Guardians of Knowledge

David continued to pump gas for the next three month while searching for work. The job market was tight for people without a specific trade. He learned quickly that the technology field had no interest in someone without a degree in electronics or coding. He considered looking for work at one of the paper mills in the neighboring town of Fitchburg, but that wasn’t any different than working in a plastics factory. He even considered rejoining the Army or maybe the Air Force because the living conditions are better. The one thing he was sure of was that time was continuing to surge ahead, and his life was at a standstill.

Alex dropped by for gas regularly, and although their backgrounds were polar opposites, they always found something interesting to talk about. During one of his visits, Alex told David about a job opening that might interest him.

“A friend of mine, actually more of an acquaintance, is looking for a salesman. I told him about you, and he said he’d like to meet you.”

“Salesman, me! I’ve never sold anything in my life. I’m definitely no Fuller Brush Man.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, David. You have a relaxed manner that puts people at ease, and you’re used to working with the public. I think it would be a good fit for you.”

“What would I be selling?”

“Material handling equipment.

“Are you talking about forklift trucks?”

“Sure, plus other things, like loading dock equipment, conveyor systems, pallet storage racking, and much more.”

“With all the factories in the area, you’ll have no shortage of customers.”

“Actually, that sounds like the type of job I could really get into. It would let me travel around the area, seeing what all the different factories make and how they manufacture their products. The best part is I wouldn’t have to work in any of them. There’s a pay phone inside. Give me your friend's name and number, and I’ll call him right now.”

“I’ll do you one better and call him first so I can introduce you to him.”

“Wow, Alex, you’d do that for me?” Thank you. I hope I can return the favor someday.”

“Happy to do it. I think you guys will get along great, and as you said, it sounds like your kind of job. Let’s do it now, then I’ve got to run. My sister is finishing at Smith College for the summer, and I need to head up to Northampton and pick her up. My dad was supposed to do it, but he got called away to some big meeting in France, so I’m the designated brother taxi.”

“If you don’t have time to make this call today, we can do it some other time. I don’t want to get your sister mad at you.”

“No, we’re good. I just need to be quick about it. Do you have any change?”

Alex, you never have any change. Is .50 cents enough?”

“Plenty!”

The call was answered on the second ring.

“Problem Solvers Material Handling, Chris speaking. How can I help you?”

“Chris, it’s Alex Harrington, you busy?”

“Not too bad. What’s up?”

“Remember I told you about a guy that I thought would be the perfect salesman for your company, well, I have him here, and he’d like to talk to you.”

“Great, put him on. I can really use the help.”

“Here you go, David. His name is Chris Toomy. I really have to go. Good luck and we can talk when I get back.”

Alex bolted out the door, leaped into the Jag, and sped off to Northampton. David stood there with the phone in his hand, looking like a deer in the headlights. The sound of Chris’s voice through the receiver asking if anyone was their snapped him back to the here and now.

“Hello, Mr. Toomy. My name is David Cooper, and Alex told me you may be looking for a salesman.”

“You can call me Chris. I am looking for some help. What do you know about material handling equipment, David?”

“Not much, unfortunately, but I am a fast learner, and I have an outgoing personality. Alex told me you might be willing to train the right person, and hopefully that person is me.”

“I like your attitude, David. My office is located on Lancaster St. across from the old Dupont factory. Can you meet me here at two this afternoon?”

“Sorry, Chris, I’m working a double shift today and won’t finish until eleven tonight. I can be there first thing tomorrow if that works.”

“Tomorrow it is then. See you around nine. Gotta go; the other line is ringing.”

David hung up the phone feeling more positive than he had since he returned from Vietnam. Maybe this was finally going to be his lucky day. He had certainly had his share of crappy days up until now. It wasn’t that he was complaining; times were tough, and jobs were scarce, but he knew he had more going for him than pumping gas and changing oil. If Nam had taught him one thing, it was to always be on the lookout for a chance to better himself. He had begun his army career as a private and got out as a sergeant.

It was a busy day at the gas station, and although David was working a double, time seemed to fly by at a breakneck speed. He didn’t realize how fast it went until he spotted Alex’s car pull up to the pumps.

“Back so soon! Guess it’s later than I thought. How was the trip?”

“It was a good day for a ride. I took the back roads out there, so I had a chance to open this baby up a little bit. David, before you start pumping gas, I’d like to introduce you to my sister, Jannice.”

David bent down and looked across Alex and over to the passenger’s seat, where the view was breathtaking. He had been so busy trying to get his life on track since leaving the Army that meeting someone of the opposite sex wasn’t on his radar, but Jannice could change all that.

“Hi, Jannice, I’m David. How did someone as beautiful as you end up with a brother that’s as ugly as this guy?”

“Oh, he’s not so bad on the inside. You just need to get past his looks. Nice to meet you, David.”

“Okay, you two, if you’re done picking on me, I’d like some gas.”

Alex got out of the car and joined David by the gas pumps. He briefly stood staring across the street at the Nashua River as it flowed past the station. Today its color was bright red, other days he had seen it blue, or yellow, even green. It all depended on what color paper the Fitchburg Paper Company was producing that day.

“How did your phone call go?”

“I have an appointment with him tomorrow morning. He seems to be a decent guy; someone I could work with. Your sister has a pleasant personality. Is she dating anyone?”

“You’ll have to ask her, I don’t know what she’s doing at school.”

“That’s okay, I probably couldn’t afford to take her to the expensive places she’s used to going on dates.”

“How do you know if you don’t ask me?”

The unexpected female voice coming from behind him startled David to the point he nearly dropped the gas pump.

“Damn, when did you get out of the car? You scared the shit out of me.”

“Sorry about that, but you still haven’t asked.”

“Okay, would you like to go with me to Whalom Park tomorrow night?”

“An amusement park date, no one has ever asked me to go there with them. I’d love to. It sounds like fun.”

They made plans to get together for the following evening. It was a date that lasted for the next fifty-five years.