Heat

Chapter 20

Almost as soon as Jesse had begun to operate the press, he was made foreman of his section. He was startled, and then, looking around, he realized that Herman Muller was no fool; he could look at a crew and know who the best man was. And Herman, Harley Waters explained, wasn’t one to stand on any such ceremony as seniority. He was suddenly making fifteen dollars an hour, and it amused him that it seemed to be big money.

Then, the week before Thanksgiving, Jesse got the shock of his life. Herman Muller summoned him to his office, sat him in a chair and regarded him solemnly.

“Jesse,” Herman said, “I’m not getting any younger.”

“I hadn’t noticed, Herman,” Jesse replied.

“Oh, I’m not getting all that much older, either, I guess, but yesterday my doctor put me on some medicine for arthritis, and it kind of shook me up. I mean, in all my life I never took any medicine for something that wasn’t likely to go away pretty fast.”

“Arthritis isn’t all that much of a problem these days, is it?”

Muller shrugged. “I guess not; it was just the notion of having a chronic ailment that got me thinking.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it, Herman; you’ll bury most of us.”

“I expect to,” Herman said, allowing himself a small smile, “but I guess it wouldn’t hurt for me to have some help upstairs, here.”

Jesse didn’t reply, since he had no idea what Muller was talking about.

“I told you when you came here, not so very long ago, that it’s my policy to promote from within.”

“That’s right, you did, and I guess I’ve benefitted from that policy.”

“Well, this morning I sat down and I went through my list of foremen. There’s six of you fellows, and you’ve all got different qualities to recommend you. None of you has a lot of education, but some of you are smarter than others, and I think you’re the smartest of the lot.”

“Why thank you, Herman.”

“I was looking back over your employment application and remembering our first conversation, and it appears that you’re the only one of my foremen who’s ever run a business.”

“I am?”

“Yessir, and even though you went bust, I don’t think it was your fault; it was the times, is my guess.”

“That’s what I’d like to think myself,” Jesse said.

“Anyway, you’ve had some experience running a business, keeping costs down and volume up; you’ve handled men, I can tell from the way you do your present job.”

“I guess I have.”

“Well, I’ve decided that I need a... well, a kind of assistant manager, I guess; somebody who can learn the business from my perspective and who can keep the place going if I’m out with the flu for a few days.”

“I see,” Jesse replied.

“You’re my man, Jesse; I’ve looked ’em all over, and even though you’re the newest foreman, you’re the best, and the job’s yours, if you want it.”

“Herman, I sure do want it, I’ll tell you that,” Jesse said, not without feeling.

“You’d have to wear a white shirt and a tie every day, like me,” Muller said.

“I guess I can handle that.”

“You’d have to learn the computer bookkeeping system.”

“I can handle that, too, even though my wife took care of that part of my old business.”

“You’ll have to learn to buy materials, and I mean negotiate. You’ll have to hire and fire — with my consent, of course — and you’ll have to order machine parts and keep an eye on the salespeople. I’ve only got three, and they’re all in the West. One of these days I’ll have a shot at some Eastern markets, I guess.”

“I’ll give it my best, Herman,” Jesse said.

“All right, you can start by picking out a foreman from your crew. Watch him for as long as you think necessary, and when you think he’s ready, you put on that white shirt and tie and come on up here.”

Jesse stood up and stuck out his hand. “I really appreciate your confidence, Herman. I won’t let you down.”

Muller shook his hand. “I don’t believe you will, Jesse.”

Jesse turned to go.

“Oh, I guess we’d better talk money,” Muller said. “How’s seven-fifty a week, to start?”

“That’s fine with me, Herman.”

“Do a good job, and you’ll get more.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Go on, get back to work. Your crew will be messing up, without you there.”

Jesse stopped on Main Street and bought a suit and some shirts before going home to Jenny. When he told her the news of his promotion she threw her arms around him and kissed him on the neck.

“Good Lord! You’re setting records at Wood Products! Assistant manager!”

Jesse hugged her and savored the moment. He pushed away his past and tried to believe that he was just an honest working stiff who’d gotten a promotion.

“Why don’t I take you and Carey out to dinner? We’ll celebrate.”

“We’d love to! You wait, and I’ll change my clothes and get Carey dressed up. We’ll go to the Steak Shack, is that all right?”

“Fine with me,” he laughed. “I love a good steak.”

He watched her run up the stairs like a happy schoolgirl, and he felt happy himself.