Page 17 of The Bishop

Biting the tip of my Mont Blanc pen, I twirled the leather chair around to face the large pane window. The day was heavy with dark clouds.

Rain would be good, I thought. We needed rain. The dry air was at times stifling.

“Are you there, Rector?”

With a start, I turned to see my father standing in the doorway.

“Oh, Dad. Hi.”

“Well, you were certainly off far away,” he said with a chuckle. “I called your name three times.”

I waved vaguely at the window. “Just contemplating the weather.”

He chuckled again. “You had your meeting with Daniel, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” I said with a curious tilt of my head.

“Looking at the numbers would have anyone contemplating the weather,” he went on with a wry grin. “Anything to take away the sting of the unappealing bottom line.”

“I think there are a few things that we might be able to do to cut down on costs,” I said. “I mean, we can’t really do much about taxes and changing laws, but… well, maybe.”

“If you have a plan that can save us money, I’m all ears.”

“Let me work out the details in my head, see if it’s all feasible or not and then I’ll get back to you.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned against the doorjamb and looked at me in a way he never had before.

“What?” I said, unsure of myself suddenly.

He shrugged.

“What are you looking at me like that for?”

“I’m just realizing how much you’ve grown up. How much you’ve matured. I know that sending you off to college was a good thing, but I honestly think that you’re going to learn more here than you ever would on some college campus. I’m glad that you were forced to take time away from SAU.”

“There’s nothing like life experience,” I said with a vague shrug.

“I’m proud of you, son.”

I was stunned by his words.

“Don’t look so surprised,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve been dreaming of this day for a long, long time.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Really. You’re still young and a little hot-headed sometimes, but I know you have a good head on your shoulders. You’re smart. You examine things. You don’t just take someone else’s word for it. You find out for yourself.”

I nodded, all while wondering where this wave of compliments would lead.

“I need a man like you in my operation, Rector.”

I stood to face him. “A man like me?”

He nodded. “I have plenty of yes-men around here. Men who are intimidated by me and who don’t dare speak the truth.”

“Well,” I said, hesitating as I debated whether to lay it all out for him or not. Smiling, I decided to let him have it. “I have seen you get pretty upset when bad news is delivered.”

He smiled. “Upset, yes. But have you ever seen me get violent? Fire an employee? No. I’m upset by the message, not at the messenger.”

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