She always loved that damn dog. Seemed to love it more than me sometimes. I can't complain, she gave me three kids, a girl and two boys. It makes since for me to give her a dog. I let her choose. It took about three months to find the perfect one. We would have gotten a mutt from the pound had it been my choice. But it was hers.
Jess has always loved the finer things in life, she has a set of plates that we only use at Christmas, but they sit in that cabinet in the dining room all year long. We look at them every night from the dinner table, like art at a French museum. It doesn't matter to me though, its a woman thing, I guess. Just like the dog she got. A West Highland White Terrier, a "Westie" as she called it. Percy. That's what she named it. Yappy or Nippy would have been a better suiting name for the quote un-quote dog. He couldn't even fetch a stick properly, always getting distracted by a bug or a blowing leaf.
It did well for her. I traveled a lot for work, D.C., New York, Miami; it gave her company. It was a compromise really. She didn't like me traveling, I didn't like her complaining. It was nice when I was home though. We lived in a quiet town, Beverly Shores, IN. Close enough to Chicago for good jobs, far enough away to avoid the gangster crimes of the sixties. Our lake house was simple, ranch style. One of those new houses that was partially built in a factory, pre-fabricated is what they called it. My father wouldn't have approved, then again he would have wanted to built it himself.
It was Cooper and Jones, the firm that I worked for, that suggested I traveled less and focused on my family life. Ever since the third child, they didn't seem to care with the first two. I tell them the maid is enough help and I am fine traveling. In reality, my wife says the same thing. I could never do it though, travel less, be a family man. Its not me. I never saw myself settling down, having a family, a ranch style home, a dog much less. It's not me.
The last time I went to New York City I met with some of our Japanese clients. They were fun. Told me of clubs in Tokyo where girls would dance completely nude and painted. It sounded beautiful. Strange. But beautiful. That was when they asked me, to take them there. Take them to the one place in the country that girls danced, on stage. I was hesitant at first, unsure that it would be proper. My Catholic roots were ingrained deep within. However, I had to make a good impression, so we went.
The outside was dank, dreary. The windows were boarded up and there was only one small door. We tried to open it but it was locked, I rang the doorbell. Within seconds a five-hundred pound man was there, practically on top of me, asking for our names. I told him mine, I told him I was entertaining some foreign clients that wanted to see the inside. He looked us over and let us in, I led, reluctantly.
The first hall was dark, there was a single red light to lead the way. Once we got into the main room it was amazing! The most beautiful thing I had seen. The lights were brightly colored and there were comfortable couches all over. Then I saw them, the women. They were wearing next to nothing! This was only the second time I had ever seen a woman dressed in nothing but her un-mentionables, the first was my wife. We got a table in the corner, I guess I was trying to hide. I ordered my usual scotch while the Tokyo elites ordered a bottle of champagne. I didn't much care for champagne but man did they drink it up! They completely laughed off my note of caution for the fact that we had an eight A.M. meeting the next day!
We had a blast. We drank, we watched, we laughed. It was some of the most fun I had ever had in my adult life. I forgot about the worries of home. The kids not doing well in school. The dog chewing the soles of my favorite house shoes. The wife complaining about me not being there. It was nice. But it was fake. The whole night seemed fake, like it never happened. The morning after was rough. I woke up running to the bathroom to dispose of the night before. It was 7:30. I had thirty minutes. I knew if I felt like this the Japanese were even worse, they drank twice as much as me!
I arrived with five minutes to go, just enough time to set up! Or so I thought. I walked into the board room and saw all five of my previous nights companions sitting there, waiting. They all seemed so alert, happy, well rested. It was confusing. I apologized for making them wait and set up quickly. I had to present them with their possible earning quotas if they decided to partner with Cooper and Jones. They never thought of expanding into the states, until now. Amazingly, I convinced them! They decided in the first five minutes of me talking. It was amazing!
When I got back to the office in Chicago, Dick Cooper was waiting for me in my office. He told me congratulations and said how proud the company was of me. He promoted me on the spot to accounts manager. A non-traveling position. My wife will be thrilled.
I was given the rest of the day off while June, my secretary, moved my stuff into my new office. I went home to an empty house, other than Percy, that is. I chained the yappy thing outside and poured myself a scotch, perfect mid day snack, I thought. Jess got home an hour later, surprised to see me home she asked if everything was OK. Her face when I told her about the promotion was almost more excited than when I asked for her hand in marriage! She was especially happy that I wouldn't be traveling as much.
She let the dog back in. It jumped onto my lap. When it looked into my eyes, I saw it. The reason Jess loved this dog so much. Even though I hated the dog for the mere idea of what it represented, he still loved me. That was the first time I ever felt comfortable with my family. I realized that, while I had fun at the dance club, I was beyond all the show and pomp of my younger years. I realized that it was time to love my family and work on them. It was then that I appreciated the things around me for the first time. All thanks to the simple look given to me by that damn dog.
Jess has always loved the finer things in life, she has a set of plates that we only use at Christmas, but they sit in that cabinet in the dining room all year long. We look at them every night from the dinner table, like art at a French museum. It doesn't matter to me though, its a woman thing, I guess. Just like the dog she got. A West Highland White Terrier, a "Westie" as she called it. Percy. That's what she named it. Yappy or Nippy would have been a better suiting name for the quote un-quote dog. He couldn't even fetch a stick properly, always getting distracted by a bug or a blowing leaf.
It did well for her. I traveled a lot for work, D.C., New York, Miami; it gave her company. It was a compromise really. She didn't like me traveling, I didn't like her complaining. It was nice when I was home though. We lived in a quiet town, Beverly Shores, IN. Close enough to Chicago for good jobs, far enough away to avoid the gangster crimes of the sixties. Our lake house was simple, ranch style. One of those new houses that was partially built in a factory, pre-fabricated is what they called it. My father wouldn't have approved, then again he would have wanted to built it himself.
It was Cooper and Jones, the firm that I worked for, that suggested I traveled less and focused on my family life. Ever since the third child, they didn't seem to care with the first two. I tell them the maid is enough help and I am fine traveling. In reality, my wife says the same thing. I could never do it though, travel less, be a family man. Its not me. I never saw myself settling down, having a family, a ranch style home, a dog much less. It's not me.
The last time I went to New York City I met with some of our Japanese clients. They were fun. Told me of clubs in Tokyo where girls would dance completely nude and painted. It sounded beautiful. Strange. But beautiful. That was when they asked me, to take them there. Take them to the one place in the country that girls danced, on stage. I was hesitant at first, unsure that it would be proper. My Catholic roots were ingrained deep within. However, I had to make a good impression, so we went.
The outside was dank, dreary. The windows were boarded up and there was only one small door. We tried to open it but it was locked, I rang the doorbell. Within seconds a five-hundred pound man was there, practically on top of me, asking for our names. I told him mine, I told him I was entertaining some foreign clients that wanted to see the inside. He looked us over and let us in, I led, reluctantly.
The first hall was dark, there was a single red light to lead the way. Once we got into the main room it was amazing! The most beautiful thing I had seen. The lights were brightly colored and there were comfortable couches all over. Then I saw them, the women. They were wearing next to nothing! This was only the second time I had ever seen a woman dressed in nothing but her un-mentionables, the first was my wife. We got a table in the corner, I guess I was trying to hide. I ordered my usual scotch while the Tokyo elites ordered a bottle of champagne. I didn't much care for champagne but man did they drink it up! They completely laughed off my note of caution for the fact that we had an eight A.M. meeting the next day!
We had a blast. We drank, we watched, we laughed. It was some of the most fun I had ever had in my adult life. I forgot about the worries of home. The kids not doing well in school. The dog chewing the soles of my favorite house shoes. The wife complaining about me not being there. It was nice. But it was fake. The whole night seemed fake, like it never happened. The morning after was rough. I woke up running to the bathroom to dispose of the night before. It was 7:30. I had thirty minutes. I knew if I felt like this the Japanese were even worse, they drank twice as much as me!
I arrived with five minutes to go, just enough time to set up! Or so I thought. I walked into the board room and saw all five of my previous nights companions sitting there, waiting. They all seemed so alert, happy, well rested. It was confusing. I apologized for making them wait and set up quickly. I had to present them with their possible earning quotas if they decided to partner with Cooper and Jones. They never thought of expanding into the states, until now. Amazingly, I convinced them! They decided in the first five minutes of me talking. It was amazing!
When I got back to the office in Chicago, Dick Cooper was waiting for me in my office. He told me congratulations and said how proud the company was of me. He promoted me on the spot to accounts manager. A non-traveling position. My wife will be thrilled.
I was given the rest of the day off while June, my secretary, moved my stuff into my new office. I went home to an empty house, other than Percy, that is. I chained the yappy thing outside and poured myself a scotch, perfect mid day snack, I thought. Jess got home an hour later, surprised to see me home she asked if everything was OK. Her face when I told her about the promotion was almost more excited than when I asked for her hand in marriage! She was especially happy that I wouldn't be traveling as much.
She let the dog back in. It jumped onto my lap. When it looked into my eyes, I saw it. The reason Jess loved this dog so much. Even though I hated the dog for the mere idea of what it represented, he still loved me. That was the first time I ever felt comfortable with my family. I realized that, while I had fun at the dance club, I was beyond all the show and pomp of my younger years. I realized that it was time to love my family and work on them. It was then that I appreciated the things around me for the first time. All thanks to the simple look given to me by that damn dog.
