The Garden Club, James Gerard [best beach reads .txt] 📗

down in the driver's seat and taking a deep breath.  The interior had that aroma of the new car smell, something that had not been experienced in quite a long time.  The van started.  The engine purred.

 

Kenneth walked over to the driver’s side door.  “You like it?”

 

Hal rolled down the window.  “I sure do.”

 

“Then it is yours.”

 

“For use around here?”

 

“Wherever you want to take it Hal.”

 

“Are you kidding?  I can’t drive this home.  If the neighbors see this, within an hour they’ll scratch and dent it all over.”

 

“Then maybe it’s time for a new home.”

 

Hal smiled in reaction to the thought of his brother’s cleverness at work.  “A bribe Kenneth?  You’re offering me a bribe?”

 

“For what?” reacted Kenneth.  “If you haven’t noticed Hal, there isn’t one thing I don’t already have.”

 

“What about the park’s space?”

 

Kenneth rolled his eyes.  “Are you deaf Hal?  I told you I could care less about this little piece of wasteland.”

 

“Then why are you here?”

 

“Really Hal.  Paranoia?  Look, I just thought you’d like to try living in the La Jolla community is all?”

 

“Like I’d fit in.”

 

“There are other options.  For instance, we own a block of condos in Pacific Beach where our junior executives reside.  They’re nothing fancy, but they’re secured in a very nice neighborhood.”

 

Hal started to respond, but held his words.  He plopped the forehead onto the stearing wheel and eyes stared at the floor pedals.  As Kenneth went on and on about the reasoning behind such generous offers, thoughts of it being more of a matter of nepotism than a sincere job offer jabbed at the conscious.  But there was a sumptuous voice that whispered “yes” to all that he was proposing.  Then thoughts about Ron entered into reality.  Granted, he thought, that it should not matter if Kenneth never liked Ron; it just seemed to be a cheap and lowly blow to purposely exclude him from such a prosperous future.

 

Hal looked up and over to the Governor and the other corporate heads apparently in no hurry to commence the battle for the land.  “Come on already,” was softly whispered under the breath and went undetected by Kenneth’s seemingly never ending pitch.

 

Suddenly, the thoughts drifted to his mother’s last request as his brother continued to throw out offer after offer.  Oh hell, Hal silently screamed, just tell him you’ll support him.  But then what about Ron?   On the one side was the issue of brotherly loyalty to Kenneth, and on the other was the cherished friendship with Ron.  But he knew that even if he threw the support out to his brother and the Meat Council, there was no guarantee the Governor would award them the land.  Then again, if they did not get the land their very existence would remain unaltered.

 

At the same time, he considered that even an argument for the park’s continued existence with a passionate plea on behalf of Ron would not guarantee the park’s fate.   If the plea failed, however, Ron might possibly be pleased with the effort but his future would be at best a bleak existence offering nothing but nothingness.      

 

The whining sound of a gentle roar from above filled the parking lot.  A gust of wind hit Hal in the face as the jet landed.

 

“You need to think about it Hal.”

 

Hal briefly considered the purpose of the unscheduled arrival then looked at the man stepping out of the cockpit.  The smartly dressed man walked over to the Governor and handed him what looked like a thick stack of papers stuffed into a large envelope.

 

“Who was that?” asked Hal as the man jumped back into the cockpit.

 

“Just a courier,” answered Kenneth.

 

While still in conversation, the corporate representatives stood to either side of the Governor as he made his way over to the van.  Hal stared at the package.  Its sight provoked thoughts mixed with impending doom and anxiety ridden hope as the hidden papers probably revealed that the decision had been made pending the signing of the contract.         

 

“Good morning Governor Hartson, Chairman Wheatley, Commissioner Sherman,” Hal greeted each as the Governor climbed into the front passenger seat and the other two took their positions directly behind them.  Kenneth walked around the front and took the bench seat furthest to the back.

 

The van loaded, the air conditioning running, Hal guided it through the entrance doors and hit the brakes.  “Gentlemen, would you care to take a look at the park from the vantage point of the observation nest?”

 

“Well?” the Governor turned to ask the others.

 

“Let’s just get on with the tour,” said Chairman Wheatley.

 

“Agreed,” responded Commissioner Sherman.

 

“Skip the nest,” said Kenneth.

 

“Okay then,” said Hal, “on with the tour.”

 

Just as the van turned to the right someone shouted.  With arms flailing Ron raced towards the van.

 

“Planning to leave without me Hal?” he asked while panting and sweat dripping off the face.

 

“Well, hop in.”

 

“He stinks!” said Chairman Wheatley.  “Get him out of here.”

 

“Ron,” the Governor spoke up, “you are emitting an awful powerful smell.”

 

Hal stared at Ron through the rearview mirror and saw the angry expression setting the face ablaze with fire.  “With all due respect Governor, he’s entitled to be here.”

 

“Come on Governor,” Commissioner Sherman said, “he really does stink.”

 

“My apologies for my friend’s body odor but he actually works for a living.”

 

“You son of a….”

 

“Please Chairman Wheatley,” the Governor responded.

 

Hal looked into the rearview mirror and caught Ron smiling and his brother trying to contain the broad smile from breaking out into a hardy laugh.

 

“Governor,” said Kenneth, “just have Hal crank up the air conditioning and roll down all the windows, and let’s get on with this.”

 

The Governor nodded an approval to the suggestion.  The widows came down and air flowed through the van eliminating most of the unpleasant odor.  The van next rolled up the service ramp and onto the elevated trail skirting the end of the lake and came to a stop.

 

“Here you go gentlemen,” said Hal passing out a piece of paper.  “I didn’t see any of you holding the maps sent to you, so here’s the route we will be taking this morning.  If you want to stop anywhere along the way just let me know.”

 

The van moved slowly around the lake and onto the elevated pathway bordering the west side of the river.

 

“What does the weed puller do all day around here?  This looks pretty ragged.”

 

Hal stared at Ron while silently cringing in anticipation of the volatile eruption just about to spew out in response to the apparent personal attack by Chairman Wheatley.

 

“It’s not supposed to be like one of your gardens you idiot,” Ron calmly responded.

 

“Go to hell you good for nothing….”

 

“That’s enough,” shouted the Governor.  “Stop the van Hal.  Everyone out.”

 

Hal grabbed Ron by the arm and dragged him off to the side, but before a word could be uttered the Governor came in for a face to face confrontation.

 

“Ron,” the Governor whispered, “I think it best for all concerned if you went about your normal duties.”

 

“But….”

 

“Please just go,” the Governor grumbled.

 

Ron looked to Hal.  “Do something!”

 

“Governor, please.  You know he was purposely evoked.”

 

The Governor stood there for a minute apparently mulling over the decision, then looked to Ron.  “One more exchange like that and your job will be the least of things you’ll have to worry about; understand?”

 

As the Governor walked away, Hal stared at Ron and witnessed the mischievous behavior that had lain dormant for so many years.  “For one, nicely done, but come on, just please don’t let them get into your head.”

 

“Oh yeah,” Ron chuckled, “what about you?”

 

“Is this area damaged?” asked the Governor.

 

Hal turned and looked at the direction of the stare.  As soon as the patch of land in question was assessed he answered, “Oh no, not at all.  They are shrubs.  I know they’re sort of plain to look at but this is an area where they thrive.  And most of the seedlings you see down there won’t survive for very long because not much sunlight makes it through.”

 

“And that narrow clearing?”

 

“That’s caused by the occasional flooding by the river bank to clear a view of any animals that come to the river’s edge to drink.”

 

Just then a squirrel scurried out from the dense cover of shrubs and to the lake’s bank.  An anaconda slithered silently beneath the water causing the slightest ripples above.  The predator maneuvered closer to the prey.  But the sight evoked no comment or stirred no curiosity within the minds of men that had no appreciation for the raw nature to even acknowledge the scene playing out before them.

 

“I can see it now,” said Chairman Wheatley as he looked out over the placid lake: “Residents tanning themselves under the afternoon sun and children splashing about the water.  And yes, picnics on the shore.”

 

“Big deal,” Commissioner Sherman chimed in, “there already exists enough beach property to accommodate those useless activities.”

 

“Are the existing water lines capable of running in additional water if needed?” asked Kenneth.

 

“Not currently,” answered Hal.

 

“That’s good to know,” said the Governor.

 

Once back inside the van, Hal moved it along at a crawling pace along the elevated path.  He listened intently to the each of the men voice their opinions to the Governor as to the visions each had for altering the park’s features to meet their specific needs.  The Governor, however, seemed distracted as he stared intently off to the side.  Hal had the distinct impression that he was mesmerized by the raw beauty encompassing the senses.

 

“Stop the van,” the Governor commanded.

 

Hal obeyed and hit the brakes.  The sudden request was curious.  After all, he reasoned, besides the previous stop that had more to do with squelching the childish bickering between Ron and Chairman Wheatley, the purpose of the tour was to provide the corporate heads an overall view of the park by the ascribed route and limited to the vantage points within the van.  Each one, with the exception of Kenneth, seemed to have no problem pitching their future plans based on the confines of the land and space from the van that crawled along.           

 

Stepping out of the van, Chairman Wheatley walked up to the railing and looked down at the river.  “Fish.  Lots and lots of fish.”

 

“There’s a lot of different species living in….”

 

“Quiet,” the Chairman barked.  “Trout fishing along the bank.  Imagine this Governor: residents standing along the bank, casting their lines, enticing the fish to bite that bait, anticipating the moment where they yank that pole and set the hook.  Yeah, keep the river.”

 

Kenneth shook his head.  “Get real.”

 

The Commissioner added, “No one fishes for recreation anymore.”

 

“Will you commit to that in writing if I decide in your favor?” asked the Governor.

 

“Absolutely.”

 

“Oh please,” said Kenneth, “it sounds like he wants to build a resort rather than a community.”

 

“Agreed,” the Commissioner concurred.

 

“What would the Meat Council's plan to do with the river Kenneth?”

 

“We can keep it.  Our engineers have already taken a long look into the structural integrity of carbon based materials as a foundation for any of our plants.  We could easily build above it.”

 

“What?  Turn it into an aqueduct?” Commissioner Sherman countered.  “Governor, what they each propose is a waste.  We can maximize the independent source of water towards a mega processor so powerful that it could refresh the air by a multiple of one hundred over the current ones.”

 

The Governor did not respond.  He seemed intent on hanging over the railing taking in the tranquility the jungle offered.

 

“Governor,” said Commissioner Sherman.

 

“I hear you.  Let’s move on gentlemen.”

 

The trail turned sharply to the right at a waterfall.  The path led up to the middle tier, and pending any more delays, would soon run into the ramp leading to the top tier and then the maintenance ramp sloping down to the natural path along the river’s edge.  Hal glanced in the rearview mirror and saw a look of boredom in Kenneth’s face and a sense of excitement in Ron's.  Quick glances of the Chairman and Commissioner revealed impatience in scowling faces.  Their looks matched their matter of fact tones in countering one another’s ideal plans.   But catching a quick glance of the Governor slumped