would have, unless they've got a private fusion generator.” the science minister offered.
“But presumably there aren't many of those in the city?” the minister for religion asked.
“I don't actually know “, the planning minister replied. “Of course they would all be underground with forcefield protection, so they shouldn't be at risk from the impact.”
“Excuse my ignorance, but couldn't we actually protect the entire city with an enormous force-field?” asked the privacy minister.
The science minister winced, “No. Sorry. They're not magic.”
“Oh. You mean the force would be too great?”
“Probably not for the field, but certainly for whatever you're supporting it on. The force goes somewhere. Newton's laws still hold, after all. That much pressure on a dome covering the entire city? It would probably cut through any reinforced concrete foundations like a knife through butter.”
“I'm afraid I never was very good at hard science,” the religious affairs minister said. “But not even steel beams? Railway tracks, for instance?”
“The city's what, roughly twenty kilometre's across?” asked the minister for rocketry, starting to work out the pressure on her wrist unit.
“Something like that.” agreed the science minister.
“Then with the pressure wave that we're expecting, we'd get something like of forty thousand tons of force per linear metre of the circumference.” She tapped some more numbers “That forty thousand tons would need to be carried on the one millimetre wide field ring, you understand? So, every square millimetre under the ring would have about forty tons of weight on it. I think it's possible that high pressure physics uses pressures a little bit above that in their laboratories, but I seriously doubt anything we can build will support it for long. Maybe diamond?” she suggested.
“If I can further confess my ignorance... then how can a forcefield keep an underground reactor safe?” the religion minister persisted.
“The forcefield protecting the reactor is flat, not a dome. That means that it can spread the load over a large area, while the dome concentrates it.”
“Oh. And you can't put a flat forcefield under the dome, to spread the load?”
The science minister looked at his scientifically inclined relative, who shrugged and said “It's certainly worth an experiment or two.”
“Reverend, you might have a good idea there. There are technical reasons that it's not normally done, and so probably no-one knowledgeable about forcefields would suggest it. For instance, there's a risk that the two fields would interact. But for this purpose... there's a chance that it might work. It's probably still not going to work for the whole city, though.”
“Thank you, ministers.” the king said, “I appreciate your imagination and your efforts. If there is some hope that this arrangement might work, then I urge you to investigate it well. I realise that Christmas break is rapidly approaching but perhaps someone could at least look up some records?”
The queen remembered something. “I think the military academy's Christmas-eve party could be a good opportunity for a small test. Or at least, they used to like to finish it with a bit of a bang. And I'm sure they've got the equipment necessary.”
“I'm sure her majesty's suggestion would be well received by most staff and students. In recent years the quartermaster has frowned any use of high explosives not explicitly required by the curriculum, and they've had to resort to marking the traditional explosive end to the party with nothing more than hydrogen-filled balloons.”
“Then by all means, let's give them this unusual excuse to let off some high explosives with real purpose.” the King agreed. “Minister, I presume you know who to pass on our royal request to? Copy the quartermaster, of course.”
“I suggest that you stress that this is an urgent pilot study and query whether there might be a suitable occasion to test this idea in connection with some other programmed explosive event this side of Christmas.” Albert said. “but that otherwise we're looking for.... what sort of blastwave, minister?”
“An approximately collimated front with an over-pressure of about eighty kilo-pascals.” supplied the science minister.
“Thank you, minister, and while of course some instrumentation to compare pressures inside and outside the dome would be welcome, we're looking for initial data on the viability of the approach, not a full scientific study at this stage.”
“And” added the queen, laughing, “that we would like initial results back before the end of Christmas eve, and hope that they can mobilise the entire staff and student body to make sure that this test is a success and is well documented. Alternatively, you could not bother with all the hints, and just tell them that we'd be happy for them to enjoy doing the test in the bomb range as part of their Christmas-eve party as long as they promise to get us the results back before the end of the day.”
“I think that my wife's suggestion is wise. Let's not be ambiguous.” the King said. “And I think that closes the meeting.”
THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 21ST.
“Who were you talking to?” John asked Sarah as she cut the connection. “And May says please call her when you can.”
“Rebecca, as in orphanage. It looks like they've had a re-think. Apparently the mission had said 'We think you're wrong about leaving us, and we pray that God will change your mind.' and gave Him a few months to do so.”
“So, all sorted then?”
“Mostly. Their church initially said the same, but are now taking a slightly firmer line, talking about reallocating budgets and the like, which is fair enough, so there's going to be a bit of a hole in their personal budget.”
“You didn't get her to tell you how much they needed, did you?”
“She said part of the rethink had been that the mission always used to publish their accounts for them, but they realised they hadn't actually been doing that once they broke off that communication. So, yes, since I was expressly asking about their needs and they'd not got them on-line anywhere, she told me about them.”
“Did you promise to support her?”
“No. I did say I'd like to be added to their prayer letter list.”
“But you're going to, I presume?”
“I think I'm going to support their mission. The whole thing was caused by them realising that their annual income wasn't keeping up with inflation, apparently. Rebecca said that until twenty years ago there had been one or two big-name preachers who weren't officially linked to the organisation but who'd been supporters and would mention them in their sermons, as illustrations of great faith, and so on. And of course that encouraged donations. At least, the people in the office would often see their names on the 'how did you hear about our work' box. Then they went on to glory, no one else seems to have stepped into that role, and the people who heard about them through those preachers are dying out.”
“So, they need some new champions?”
“Well, I'm sure that would help, so if you happen to meet a big-name speaker, you could commend their work. The mission hardly advertises at all, you realise.”
“I wonder if some famous journalist might do instead of a big-name speaker.”
John said, thinking about Bob McDaniel, “Or actually, what about your soon-to-be cousin-in-law?”
“George?” Sarah asked, confused.
“Not that soon.”
“Oh! Well, I suppose it's possible. But there must be all sorts of protocol issues before you get an endorsement from royalty, surely.”
“Probably.” John agreed.
“Anyway, on the face of it they're doing a good work, and I'm going to check further and pray about supporting them.”
“It's just orphanages?”
“No. They do various other things too, but it's all children who've either lost a parent or two, or are homes broken by prison or violence.”
“So you'd have qualified for their help?”
“Hmm. Probably, but I didn't need it; I had a caring aunt, a home, and I was never going to starve. You're wondering if I'm particularly sympathetic because of the orphan factor? I might be.”
“Not really, I guess I was more wondering if they only worked in deprived areas, or something.”
“No. They work all over the place. It's actually fairly random, by the look of things. I guess it's been a case of if your ministry idea fits then they'll take you on, rather than an actual well-thought-out strategy. Or maybe I'm missing something. But John, I'm aware that I'm biased. Please can you check up on them for me? I don't want to just support anything with the word orphan in it. And being semi-associated with a leap-before-you-look pair like Rebecca and Levi doesn't exactly enhance their credibility, does it?”
“Well, since they got in a huff then I'm not sure what the mission could do about it.”
“Nor am I. But there was obviously a communications failure.”
“Hmm. Yes. That happens.” he admitted, giving her a kiss. “Speaking of which, you were going to call May, remember?”
“Oh yes! So, we're all guilty in different ways. While I talk to her, can you start to check them out?”
“Of course, love.” John agreed.
----------------------------------------
“Hi, Sarah! Thanks for getting back to me. There's been an interesting development with the store!”
“Not another one!”
“Yes. I had another message from them, in reply to my polite message turning them down. They're not impressed with me, it seems.”
“Now what are they doing?”
“They've said that since they really need help tomorrow, that being the big rush, and since I'm only a part-timer anyway, they'd much rather give my hours to their, quote 'loyal employees who are not abandoning them in their time of need'. I can work out my contract if I insist, but if not then they'd be perfectly happy to terminate my contract by mutual agreement, effective immediately. And since there is, quote 'considerable ill-feeling among the staff and certain members of management' over the way my previous supervisor left they'd recommend I accept this offer.”
“So, having falsely accused you of resignation without notice, and fined you for it, they're now recommending you resign without notice by mutual consent?”
“Basically. Yes.”
“And they're not going to penalise you?”
“No, that's what they say. They've also creditied my account with all the pay they owe me, quote 'as a good will gesture'. So I accepted their advice.”
“All signed and dusted?”
“Yes, I thought you might want some help earlier, and from the sound of it, it would be a really toxic place to work. I didn't think I needed that stress, so I'm available for the full eight hours whenever you want me. Sorry for messing you around like this.”
“Oh, no, that's fine! You realise this probably means they're going to hire your old supervisor back, doesn't it?”
“Oh! I hadn't thought of that. And so he'll say he was right all along, won't he?”
“Probably. Do you have any close friends there?”
“No, well, no one very close, and the closest ones are people who'd try to lead me astray. I think I'd be much easier to stay on the right path without seeing them again.”
“So, pre-wedding get-together tomorrow night, Karen's wedding on Saturday, Christmas day on Sunday, I know you were planning to work at the store on Monday, do you really want to come and do some work for me instead?”
“If that's OK? I could come Tuesday and half of Wednesday too, if you want.”
“That'd be wonderful from my point of view!” Sarah said, “But if doing that's really OK with you, then we need to alter your contract, that way I needn't feel guilty about all those hours.”
“Ooh, that's right, I don't get overtime for a salary, do I?”
“Nope. But if you re-read it then you'll see there's a number of weekly hours specified. So, if I ask you for more you can say no. But if you don't say no, then no overtime. So, point one is that the contract does need changing, so that when you're not in school, it explicitly allows payment for extra days of work, point two, let's try and get everything sorted by the time the first period changes, point three, I'll see if Teresa's got time tomorrow to adjust it, but if it's OK, we'll sign it at the get-together tomorrow night, whether she has or not.”
“That's fine!”
“See you then, then.”