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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Chapter Thirteen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>1099 words<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Workplace Rivalry<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Before I could close my office door, Michelle inserted the sharp toe of her shoe into the jamb.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>“No-o-o closed doors today, Veronica. Remember, this is an OOOpen house,” she said. To emphasize the “O,” Michelle blew a ring of cigarette smoke in my face. She then turned to introduce another uninvited guest.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>“Hope you don’t mind. I asked Mike, Millwood’s quality control manager, to join us for Claudia’s factory tour.” Michelle stepped aside and Mike Snyder stepped in. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Chubby like a honey bear, Mike was a good old local boy, loyal and trustworthy like an Eagle Scout. Knowing that I wouldn’t be rude in front of Mike, Michelle had invited him along for insurance. For added protection, I saw she had also cornered Mr. Roberts, Millwood’s balding vice president of Manufacturing, to join us. My small office was suddenly crowded with intruders.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>“Nice to see you again, Claudia. Veronica can’t keep you all to herself,” Roberts chided. “You deserve the VIP tour. Mr. K and I are golf buddies, you know,” Roberts said as he gripped Claudia’s elbow. His Texas accent implied warm southern hospitality although we were in the frigid Midwest. He shepherded Claudia’s small entourage from my office. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Looking over her shoulder, Claudia stammered, “Veronica, my purse…”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>“Don’t worry, I’ll lock my office.” My news would have to wait. “Seems you’re quite popular around here,” I said, reluctantly following the impromptu tour group. More curious onlookers packed into the freight elevator with us. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Emerging on the lower floor of the factory, Snyder was forced to yell over the din of ear-splitting exhaust fans, piercing nail guns, powerful air compressors, and whirring sewing machines. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>“Sorry. It’s deafening at first, but we want visitors to see the assembly process in action, not idle,” Snyder explained. “Mind your step,” he cautioned. “Please stay within the indicated walkway.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Claudia looked rapidly left and right. I flung out my arm just in time to stop her from stepping on Michelle’s heel. Striding with importance ahead of us, Hamilton had stopped abruptly to point out the upholstery area. Massive bolts of intricate textiles and luxurious leather were arranged in tiers on A-frame racks reaching the ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>“</span><span lang=EN style='font-family:"Helvetica LT Pro";color:#343636'>As Millwood’s Design Manager, I personally select all the upholstery,” Michelle boasted. </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>“Designers can select from a wide array of finishes and coverings so every order is manufactured to their unique specifications.</span><span lang=EN style='font-family:"Helvetica LT Pro";color:#343636'> How about taking some photos for the paper, Claudia?” Michelle suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN style='font-family:"Helvetica LT Pro";color:#343636'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN style='font-family:"Helvetica LT Pro";color:#343636'>A growing train of visitors scrambled to pose with Michelle in front of the industrial size upholstery racks. </span>I had to admit, Shelly sure knew how to work a room, even one as big as a factory. Odds were, her photo would appear on the front page of Doe Lake’s newspaper, maybe even be picked up by the Grand Rapids daily that printed The Messenger.<span lang=EN style='font-family:"Helvetica LT Pro";color:#343636'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“This tour will take all day if Shelly stops to pose for the paper every stop along the way. It’s a big place,” Roberts said. “Let’s move on to the milling area.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“A big place is an understatement,” I whispered in Claudia’s ear. “<span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>There’s over 700,000 square feet of manufacturing space to tour.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Conveyors buzzed overhead, moving chair parts from finishing to assembly to shipping. Hand trucks and forklifts carted boxes and bins across the factory floor. Like an efficient colony of ants, factory workers hustled parts and pieces from the lumber mill to assembly and joinery, sanding and finishing. Casters, hinges, drawer handles, and upholstery nails were piled on dollies and pallets. Masked employees gripped spray guns fed by Hoses attached to 55-gallon drums containing noxious glue and finishes. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Above the raucous machinery, Snyder hollered, “Workers are required to wear ear plugs, safety goggles, and respiratory protection per OSHA regulations. We’re proud of Millwood’s low record of workplace injuries.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Roberts was compelled to embellish the factory’s safety record. “Although it’s a hazardous work environment, we’ve never had a work-related fatality.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Claudia leaned into my ear and said, “The prospect of biting the dust while making furniture had never occurred to me.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Knock on wood,” I said, tapping an unfinished desk top with my knuckles. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Speaking of biting the dust,” Roberts said, “that’s what the wood hog is for. Do you hear that constant droning, Claudia?”?”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Above all this racket?” Claudia asked. “I can’t even hear myself think.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Roberts explained, “The wood hog consumes about <span lang=EN style='font-family:"Helvetica LT Pro";color:#343636'>95 percent of our scrap wood. A conveyor feeds waste into the hog which pulverizes it into sawdust which fuels the plant’s boiler. It’s cost-saving and energy efficient”</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Waste not, want not,” I quipped.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Folks, we’re nearing the end of our tour.” Snyder nudged our group toward the shipping dock where an automatic strapper wrapped blankets around each finished piece. A vacuum lift hoisted the weighty case goods into shipping cartons imprinted with the Millwood logo.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Local dealers install the furniture for the end user…. Any questions?” Roberts and Hamilton chatted with visitors, so I seized Claudia by the elbow and took a short cut back to the elevator.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Hope you got some nice pictures,” I said. “Maybe Hamilton will look as priggish on the front page of The Messenger as she does in person.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“That’s awful, Veronica,” Claudia giggled in agreement. “I’ll pick the shot that shows off her most obvious assets.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Glad your sense of humor has returned, Claudia. Let’s go back to my office and I’ll tell you my news. That will also make you smile.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I unlocked my office and reminded Claudia to retrieve her purse.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Reaching for her purse under the table, Claudia said, “Looks like someone left you a note.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>On the table, it’s corner pinned under my bottle of seltzer water, a message was written in black marker.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“I’M WATCHING you” was written in capital letters, like a 96 point headline.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“What is this?” Someone had entered my office after we went on the tour. But, I had locked the door, hadn’t I? Hadn’t I just unlocked it when we returned? The three words were ominous.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“This must be some kind of love note,” I told Claudia, laughing it off to one of my many admirers. Tell you what, Claudia,” I continued, feeling a bit unraveled by the message but not wanting to let on, “how about I give you a call later and we can talk more then. I just remembered an important call I have to make before 2:00.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Whatever works, Veronica? I really appreciate your lifting my spirits today. Hope everyone here will be happy with my report, except for Hamilton, of course,” Claudia said on her way out.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>