The ambulance entered into the Peachtree-DeKalb Airport and drove up to at the General Aviation Terminal where a large helicopter was parked. The ambulance pulled up and parked next to the helicopter. The ambulance attendants wheeled Dan over to the aircraft and helped him aboard. The copilot loaded Dan's baggage in the storage compartment and closed the cabin door. Nelson carried Dan's laptop and brief case and placed them in the storage compartment and took the seat next to Dan. "Are you comfortable?" Nelson asked.
"I'm fine, thanks. This will be my first flight in a helicopter."
Nelson smiled, "I hope you like it, because there will be many more, that's for sure."
The aircraft lifted off smoothly and headed northwest. Twenty minutes later they were over Rome. "Were five minutes from touchdown," Nelson said. "Rome is directly below us now. If you look straight ahead, you'll see a landing field. Just beyond it, sitting atop that hill, is Dunnlap Manor, your future home."
"Holy feces! That place makes the White House look small, by comparison," Dan said. "What are the two large one-story buildings to the rear of the Manor house?"
"The building to the left houses the indoor swimming pool and gym. The one to the right is a combination banquet hall and ballroom. They are both unique structures. Both buildings connect by underground tunnels from the basement of the manor house. The banquet hall will seat 200 people. The banquet room itself can be changed over from a ballroom, to a meeting room, or to a dining room in a matter of hours. There are huge hydraulic lifts at either end of the room that carry the chairs and tables from storage areas on the lower level. The food is also delivered from there in special insulated warming carts in the same way. The carts are all motorized. Mr. Dunnlap prided himself on designing that building. He has two crews, recruited from the local area, that are trained and cross-trained, and are on call to handle any function Everyone knows their job. That's why everything always runs smoothly. I've had the opportunity of watching the staff prepare for two dinner parties and one Sunday brunch. It was fascinating to watch. It was better than watching that documentary on Queen Elizabeth's Royal Yacht, 'Britannica'. If you get a chance to observe the show, don't miss it."
"Does Sandy keep a full staff on all the time?"
"Lord, no," Nelson said. "He does have his regular household staff and a kitchen staff headed by a gourmet chef, with two assistants. If he is having a large party, he hires culinary staff from Atlanta. For a smaller sit down dinner for fifty or so people, he uses the local people to help out. Mr. Dunnlap has two separate dining rooms and a breakfast room in the Manor house. The large dining room will seat fifty people very comfortable. The other dining room is smaller and seats twelve people comfortably. That small dining room is where he eats his meals every day."
"Sandy is an extremely intelligent man and one of the most fascinating people I've ever known. We would talk for hours every day on so many different interesting subjects. He is a quite a story teller and I never tire of his conversations. He can go on for hours about his experiences growing up, and of his remarkable family. I would sit enthralled with his stories of how he started in his own business and the obstacles that he had to overcome to sell his ideas. Sandy was one of the few patients in my career that I really missed after my assignment ended. He has that effect on most people. It's no wonder that he's so successful." Nelson smiled, "Sandy is good people, and the nicest person I've ever had the privilege to know. He's the kind of man I know that I could turn to in time of need; he is just that kind of a person."
"I agree, he is a great person."
"We'll be touching down next to the hangers in a few seconds, and take the van up to the house."
"My God, the house and grounds are magnificent. The manor house looks huge from here," Dan said.
"You can say that again, the first few days I was working here I got lost twice." Nelson said. "You've heard of the expression, 'Your home is your castle.' Well, that's true of Sandy Dunnlap. He loves his castle and his town. His estate manager told me that Sandy spent months pouring over architect blueprints, planning this town until it was the way he wanted it. He hired three architectural firms to design different parts of the project. Sandy is a perfectionist, and extremely creative. He hires the best people around and expects the best from them. But, don't screw-up, and then try to cover it up, because he'll skin you alive. I've had a chance to observe him over a period of time and I've found him to be fair and reasonable in all his dealings. I've also seen the other side of his personality. He can as tough as steel when he has to be. I guess you don't build an empire from scratch and not be a strong willed individual."
"You're a lucky guy to be invited to be a guest in his home. Sandy is a very private person, even though, in public, he appears to be an outgoing person. Your host enjoys the finer things of life and lives better than the royalty of Europe."
"Interesting," Dan said. "In the short time I've known Sandy, I've found him to be a sincere, unassuming person. I had no idea he was such a wealthy man."
"Nice smooth landing, guys," Nelson said to the pilots. "The van will pull over as soon as the blades stop rotating."
Nelson and the driver helped Dan out of the van and into a wheelchair. "I can use the walker, Nelson," Dan said.
"I'm sure you can, but until I've had a chat with Doctor Woodruff, I want you to remain in the wheelchair. You had a busy morning and your leg needs a rest, so humor me for a while."
Dan smiled and nodded his head in agreement.
Nelson wheeled Dan up to the main entrance. The door was opened by a middle-aged butler, who appeared to be an Asian-American. He was dressed in black and white, with coat, and bow tie, and crape sole shoes.
"Good afternoon, Nelson. It's good to see you again. And you, sir, must be Mr. Kelly. I'm Ludlow, the butler. Welcome to Dunnlap Manor."
"Thank you, Ludlow," Dan said.
"Mister Dunnlap is on a conference call at the moment. He said he will join you for lunch. If you would like to freshen up, there is a lavatory off the morning room," Ludlow said.
"I think that may be a good idea," Nelson said as he wheeled Dan down the long hall to the morning room. After they finished using the facilities, Nelson wheeled Dan back into the morning room to wait for Sandy.
Sandy walked in ten minutes later. "Sorry to keep you waiting, gentlemen, but that's life in the fast lane," Sandy said. He walked over and shook Nelson's hand. "It's good to see again, I'm pleased that you were free to accept this assignment. Now I know Danny will be in good hands. How are you feeling, Danny? Was the trip too much of a strain on you?"
"No, I'm fine, Sandy, thanks for asking. You have a beautiful home, I'm impressed. No, I take that back, I'm overwhelmed."
Sandy chuckled, "Good, that will give you something to talk about when your friends come to visit," Sandy said as he patted Dan on the shoulder. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starved. What say we head into the dining room for lunch?"
Sandy led the way into the dining room. "Nelson why don't you arrange Danny's chair to my right and you sit on my left," Sandy said. "Good, how about a glass of excellent German wine that Ludlow has selected for lunch?"
Both Dan and Nelson nodded in agreement. "You may begin serving now, Ludlow."
Ludlow served the wine. "Excellent choice, Ludlow," Sandy said, as Ludlow began serving lunch.
"This is a delightful room," Dan said.
"Thank you," Sandy said. "I really enjoy this dining room the most, as it has a lovely view overlooking the rose garden. The two sets of French doors open out to the terrace. On nice days I have lunch on the terrace, it's screened in so we don't have to worry about the bugs. This room has an interesting history. It was originally the dining room of the Earl of Nottinghamshire. I was fortunate to run across it on one of my buying trips in England. The present family was strapped for cash so I bought the room and furnishings. After the room was reassembled here the antique dealer found out that the original furnishings were sold many years ago. Once again, the family had been strapped for cash. They sold the original furniture and silver, all of which was designed by the Adams Brothers. The pieces I purchased with the room were also antiques, but not of the quality of the original furnishings. Naturally, I wanted the room to be as it was in the beginning, so I commissioned my antiques consultant to find the missing pieces. As of three months ago, I was able to purchase the original silver candelabras. Now, I'm happy to say that we are seated in the Earl of Nottinghamshire's dining room, with the original furniture, and silver service that the Adams designed for this room."
"That is remarkable," Dan said. "How did your dealer ever find all these beautiful things?"
"Oddly enough, it was not as difficult as you might think. The family kept records of everything that went on in that house. They even had records dating back to the sixteenth century. Most of the time was spent laboriously reading every entry until they found the name of the buyer of items that were sold."
"My God, it must have cost you a small fortune," Nelson said.
"You don't want to know what it cost in the end," Sandy said. "The cost of the restoration alone was astronomical. After all, it's only money. It gives me so much enjoyment to live with such beauty and to know that this room and its contents have survived for hundreds of years, and to realize that there is not another room like this in existence in the entire world. This is a historical treasure and it's priceless. Think of that, this room was here before us, and will still be here long after we are dead. When I die this house and its contents will become a museum."
"Now, enough of my passion for antiques and history," Sandy said. "If everyone is finished, it's time to talk about the present and what I have planned for you, Danny. Nelson, Danny looks like he needs to lie down and rest. Why don't we take the elevator to the second floor and get him settled into his bedroom suite."
Once upstairs, Nelson wheeled Dan into the comfortably furnished sitting room.
"This is a fabulous home, Sandy, and this room is delightful," Dan said.
"I'm glad you like it," Sandy said. "This is the ideal room for you. There are hardwood floors throughout. I've had all the rugs removed until you're more stable on your feet. We don't want you to slip on the rugs, now do we? You'll also be able to maneuver your wheelchair better on the hardwood floors as well. You have a nice size bedroom; dressing room and bathroom complete with a whirlpool, a steam room and exercise area. You'll get used to the place in short order. Why don't you join me in the library after you've had a lie down?"
"As a matter of fact, I am a little tired," Dan said. "I'll join you later."
"I'll leave you in Nelson's capable hands."
Sandy was seated in the library reading as Dan slowly entered the room with the aid of his walker. "Mind if I join you," Dan asked
"Please do," Sandy said. He waited for Dan to be seated in his high backed wing chair across from Sandy. "How do you feel now?"
"Much better, thanks. That long nap and whirlpool session did me a world of good. It sure helps take some of the soreness out of my arms and legs. You have a beautiful home; in fact everything I've seen so far is beyond belief. It's hard to believe that you have accomplished so much in so little time. Heck, your only four years older than I am, and you're such a wealthy man. You give us ordinary guys an inferiority complex."
"Come now," Sandy said, "somehow you don't strike me as being ordinary. I've always thought of you as being above average. At least that's what my instincts tell me. You'll be happy to learn that I'm usually right about people."
"Has Nelson gone over your medical treatment plan for the next month?"
"Yes, he has. The physical therapist will start working with me tomorrow on a special therapy program that Doctor Woodruff, the therapist, and Doctor David Grant have agreed on."
"David Grant will be replacing Doctor Magnusson, your Atlanta internist. David is one of the best doctors around. He also happens to be Chief of Medicine at Dunnlap Hospital and a super person besides. I know you will like him. Three weeks from this coming Thursday, my family will arrive to spend a week with us. They will be here to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the SDS Corporation, which is the parent company of SDS Digital Systems. It should be quite an event; at least I hope it will be. My staff has been planning this for some time. This little town is going to be jumping. I would like you to join in the festivities as well. You're welcome to invite your friends and your mother for the big event. It's going to be a three-day event, starting on Friday afternoon and ending Sunday afternoon. Saturday is the day set aside for the award ceremony and the banquet dinner. If you don't feel up to it, I will understand."
"I'll be happy to attend your party. I would like to invite my three closest friends and their dates for Saturday. Friday is out for them. They have classes and they all have part time jobs. They can drive down Saturday and drive back after the party that same evening."
"Why don't you see if they can get away sooner on Saturday," Sandy said. "If they can make it, we can fly them down on Saturday and they can fly back to Atlanta on Sunday afternoon. Can they stay overnight?'
"That would be nice, but staying overnight is out, they all have to be at work Sunday."
"Your Mom told me that she was planning to be in town next week," Sandy said. "If she hasn't made tentative plans, I would like to invite her to spend the weekend here with us."
Dan smiled, "Mom met an old friend of my Dad's, Roger Brant, when she moved to New York. He lost his wife a year ago and they have been dating. From the way she's been talking about Roger, I think things are getting serious. I have the feeling that Mom wants my appraisal of the guy before they take the next step."
"That's really good news," Sandy said. "You should invite Roger as well, I'm sure we'll find something interesting to do, if they would like to stay for the weekend."
"I'll call Mom later tonight and invite her for the weekend."
"Now, how about a glass of wine before dinner?" Sandy asked.
"Thank you, that sounds wonderful."
Sandy picked up the cell phone from the table and punched in Ludlow's number. "Ludlow, would you ask Nelson to join us in the library and bring in a bottle of Rothschild Champagne for our cocktails tonight."
Sandy was reading the Wall Street Journal as Dan entered the breakfast room, Friday morning. "Good morning, Danny. Did you have a comfortable night?"
"Yes, I was out like a light by 9 p.m., and slept straight through. I woke up at five this morning completely rested. I was able to catch up on my assignments before breakfast. That really makes me feel good."
"I have a surprise for you," Sandy said. "One of the bright lads in my technical support group came up with a miniature recording and relay device that will be installed in each of your classrooms and lecture halls. Now you will be able to see, and follow, your classes by watching your teachers on the big screen TV in your sitting room."
"That's great, Sandy; and Tech agreed to this?"
"They were very understanding and cooperative when I told them I would make the equipment available, free of charge to any disabled student who could not attend his, or her regular classes."
"Thanks again, Sandy. I really appreciate everything you've done for me."
"You're welcome. Are you excited about your mother's visit today?"
"I sure am, it will be good to see her again. I'm also curious about meeting Roger Brant, Mom's boyfriend. It would be great if he's the right guy for her. Dad passed away eight years ago, and Mom really needs to find someone. I'll be graduating from GT next year and will be off on my own. Of course I would like to find something in Atlanta, but that's going to depend on the company I go with. If I'm lucky, I'll find a position in the Sunbelt. My second choice would be the West Coast, maybe Silicon Valley, or in Seattle, with Microsoft. They have offered me a job after I graduate."
"Speaking of jobs," Sandy said, "Brad Stevens, my director of special projects, will be by to talk to you next week about that part-time position we spoke of. Brad has more of a handle on where the Design and Development group needs help. He'll be able to give you an assignment to work on. I'm so far removed from that end of the business; I wouldn't even know where to begin. But, if you do run into a problem, please feel free to run it by me."
"Thanks, again."
"Well, I'm off to the office. I won't be home for lunch today as I plan are to take off early this afternoon to welcome your mother and Roger. They should be landing around three thirty. After they get settled in, I thought I'd take you all on a quick tour of the estate, and take you into the small town of Dunnlap. So tell your therapist to go easy on the workout this afternoon."
Dan smiled, "Would you like me to fix you lunch?"
Sandy chuckled, "No, thanks, I got my allowance on Monday; I think I can splurge today and go out for lunch."
"See you later," Sandy said as he walked out the door."
Dan grinned, as he shook his head watching him leave. Sandy stopped, turned to face Dan, "I'm glad you decided to stay here, it been like old times, I like having you here," Sandy said. Then he turned and walked out of the room.
Sandy was standing next to the large van as the helicopter touched down. One of the ground crew opened the aircraft door and lowered the stairs. Nora stepped out of the aircraft followed by three other men. Sandy greeted them all. He immediately recognized two, his staff Vice Presidents. Sandy said, "Hey, Jim, George, it's good to have you back, let's plan to get together tomorrow morning at the office. Nora, welcome to Dunnlap."
"Thank you, Sandy," Nora said with a sly smile on her face. "I would like you to meet Roger Brant. Roger, this is Sandy Dunnlap."
"Welcome to Dunnlap, Roger. It's nice you could join us. Why don't we get in the coach and head up to the house?" The driver loaded the bags in the back of the coach, closed the passenger door and got in the driver's seat.
"How is Danny feeling?" Nora asked.
"He's doing just fine. It's good to see you again, Nora. Congratulations on your promotion. Danny told me all about it."
Nora smiled, "You're a foxy one," Nora said. "I was flabbergasted when one of your VPs pointed out your estate from the air. They also told me how important you really are. Yes, you're the sly one, Mr. Dunnlap. You didn't exactly lie about yourself. But, you can imagine my shock when your VPs told me that you owned The SDS Corporation that in turn is the owner of SDS Digital Systems. Here I thought SDS was some storefront computer business. Of course, my darling son played right along with the charade. All he said when I asked him if your house was big enough to put us up for the weekend, was that it wouldn't be a problem. Like you, he left out the fact that your home was the size of Buckingham Palace. All kidding aside, Sandy, does this all belong to you?"
Sandy chuckled, "Yes, my dear, I confess, it's all mine. I guess you don't read the Wall Street Journal much, if you had, you would have seen my picture, or at least my name, in bold print," Sandy said. "I also own the town of Dunnlap, and quite a bit more. It's a long story and I'll be happy to tell you all about it one day. But, for now, I think we should go in the house."
Ludlow opened the front door to the Manor. Sandy made the introductions, "Ludlow runs things here, so if you need anything, talk to Ludlow," Sandy said. "Now I'm sure you're anxious to see Danny, so let me take you to him."
They took the elevator to the second floor and Sandy led them down the hall
to the
"Go ahead," Sandy said. "This entire suite has an interesting history. It was removed from an eighteenth century English Country home. Of course, the furniture was completely restored and some newer lounge chairs added for comfort."
Sandy went on to describe the room and its contents. "The walls are paneled in mahogany; the gold framed oil paintings depict various hunting scenes. The window coverings are Scottish plaid draperies. The furniture is upholstered in a mixture of leather, and decorative fabrics." Warm colors complemented the rest of the room. One wall was covered with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. On the opposite wall was the fireplace and an entertainment center with a giant TV screen, sound system and built in computer equipment.
The same design and elegant decor was carried through in the bed chamber as well. On one wall, was the king-size bed with built in shelves in the backboard. A matched pair of hand carved bedside cabinets stood at either side of the bed. There was a small sitting area and a large screen TV on the opposite wall from the bed. The third wall contained the entertainment section with a large screen computer monitor and a desk top computer console with an all-in-one laser color printer. The whole area could be enclosed behind a hand carved paneled door.
"This hand held control box operates the room lights, TV, stereo, room temperature controls, and the motors that open and close the draperies," Sandy said. "The cell phones throughout the house act as our intercom and pager system. The phone's back panel is hinged and has a label and a button for each person. The head board panels contain sections for a reading light and a thermos of fresh water and a glass. The other is for storage. The bathroom and dressing room are through the door on the left."
Nora shook her head, "Besides being beautiful, this suite is so functional. You've thought of everything, Sandy. It's really quite nice."
"Thank you," Sandy said. "Enough of my suite; Danny's suite is just down the hall. After you visit Danny, I'll have Ludlow show you to your suite."
Sandy led them down the hall to the next set of hand carved doors. He knocked, after a few seconds the door was opened by Nelson.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Dunnlap," Nelson said. "Dan is just finishing dressing he'll be out in a few minutes." Nelson opened the door to the sitting room. "Please come in."
"Nelson, I would like to introduce Mrs. Nora Kelly, Danny's mother, and Roger Brant, her companion." Sandy said. "Nelson is Danny's nurse. He can bring you up-to-date on Danny's progress. Don't let us take you away from your patient, Nelson. We'll sit here and wait until Danny can join us."
"We'll only be another ten minutes," Nelson said.
"Don't rush on our account, take all the time you need," Sandy said. "Why don't we make ourselves comfortable while we wait? May I offer you something to drink?"
"I'd love a diet Coke," Nora said.
Ludlow walked over to where they were seated. Mr. Brant, what would you like to drink?"
"Ice tea if you have it," Roger said.
"Master Sandy, would you like a glass of lemonade?" Ludlow asked.
"Yes, thanks, Ludlow."
Ludlow walked over to the wall that housed the entertainment center and opened two large doors to reveal a Pullman kitchen and bar. He began preparing the refreshments.
Roger said, "Now, this room is more to my taste. I always liked the simple clean lines of the Scandinavian design. I really like the brilliant colors and the dark woods. Don't misunderstand me; I enjoy the English antiques, but this style is more to my liking."
"I understand," Sandy said. "I've tried to embrace a variety of designs and periods in my decorating scheme. Your suite in the East Wing is in the Federal Period. Other suites in the same wing are of Louis XIV and one of the Victorian Period. Some of the suites on the third floor are a hoot, and a lot of fun. I have suites from the 1920's through the 70's." At present I'm concentrating on furniture of Colonial America. I've have a fairly good collection of museum quality pieces now spread around the house and my office building. I think I'm going to run out of display space before long. What I've been doing lately is weeding and upgrading the poorer quality pieces and replacing them with the museum quality pieces. It's something I enjoy doing and I love the thrill of finding a really exceptional piece of antique furniture. Heck, why not spend some of my money and enjoy it while I can?"
Ludlow served them their beverages. The bedroom door opened and Dan and Nelson came into the sitting room. Nora jumped up and ran over to Dan and hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. "How's my baby?" She asked.
"I'm doing great, Mom, and I've never feel better. Nelson takes good care of me, and Sandy has been super. I've got it made."
"Honey, I would like you to meet Roger Brant," Nora said. "He is the man I've been telling you about. I know it's been a while, but he was a good friend of your Dad's and came to visit us many years ago, do you remember him at all?"
"Nice to see you again, Roger. I do remember you now. I seem to recall that you had two daughters around my age, didn't you?"
"You have a good memory," Roger said. "The older, Doreen, graduated from Cornell University, School of Medicine, and is interning at New York Hospital. My younger daughter, Barbara, is in her senior year at Columbia University, School of Engineering. She is a Computer Science major."
"That's wonderful," Dan said.
"Danny," Sandy said. "Do you still feel up to taking the grand tour, this afternoon?"
"You bet I've been looking forward to it."
"Nora, Roger, I promised Danny that I'd take y'all on the grand tour of Dunnlap" Sandy said. "If everyone is agreeable, I'll make the arrangements."
"Sure, we'd love to go."
"Good," Sandy said. "Ludlow will show you your rooms, where you can freshen up. Danny and I will wait for you in the sitting room.
"Ludlow, everything was perfect, as usual; please extend on my compliments to Jacques for a magnificent dinner," Sandy said.
Ludlow smiled, "Thank you, Sir, I'm glad you were pleased. I will relay your compliments to the staff."
"If you all have finished your coffee, why don't we adjourn to the drawing room for after dinner drinks," Sandy said.
Shortly after they were seated, Ludlow wheeled in a small portable bar and took everyone's drink order. After everyone was served, he left. "Tomorrow evening, I'm having an informal dinner party. It's casual dress. I thought we'd spend a nice relaxing weekend together and plan our activities so that Danny could enjoy it with us. Roger, do you play golf?"
"My favorite pastime," Roger said.
"Great, why don't we play after my meeting tomorrow morning? How does 9 a.m. sound? That will give Nora and Danny a chance to visit while we're on the links. My brother has invited us to join them for lunch. So we can plan to leave after our game around noon. I wanted to fly you all to see the farm my brother and I own. It's our pride and joy. I've been traveling a lot in the past two months and haven't been by to see him and his brood. I thought you would like the opportunity to visit a working farm. It shouldn't take long, and we'll be back in plenty of time to rest up and change for dinner. Is that okay with everyone?"
"How many siblings are in your family, Sandy?" Nora asked.
"I have three older sisters and my twin brother, Pete. My Mom is an attorney and a partner in the law firm of Ashton, Cohen, Dunnlap & Morgan in Atlanta. My Dad owns a successful engineering firm in Atlanta. My oldest sister, Mary Grayson, is a housewife, with three wonderful children. The middle sister, Anne Brown, is also a lawyer, and has two children, and my younger sister, Gloria, is a Psychiatrist."
"By the way, if you and Roger are free in two weeks time, I would like you to be my guests at the Anniversary party my firm is hosting. My family will be here for the event, and you will have a chance to meet them all. It promises to be an interesting weekend. If you would like to come, you must let me know by Tuesday of next week. Most of the guests will be arriving Saturday morning. The festivities begin with a buffet lunch in the garden followed by a cocktail party at five. After the formal dinner at seven, there will be entertainment and dancing in the main ballroom. We have invited some very interesting people, including his honor, the Governor of Georgia, and the Federal, State, and local representatives. And let us not forget the ladies and gentlemen of the press. It should be an interesting event. Think about it and let me know next week."
"My Mom, Dad, and Gloria, the shrink, will be staying here, the rest will be staying at the farm with Pete, and the overflow overnight guests will be put up in my guest villas. I wanted all the children to stay here, but my sisters put their foot down. They said I would spend too much time with the kids and forget about my guests. I'm the baby of the family; Pete is the older brother by ten minutes. Anyway, my sisters still treat me like a kid brother. It doesn't matter to them that I'm a billionaire. They just don't get it. I guess I'll always be their baby brother, end of story."
Nora laughed, "Poor baby. I guess we all have our crosses to bear."
"Well, folks, I hate to be a party pooper," Sandy said. "But I have about two hours of work ahead before I can crawl into bed. If you need anything at all call Ludlow, and he will handle it. Breakfast is served from six o'clock on, in the small dining room, or if you prefer, you can have it served in your sitting room any time. Roger, I'll pick you up at 9 a.m.; we'll need to stop at the pro-shop to get you a set of clubs and shoes."
"I'll be ready," Roger said.
"Hold on, Sandy, I think I'll ride up with you," Dan said. "I'll need to rest up for the big day tomorrow."
"One last thing, folks," Sandy said, as he and Dan were leaving, "don't leave the house, or open a window between 11 p.m. and 6 in the morning. The alarm system is activated between those hours. If you need to leave, call security and they will assist. Well, goodnight again."
They got off at the second floor. Sandy walked Dan to his suite. "Good night, Danny, I'll see you at lunch tomorrow."
"Night, Sandy, thanks for the pleasant evening. I could see my Mom had a good time."
Sandy dialed Ludlow when he got to his sitting room. "Ludlow, how are we coming along with Dan's wardrobe?
"Everything was delivered this afternoon while you were entertaining your guests. Everything will be moved into Dan's dressing room before you return tomorrow, sir."
"Thank you, Ludlow; I really thought your floral arrangements were exceptional. I'm anxious to see what you will create for the banquet."
"Thank you, sir. I'm sure you'll like the arrangements I'm preparing for the Banquet. I'll also have boutonniθres for the gentlemen and corsages for the ladies."
"Good thinking, Ludlow."
Dan was sitting on the patio the next morning having his orange juice when his mother joined him. She kissed him on the cheek, "Good morning, sweetheart," Nora said. "Did you sleep well?"
"Good morning, Mom. Yes, I sleep well every night. I love this place, it's like nowhere I've ever been before. It's so peaceful and beautiful. I sit here in the morning and feast my eyes on the beauty of the grounds. It's just fantastic. Take a good look out there, Mom. Do you realize that this Manor and the entire estate were built to Sandy's specifications? I'm amazed at his creative talents. He has been wonderful to me, and I don't feel at all uncomfortable accepting his generosity," Dan chuckled.
Nora raised her eyebrows, "I had a feeling that Sandy might be gay," Nora said. She looked into her son's eyes. "You know I'm not one to beat around the bush; are you gay, Danny?"
Dan smiled, "No, Mom, I'm not. Sandy was honest with me from the beginning. He told me he was gay. He knows that I'm straight and I'm not his type. He told me he is getting over a very bad relationship, and has given up becoming involved again for a long time. Sandy said I'm welcome to stay as long as I wanted with no strings attached. I'm free to walk away any time I wanted. We are strictly friends and nothing more. I really like Sandy, as a friend. I'll let you in on a little secret, if I was gay, I wouldn't hesitate for a minute to catch him."
Nora laughed, "Yes, sir, that's my boy. There is no argument on my part that Sandy is a handsome, charming young man, and he would be a catch for either sex. I love you, sweetheart, and I always will, no matter what, gay or straight. I just don't want you to get hurt."
"Don't worry, I won't. Look, I'll be moving back to Atlanta as soon as my leg heals. I have another year to go at Tech. I'm going to continue to enjoy living the good life for as long as I can. After breakfast, I would like you to come to my suite to show you the wonderful gift Sandy surprised me with this morning."
"Don't keep me in suspense?" Nora said. "What did he give you?"
"When I arrived here a month ago, I only had the clothes from the nursing home plus some designer changes of clothing Sandy bought for me. Well, this morning I walked into the dressing room, and it was filled with a brand new wardrobe. He gave me a complete new wardrobe, tuxedos, suits, sports wear, casual wear, shirts, ties, underwear, shoes and a matching set luggage. Mom I still can't get over this. I spent almost an hour going through everything. You've got to see for yourself. Everything is color coordinated, it is just unbelievable, and its mind boggling. That wardrobe must have cost close to fifty-thousand dollars."
"That's some very thoughtful friend, Dan. Why do I get the feeling that Sandy is not expecting you to move back to Atlanta any time soon?"
"You're wrong there; he knows that I must go back to GT."
"Time will tell," Nora said.
"Now, tell me, what's going on in your life?" Dan asked. "You must like Roger a lot, if you brought him down to meet me."
"You're right, Danny, it's more than like, we're in love. He wants me to marry him, but there are some serious issues that need to be decided before we make that commitment. We both have good jobs now, and will most likely settle down in New York. However, Roger wants us to move to the old family estate in Manassas, Virginia after we've married. He would also like to have children. That's one of the little issues I need to consider. I don't know if I want to start raising another family at this point in my life. I just don't know. Although, giving up my job to become a homemaker, sounds very tempting. The jury is still out on that. Roger is planning to take me home to see the old homestead. His daughter and his son-in-law are living there until the end of May. They will be relocating to California, to Silicone Valley. After they leave, the place will be empty again. You haven't said what you think of him."
"From the short time we've had together, he seems to be very nice. He acts like a gentlemen and seems intelligent. He's handsome, charming and it's obvious that he cares for you very much. Look, Mom, he must be a great guy, or you wouldn't be in love with him. He is really a lucky guy to have found you. I'm happy for you, and I'm sure it will work for both of you. It's only a two hour flight to Dulles Airport from Atlanta, you know."
"I love you, sweetheart," Nora said. "You're the best son a mother could want. You are a beautiful person, and you remind me of so much of your father. Only, you're gorgeous." Nora got up and gave Danny a hug and kissed him on the cheek.
Dan answered the ring on his cell phone. "I'm leaving right now, Nelson," Dan said. "If you'll excuse me, Mom, it's time for my physical therapy session. I'll see you later."
Doctor Woodruff walked into Sandy Dunnlap's hospital room. He was still dressed in his green hospital scrubs. "Your operation went better than we expected, Sandy," he said. "In six months, with your new hip joint, you'll be walking normally again and without any pain. That limp you had before has been eliminated. After the local anesthetic wears off you will be feeling some discomfort; just push that button next to your right hand and it will dispense a dose of pain killer directly into your bloodstream. Every time you feel pain, push the button, and the pain will disappear within minutes. If it's not doing the job, let your nurse know. Don't be brave; there is no reason you should be in pain. Now, do you have any questions before I leave?"
"Yes," Sandy said. "Why are there two beds in here? I had requested a private room."
"I'm sorry about that, Sandy. Actually, this was to be your private room, but we had several emergencies last night and we were forced to double up. I didn't think you'd want us to turn away a student of your alma mater. He was injured in a soccer game last night when his knee was shattered. I need to replace his knee joint today. We had no choice but to move him in with you. His name is Dan Kelly, and he is a fine, young man. I can assure you he is not a loud-mouthed jock. We will be releasing five patients on Wednesday. That will free up some rooms and allow us to move Dan into another room. He should be up here by three this afternoon. My staff is prepping him for surgery right now. I feel sorry for Dan in a way, because his playing days are over. His coach told me he was one of the key players."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Doc," Sandy said. "I really don't mind sharing this room with the guy."
Sandy didn't remember much for the rest of the day. He floated in and out of sleep and lost all track of time. It seemed as if the nurses were waking him every few minutes to check his vital signs, or changing bags on the IV. When he awoke later that afternoon, Dan had been moved in and was hooked up to the monitoring equipment on the opposite side of the room.
There was a flurry of activity for the next several hours, while the nursing staff checked on them both. Then, peace and quite reigned supreme for a while. When Sandy awoke again, it was dark outside. An attractive woman was seated next to Dan's bed. He learned later that she was Dan's mother, Nora. That's all he remembered before dozing off again. He vaguely recalled drinking his liquid dinner, then he was off to la-la land once again. A restless night was spent by all.
The staff woke them around 5:30 a.m. for their morning ritual of washing and brushing. Sandy would never understand why it had to be so early. From then on, it was a never-ending parade of nurses, doctors, and staff people, poking and prodding and asking questions. Shortly after breakfast, the day staff appeared, with their smiling faces, perky dispositions, and determined attitudes. Both patients were told that they were going to get up out of bed and sit in their bedside chairs for a few hours. That was their first opportunity to chat.
"Hi, I'm Dan Kelley."
"Nice to meet you, Dan, I'm Sandy Dunnlap."
"How long have you been here, Sandy?"
"Since yesterday morning."
"God, I'm so out of it," Dan said. "I can't believe what that Physical Therapist said earlier about having us up and walking today."
Sandy smiled, "If you had told me they'd have me out of bed and sitting in a chair, I'd have said you were crazy. At this point, I'm prepared for anything. Mind you, I'm not looking forward to walking down the hall, but I'll tell you something, my friend, I'll do anything to avoid using one of those terrible bedpans again."
"Oh, you've been hospitalized before?" Dan asked.
"Yes. I was in a bad automobile accident last year and was hospitalized for over a month. This hip replacement operation was the end result of that accident. The patch-up job they did at the time didn't heal properly, and my hip had been giving me a lot of pain. So, this new team of specialists decided that I needed a complete hip replacement, along with a little bone grafting at the same time. Doctor Woodruff assures me that this time everything will be perfect. I understand that you were injured during the game?"
"Yeah, that was a real bummer. My doctor said I should be able to play again next year, if everything goes according to plan. The only trouble with that is, I'll never be able to play on this team again. A year is too long to be out of the game. There are plenty of other good players ready to take my place, right now. I'm going to miss playing'; I really love the game."
"How old are you, Dan?"
"I'll be twenty in two months."
"And how old are you, Sandy?"
"I'll be twenty-six this year."
"God, I thought you were my age."
"Thanks, buddy, you've made my day." Their conversation was cut short by the arrival of their doctors, physical therapists, and the usual visits by the nurse to check on IV's and dressings.
Dan was strapped to a motorized knee exercising unit that he would use several times a day. There was little chance to sleep with all the interruptions.
The second day, the doctor removed Sandy's drain and catheter. They also removed Dan's catheter. Every day was a repeat of the previous day, with the exception of the exercise periods; they were longer and more frequent.
Dan was a popular guy; he received a steady stream of visitors. A teammate dropped by that afternoon and some others in the evening along with his girlfriend. His mom stopped by every evening after work to visit. On the third day, the Doc came by and told Sandy that he was doing well; yet, he didn't sound too optimistic about discharging him that Friday. Sandy had hoped that he would be home by the weekend, but that was not in the cards. He was told that he would be moving to the rehabilitation floor as soon as his temperature returned to normal.
Dan took a turn for the worse, he developed a fever. His temperature shot up to 102 degrees during the night. It turned out that he had a bacterial infection. The room was placed in quarantine with only immediate family allowed to visit. They pumped the medication into him after that. Now, he was able to rest since the flow of visitors was stopped.
Sandy found Dan to be a personable roommate. He had an even disposition and had a smile for everyone. He never heard him complain about anything, and there sure was a lot to complain about. Sandy's biggest complaint was the noise in the corridors in the evenings. He didn't care what other people thought, but a hospital was not the place for children after 7 p.m.. He was awakened the previous two nights by children playing in the hall outside his room after 8 p.m., and he complained to the nursing supervisor on duty.
She apologized for his inconvenience, but explained that this happened quite often, since the hospital administrator had relaxed the rules on visitors and visiting hours. Sandy felt that a hospital is for the sick, and not a place for young children, so the next morning he called the hospital administrator and made a formal complaint, and as added insurance, he also sent emails to his friends on the board. As a result, from that night on, new rules were posted regarding visitors, and a security guard walked the corridors to enforce the new visiting rules. It was very peaceful after that.
Dan was not a happy camper after his doctor told him that he would not be going home as planned. Both patients were going to be stuck in the hospital for at least another week, maybe longer.
Dan confided to Sandy, that he was glad that he would be spending more time in the rehab center, as he was concerned about how he was going to manage at home when he was released. His mother worked full time and there was no way he could safely manage the stairs in his house alone. His home was a typical two story house, with the bedrooms and bathrooms on the second floor. He did not think he would be able to use the stairs more than once a day. Once he was down stairs in the morning, he was down for the day, until his mom got home from work.
Dan said, "Another option is a nursing home, but I found out my medical insurance plan only pays half of the fees. Mom can't take the time from her job to take care of me. The doctor feels that it will be at least six weeks before I'll regain the strength in my knee to do stairs without crutches. There's no way my Mom's firm will let her take two months off. She is Director of Human Resources and carries a full work load every day. I certainly wouldn't want her to give up that position for me. Maybe after three weeks of therapy I'll be able to manage better. I understand the physical therapy floor is less structured than this floor. Fortunately, my medical insurance pays for rehab therapy."
"I know the feeling, I'm in the same boat," Sandy said. "Let's see how we feel in two weeks time."
The two remained roommates in the Rehab Center. There were quite a few patients in this section, which was not exclusively for surgical patients. There were some recovering from strokes, in addition to amputees and other disabled patients. It was really a world unto itself. They both had regular exercise programs tailored to their particular needs. Sandy's program was quite tiring for him. The doctor explained that they were still recovering from major surgery and it would take a long time before they could resume a normal life.
Dan proved himself to be the ideal roommate. During the three weeks they spent together they became friends. Sandy met Dan's mother and his girlfriend, his teammates, and friends from the University, of which there was a never-ending parade every day. Dan was not only a popular guy, but he was a handsome one, as well. He was dark complected, just shy of six feet tall, with curly, light brown hair, mixed with strands of gold. He had expressive brown eyes and a warm friendly smile that lit up his whole face.
Their spare time was consumed with work. Dan's classmates brought his class work by ever day, with tape recordings of the lectures that he missed. For Sandy, it was much easier to tend to his office work using a laptop tied into the company's main frame computer, and he was able to stay current with business from his hospital bed.
It wasn't much different from the way he normally conducted his daily workload, generally averaging just two days a week in the office. The rest of the time, he worked out of his home. While in the hospital, his conference calls had to be cut back to three one-hour conferences per day. He arranged with the nursing staff to use one of the empty meeting rooms each day for those calls.
Sandy gave one of his old laptops to Dan for his school work. Dan was so grateful for the gift that you would think he had given him a Rolls Royce.
In spite of their age difference, the friendship flourished. Dan wasn't your typical college junior. He was mature, level headed and highly intelligent. He had it together as far as Sandy was concerned. Sandy enjoyed his company, maybe more so than he should. He had made a promise to himself, after breaking up with his last lover, that he would never become emotionally involved with a younger man again. George, his former lover, cured him of that as it cost him more than a million bucks to be rid of him.
Dan was off limits as far as Sandy was concerned; besides, he was straight. His girlfriend, Margie, was an adorable, intelligent young woman. They were a nice couple and were refreshing to watch. They were not all over each other, like so many couples, but you could sense the strong feelings they had for each other.
Dan's mother was an intelligent, warm and attractive woman. It was easy to see where Dan inherited his good looks and brains. Sandy admired them both, and hoped they could all remain friends after they were discharged from the hospital. He felt strongly about these new people in his life. Dan's mother, Nora, stopped by every night after work to visit, and always brought a special treat for each of them. Nora always inquired as to how their day went, and what they had learned that day in therapy. As much as they tried, and forced themselves to do better, the muscles and bone tissue had their own timetable in the healing process.
After Sandy was discharged, he began working full time at home until such time as the doctor would allow him to return to the office. He stipulated that Sandy could only work half days. Of course, the doctor didn't know that a twelve-hour day was Sandy's normal schedule.
Sandy didn't understand the reasoning behind that admonition. By the second day he was in pain. Even though the mind was willing, the body wasn't. His leg puffed up and he became exhausted by the end of those two days. So, the doctor had him back in bed, on anti-inflammatory medication and ice packs. It took another two months of exercise and therapy before Sandy could put in an eight-hour day at his desk. Even then he had to walk with a cane. Finally, he was able to resume his travel schedule again, as it became increasingly necessary for him to check on his regional offices and to close some of the key accounts that were on hold.
In retrospect, because of the limited use of his leg, he never regretted the decision to buy his own jet aircraft to fly around the country. Naturally, his tax and business advisors preferred him to lease a plane on a monthly basis. But he wanted to have his own plane, designed for his personal comfort. And, he wanted a crew that was gay-friendly. Sometimes he flew into some of the exclusive private clubs that catered to a gay clientele. Sure, it costs a bundle to own and maintain his own aircraft, but his company was doing well and it was his money to spend. After traveling back and forth around the country for three months, he finally returned home.
Sandy tried to call the Kellys a couple of times while he was on the road, but without success. They were one of the few families he knew, that didn't own an answering machine.
He gave up trying and handed the assignment over to his assistant. She tried calling for over a week without any luck either. Sandy finally found Nora's business card and left a message in her mail box. She returned the call an hour later. She was on assignment at her corporate headquarters in New York.
"Sandy," Nora said, "it's so good to hear from you. I've been meaning to call, but I've been out of town for the last two months, sorry about that. Dan promised me he would call you, but I guess he's been going through a tough time lately. Knowing my son as I do, he probably was embarrassed to let you, of all people, know his predicament. Dan had another accident shortly after he returned home from the hospital and now is in a nursing home. He thought you would think he was a loser."
"I'm sorry to hear that, I've been trying to reach you guys for more than two months, but no one answers the telephone."
"Sorry about that," Nora said. "We changed our telephone number to an unlisted number, but kept the number you called for outgoing calls only. I've been transferred to New York and Dan is in a nursing home in Duluth, until he is able to get around on his own. If you want to see him, he's at the Park View Health Care Center in Duluth, Georgia. He doesn't have a telephone in his room. But if you're up to it, why not drop in and see him. Visiting hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., every day, and Dan is in room E-22."
"I'll do that, Nora. Let's do lunch, or dinner the next time you're in Atlanta. I plan to be in town now for at least a couple of months."
"I'd love to," Nora said. "Look, I'm late for a meeting, and I must run. It was good hearing from you again."
Sandy pushed the intercom button for his secretary. "Flo, I'll need the limo at 1 p.m. today. Give the driver the address of Park View Health Care Center so he can look it up. Would you order me a light lunch and reschedule my appointments for this afternoon? I should be back in the office for my four o'clock meeting."
"Yes, sir," Flo said.
"Oh, by the way," Sandy said, "you can stop calling Dan at the numbers I gave you. He's a patient in the Park View Nursing home."
The Park View buildings look more like an elementary school's buildings than a nursing home. The main entrance and corridor were crowded with patients milling around in wheelchairs. Some of the patients were using walkers, a few using crutches, but the majority of the patients were senior citizens in wheelchairs. Sandy followed the main corridor until he found corridor E, and down the hall to room E-22, the last room on the right. Most of the rooms, as far as he could tell, were three-bed rooms. The rooms at this end of the building were set aside for male patients only. From what he could observe, the majority of the patients at Park View were elderly and this corridor was no exception. To the right side of the door frame of room 22, were name plates marked A, B, and C. Dan Kelly was in bed-C which was the bed next to the window. The older gentleman in the first bed was asleep. The man in the middle bed was seated in his wheelchair watching the large TV screen mounted on the wall. Dan was seated in one of those special reclining chairs typing on his laptop computer.
"What's a young guy like you doing in a place like this?" Sandy asked.
Dan looked startled when he looked up from his computer. Sandy smiled, "You can close your mouth. I'm not a ghost."
Dan quickly recovered and smiled, "It's good to see you again, Sandy. How did you find me?"
"Believe me, it wasn't easy. It's a good thing that I kept your mother's business card, or I would never have found you. I spoke to your Mom this morning and she told me your sad tale of woe. What are you doing here?"
"It's a long sad story."
"Why don't you start from the beginning and tell me about it?"
"I was doing quite well with the walker and gaining the strength back in my knee, until I slipped and fell going out the back door onto our patio. The fall fractured my ankle, and the femur bone just above the point where the prosthesis was implanted in my knee. They had to put a plate on the femur and inserted a pin in my ankle. I ended up in the hospital again and was transferred to this facility after another short stay in Rehab. In the meantime, my Mom got promoted and was transferred to the home office in New York. Since there was no one at home to keep an eye on me, the doctor insisted that I stay in a nursing home until I was able to take care of myself.
Mom wanted me to transfer to New York University, or some other college in New York City, and move in with her. But, this is my last year at Georgia Tech, and I would like to graduate with my class. I have no desire to live in the Northeast at this point. Besides, most of my friends live in Georgia, and I feel the quality of life is better here. I couldn't face the bleak winters with the gray days and the freezing temperatures for months on end."
"Why this place, Dan? Don't you find it depressing living with all these senior citizens?"
"Come on, Sandy. You think I'm here by choice? It's true; I'm the youngest patient here. Even my classmates stopped coming around. Only my good buddies, Bob and Jay, still visit me to bring my course work. They said it reminds them of a mental hospital. Now, they refuse to come back to my room. I have to meet them in the visitor's lounge at the front entrance. I didn't have much of a choice of nursing homes in my price range. I ended up in this place for two compelling reasons. One, because a bed was available, and secondly, it was what my insurance provider would allow. Of course, the better private nursing homes in town are way beyond the rate this facility charges. I'm on a fixed income, Sandy. There is just no wiggle room in the budget. I still have to pay the monthly maintenance costs at home and my tuition at Georgia Tech."
"How long do you think you'll have to stay here?"
"Doc said another six weeks, if I continue to improve."
"How is Margie taking this?"
"She's not. Margie and I have split up. She cut back on her visits shortly after I left the hospital the first time. I felt it coming, yet I wasn't sure. I gave her a way out and she took it. Here I was, under the impression we had a meaningful relationship going on, and would end up at the altar one day. In retrospect, it may have been the best thing for both of us. Margie felt she was missing out on too many of the social events while I was laid up. She wasn't willing to give up six months of fun, since I couldn't do much with my bad knee. It a way I'm glad it happened the way it did. Can you imagine what would have happened if we were married? I'm sure, if we did marry the vows would have to be changed to, for richer and in good health only."
"It's not all her fault. Much of the blame can be placed at her parents' doorstep. Her family wants to be socially prominent in Atlanta; they are also well connected in Virginia. They always felt that Margie could do much better than me. I'm sure they were pressuring her to cultivate some of the young men in their circle. At least someone that was well connected and could afford to maintain her in the style they want her to become accustomed. If that is what Margie wanted, it was better that we went our separate ways."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Dan, she seemed like a charming and pretty young lady."
"Yea, well, I'm sorry it had to end, but that's life in the fast lane. Enough about me, how are you these days? What have you been doing since you recovered from your hip surgery? Is it giving you any problems?"
"I still feel pain if I turn it the wrong direction, and yes, every now and again I feel the nerve twitch. Other than that, I'm fine. I've substituted swimming for tennis until next year. I get in at least an hour of swimming every day. It's really helped my hip more than anything else. I really feel great. After the doctor gave me a clean bill of health, I went back to work on a restricted schedule until my leg healed enough to allow me to put in a full day. Since then I have been traveling around the country checking on my regional offices. That's why I haven't had the time to get together as I promised. I had a lot of things on my plate. I've made a few more acquisitions which have taken more of my time. But, in the long haul, things will improve."
"It's no wonder your wife divorced you," Dan said. "Margie dumped me because I couldn't go anywhere."
"Where did you get the idea I was divorced?" Sandy said. "I was never married."
"I remember you saying that it cost you a bundle to get rid of your ex."
"Oh!" Sandy said. "Dan, I'm sorry you misunderstood me. I thought you understood where I was coming from. I'm gay; the ex I was referring to was my former lover."
Dan looked surprised. "You're kidding? I would have never guessed you were gay, not in a million years!"
"Do you feel uncomfortable about this, now that you know?"
"No, not at all, two of my best friends are gay. They've been a couple since junior high and we are still close friends. You just come across so macho, I just assumed you were straight."
"It bothers me to see you in this place, Dan. You're too young to be stuck in with all these demented seniors citizens. I think I have the solution to your problems; one that will get you out of this place, and can earn a living besides. I'm going to lay it out for you, and you decide if you're interested."
"Go, man," Dan said.
"I want you to come live with me until you are able to return to your own home. I have a large comfortable home, and I know you will be content there. I live alone, and have for the last two years. I need a guy like you around that I can bounce some of my ideas off. Also, it's important that you're not homophobic about living with a gay man. I've had two serious relationships in the past and both have ended up disastrously. I'm not looking for a relationship at this point in my life. I'm too involved with the challenge of building and growing my businesses. This is an exciting time for me at this stage in my career. Frankly, I can't afford the emotional stress and heartache of a relationship right now. What I want is an intelligent house mate like you that is attuned to my business. It would be nice to have someone that I don't feel I have to please, and yet have someone around to talk to. I admit I get lonely at times in that house, but not lonely enough to surround myself with people I find boring. It also helps that you are an Engineer. I never did ask you what your major was in at GT."
Dan said, "I'll be graduating with a double major in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences."
"That's perfect; you should fit in just great. You come to work for me and I'll pay you the same hourly rate as I do my programmers. I'll allow you as many hours as you want. You can debug some of the new software programs I'm developing. If you like, I'll give you a crack at creating some new software programs. Additionally, I'll pay for all your expenses along with your salary and benefits. There will be no strings attached to this arrangement, and you'll have the option of walking away at any time you wish."
"I would expect that you treat my home the same as you do your own. Your family and friends are welcome. I'll also make sure that you have a professional staff to take care of your medical needs. I think that pretty much covers the overall picture, Dan. I'm sure that there are things that will have to be ironed out as we go along, but that's not a problem for me. What do you think of my offer?"
"If you're serious, this is a very tempting offer, Sandy, but why me? We're basically strangers. You don't know that much about me. Why would you do this for me?"
"I'm a good judge of people and I think you and your mom are good people. The other reason is because I like you, and I think we will become good friends. You don't have to give me your answer now. Think it over and talk to your mom about it before you make your decision. If you want to check me out, talk to Doctor Woodruff. He can vouch for me. Sorry, I have to run, Dan, as I have a meeting at four. Here is my card, and my cell phone number is on the back. Keep that to yourself; I'll be waiting to hear from you one way or the other. If you have any questions, please call."
"Thanks, Sandy, I'll let you know tomorrow."
"Mr. Dunnlap, I have a Mr. Kelly on the telephone," Flo said, "Do you wish to speak with him?"
"Thanks, Flo, put him though." Sandy picked up the telephone. "Hello, Dan, aren't you the early bird. Things must be slow at the happy farm this morning for you to be on the horn at 8 a.m."
"Surely, you jest," Dan said, "I have a busy schedule this morning. I'm running late for my tennis match. I thought I'd ring you up to let you know that I have decided to take you up on your generous offer. So, old boy, as far as I'm concerned, the sooner I'm away from here the better."
"That's great news," Sandy said. "What did your mom say?"
"She was happy for me, but in essence she said I'm a big boy now and I had to make my own decision. Look, I've left a message with Doctor Magnusson's answering service letting him know that you would be calling him to make arrangements to have me moved. I'd do it myself, but I only have access to the pay phone in the lounge. I'd appreciate it if you would speak to the Doctor to handle my release. It's almost impossible for me to speak to the doctor himself."
"Not to worry, Danny, I'll handle everything. I'd better sign off now; I don't want you to be late for that match."
Dan burst out laughing, "Yeah, right. Sandy, you're the best, I owe you big time."
"Hang in there, champ," Sandy said. "Catch you later."
Sandy switched to his private line and dialed Doctor Woodruff's office. "Hi, this is Sandy Dunnlap. I'd like to speak to Dr. Woodruff."
"The doctor is with a patient, would you like to speak to his assistant, Dr. Metcalfe?"
"Yes, please." He waited until he was put through to Dr. Metcalfe. "Doctor, my name is Sandy Dunnlap; I'm calling you regarding a patient of Dr. Woodruff's. His name is Daniel Kelly. I just returned to town and learned that Dan had another accident and is now recovering at Park View Nursing home. Park View is not the right facility for Dan. We discussed this yesterday, and I persuaded him to move into my home. Right now, he is under the care of Dr. Magnusson, who is the one of the staff physicians at Park View. Unfortunately, my internist is on vacation, or I wouldn't bother Dr. Woodruff. But, since Dan is still Dr. Woodruff's patient, I thought he would help me out and make arrangements to have Dan Kelly released and moved to my estate. I'm about to engage the services of a staff to look after Dan. Naturally, I would expect Dr. Woodruff to continue to treat Dan."
"Doctor Woodruff is with a patient at the moment, but I will speak to him as soon as he is free. I'm sure he will have no objections in helping you with the transfer. For future reference, Mr. Dunnlap, Dan does not need the doctor's release to leave Park View, or any other facility. All that is required is for Mr. Kelly to notify Park View that he is discharging himself. They will draw up the release papers and discharge him, providing his bill is paid. Park View will in turn notify Dr. Woodruff and Dr. Magnusson of his departure. I don't see this as a problem at all."
"Thank you, Dr. Metcalfe," Sandy said, and left his home telephone number. His next call was to the Outpatient Professional Service Agency. It was great luck that Nelson Rider was available to take on the case. Nelson was one of the most competent professional people Sandy knew. He was a take-charge person and someone Sandy trusted to handle everything. Nelson called back ten minutes later and said he would make all necessary arrangements, including ordering the hospital equipment that Danny would need. All he awaited were Dr. Woodruff's orders and where and what time to pick up his patient.
Sandy's next call was to Mr. Parker, the Administrator of Park View. He explained the situation and told him that Danny's nurse would be by to pick up Danny at 11 a.m..
"That will be fine, Mr. Dunnlap, I don't see any problem. Mr. Kelly was in here first thing this morning and said you would be calling. Although we hate to loose him, I personally feel that he would be better off in a facility around people of his own age. If you will give me Dan's new address, we will be able to mail him the credit for the rest of this month."
"The address is Dunnlap Manor, Dunnlap, GA 30165. My phone number is 800-555-0165."
"I've never heard of that town before, Mr. Dunnlap. Was the town named after your forefathers?"
"No, it was named after me. The town is two hours northwest of Atlanta and just twenty miles west of Rome, GA. Don't go looking for it, because it's not on any map. We have a population of 3,516 and are growing. I'd like you keep this information confidential, Mr. Parker."
"No problem."
"Thank you for expediting this request."
"You're welcome, sir."
A tall, strapping, attractive looking man dressed in a green uniform walked into Dan's room pushing a new wheelchair. "Mr. Kelly, I'm Nelson Rider, your nurse. Mr. Dunnlap engaged me to take care of you." He shook hands with Dan. I'm here to help you dress and pack your personal effects. Why don't you tell me what stays and what you want to take with you?"
"Great," Dan said. "You can start with everything in my wardrobe, the books in that little bookcase and the contents of my bedside stand."
Nelson packed the clothes into the three garment bags he brought with him and packed the books and the contents of the bedside stand in the cardboard boxes the orderly brought in. Nelson asked the orderly take the boxes out to the waiting ambulance and to ask one of the drivers to come back to collect the rest of Dan's things. "Well, that does it, Dan," Nelson said. If you can manage the lap top and your brief case, I'll wheel you up to the office to sign your release papers."
Nelson wheeled Dan into Mr. Parker's office to sign the necessary papers and out the front door of Park View and into the waiting ambulance.
"How long a drive is it to Sandy's home?" Dan asked.
"Well, let's see, it's a twenty minute drive to Peachtree-Dekalb Airport, and another twenty-five minute flight to Dunnlap Field," Nelson said. "We'll be home in time to join Sandy for lunch."
"Weren't you the nurse that picked up Sandy from the hospital?" Dan asked."
"Yes, sir, I took care of Sandy for two months after he left the hospital. He is a great guy, let me tell you. He even invited my wife and kids to his place every weekend. I'd never thought I'd be working for him again. After we get you settled in, I'll sit down and explain the treatment plan your doctor wants you to follow. It's a lot different from the one you've had at Park View. You're a lucky guy to be taken under Sandy's wing. Once Mr. Dunnlap takes you on as project, you got it made. You'll see."