Inquisitive Quest

The Budget rental truck having departed Oklahoma,  Crossing the Kansas Stateline at Kiowa, the view of the water tower presenting a welcome to the 12 square block community.  Gary making a decision to go by the Price apartments , his past residence,  one last memorable time , before driving the three blocks to the Kiowa Hospital.

  The two entering the medical facility,  Gary greeted with smiles, introducing Fran to the staff, giving special  notice to special friends, Glenda Holdaway,  Gay Farney and a pillar of hospital healthcare, Director of Nursing Sharon Ragan.  To Gary the Kiowa community was home,  the Apostolic Christian Church,  the years working at the John Deere affiliate, Kiowa Service Company, USD 255, the Grade School and the Kiowa District Hospital and Manor.  His move to California  having closed the door on a miraculous part of his life,  but his marriage to Fran has opened another.

. The couples visit with one more stop, having made a prior phone call to his daughter Sandra,  who would be in Kiowa, making arrangements to meet and have a lunch at the Ranch House restaurant.  Sandra was the exact opposite of Marlo, it was like night and day.  Gary choosing to remain somewhat silent during the meal, witnessing Sandra’s acceptance of Fran as family, the two carrying on a conversation like they had known each other forever.  With a two lane Oklahoma blacktop drive awaiting, saying goodbye to Sandra, his Princess,  was difficult.  The road was familiar, the rental truck pilot having  traveled the southwest rural route to intersect Interstate 40 from Kiowa before, their goal was to attain Amarillo before dark,  but with the lateness of the afternoon stopping for fuel,  they noticed a marquee, We Accept Pets,  at the Irish Inn at Shamrock Texas,  deciding they had traveled enough for one day.  

 Spending the night, the August Texas morning sun in Amarillo greeting the voyagers, canine Sammi, finally comfortable with riding in a truck.  It was  the beginning of another long drive on the Interstate, saying goodbye to Texas entering New Mexico,  skirting metropolitan  Albuquerque on the Interstate 40 bypass. Gary remembering 38 years ago, when old Route 66, which became interstate 40, traveled through the downtown business section.   Traversing the high plains of New Mexico, the dry expanse,  seemingly endless for the four lane Interstate.  Grants, then  Gallup, the small citadel remembered as a, one side of the tracks town.   Crossing into Arizona,  they could see the cumulus clouds building,  giving notice of a high plains thunderstorm, Gary hoping  it would pass, not looking forward to driving in the rain.  

The echoing sounds of thunder and the accompanying lightning from the darken aura of the circular accumulation,  the sky giving notice of  the storms presence.  The wind buffeting the truck, the wipers having difficulty adhering to their job.   Gary debating whether to continue or to stop and wait out the downpour.  His indecision was answered,  as the cloud cover and rain-diminished, and like the lifting of a blind,  the sun appeared, reflecting on the glistening pavement.   The twilight in the west beckoning them into Winslow Arizona before dropping below the horizon,  the way-stop of a town in the middle of nowhere, was given a nationally known address by the iconic Eagles Band with their song,  Take It Easy. “Well, I’m a-standin’ on a corner in Winslow  Arizona And such a fine sight to see,  It’s a girl, my Lord, in a flat-bed Ford,  Slowin’ down to take a look at me”  With the nightfall calling a halt to their journey the weary travelers stopping at the Winslow Inn, on the west side of town.

A Winslow morning and breakfast, the couple once again on the Interstate  and the incline to the elevated scenic city of Flagstaff.  Arriving, a  brief stop for  fuel, a panoramic view of the majestic San Francisco Peaks before  beginning their  downhill trek.   The couple enjoying the tree-lined descent,  when something that sounded like hail began hitting the windshield,  its intensity briefly rising in volume,  and as sudden as it began,  it stopped.  It was then noticed,  the evidence of its cause,  below the bottom of the windshield and pasted on the hood,  were the remains of numerous bees, apparently a swarm of bees  crossed the highway,  their pelting impact sounding just like hail,  a new experience.   Crossing the California Stateline,  passing through Needles,  a stop at the fruit inspection station, before  entering the  expanse of the 54,000 square miles of the Mojave Desert, that stretches north,  and east thru four states.   Continuing on to Barstow, departing  interstate 40,  progressing on California 58, only now in a northwestern direction,  the barren flatness of the Mojave desert still providing flora,   cactus, and the renown Joshua trees, a beauty only perceived by those with an inward recognition of nature.   

The desert soon giving way to the rise of the Tehachapi Mountains and the notorious highway pass,  once known for runaway trucks, often made famous in the cinematography productions of a past era,  with scenes of  truckers losing their brakes,  a reflection of the past remains, the highway still dotted with turn-off’s as a precaution.   The 24 foot rental discovering highway 99 at Bakersfield,  with the sun waning and a 4 1/2 hour drive yet remaining to destination,  Columbia,  a decision to halt for the night in Bakersfield was made to late,  Gary not wanting to turn around and go back.  Continuing on,  the familiar beckoning signs of motels once again began to appear,  the weary travelers would spend the night in the small town of Delano.   The morning finding the couple resuming the remaining 240 mile trek north, first through Fresno, and Merced, turning northeast on State 59  and its junction with  Highway 1 oh 8 to Sonora. 

The journey about to experience closure,  the final five miles of travel to Columbia coming swiftly,  the furniture laden rental truck traversing up his sister Nancy’s drive,  Gary and Fran’s 6 day 3,189 mile journey coming to a conclusion.

.  The 24 ft. Budget rental truck and its wayfarers mission from Orlando to Columbia fulfilled, the lyrics of the familiar Dave Dudley  song  Six Days On The Road sung by band member Kenny Kannada no longer abetting in Gary’s head.   The unloading began, his sister  Nan providing an enclosed area adjoining the garage,  capable of adhering all of the furnishing,  enabling a return of the 24 ft moving appliance to a retail Budget dealer in Jamestown.   The couple occupying what was affectionately called the Sleep Shack,  a two room building with a kitchenette, restroom and sleeping accommodations for friends or family when visiting overnight.

.  Gary’s first order of business after returning the rental truck was to retrieve his 97 Buick that remained at his brother-in-law Don De Valle’s mother’s home in San Mateo as a safe haven while in Florida.  Gary riding with Don on his Monday morning commute to the Bay Area , The second order was not one of self, but one of acceptance by others, that his decision to marry was made from the heart and to dispel any doubts about his love for Fran. The two newlyweds settling in after their long journey, able to take time to contemplate the stages of who, what and where, their future and livelihood still in a state of limbo.

.  A morning driver found  the couple on a journey to the bay area, passing thru the Altamont pass, its 54,000 acre windmill presence standing out, a novice for electrical power but a vision of the future. Gary and Fran conveying the Buick to interstate 580 towards the remnants of a boyhood memory,  The six lane traffic laden interstate a replacement for the memorable Mountain Blvd,  the two lane blacktop the wandering entry through the East Oakland Hills.   The Buick navigating the Keller Ave. exit, voyaging up the four blocks to Greenly Dr. and over one block to his corner lot boyhood home at Shone Ave then traversing up Shone to its summit where one could look down on the vista of Oakland, San Francisco Bay, the  Bridges and San Francisco itself in the distance.   Gary pointing out the steep incline of 82nd Ave. that dwelled down to MacArthur Blvd and Castlemont high school,  pointing out that the walk to school was always more enjoyable than the return.  Once again continuing on #580 toward the bay,  approaching the toll booths for Bay Bridge, noticing the toll price was $2.00  remembering when it was only .25 cents.

.  On the San Francisco side of the Bay Bridge one is greeted by a familiar landmark, not the Ferry Building that was built in 1898 but the aromatic bouquet emitting from Hills Brothers Coffee on the Embarcadero below the bridge, a welcoming to the city by the bay.  Gary having found long ago the most direct way to Golden Gate Park was to follow the familiar overhead power  lines  of the No. 5 McAllister electric-powered bus he had taken as a youngster.  The couple arriving at the renowned Park,  with the Natural History Museum,  the Aquarium, and the de Young Museum, the two touring the exhibits, marshaling their time, Gary deciding to move on,  traveling west down Fulton Ave, coming into view were the cascading  white tips of the breakers announcing the presence of the blue pacific.   A brief stop at the ocean having one more objective before returning back to Columbia,  North Beach and  Pier 39,  the traffic laden haven for tourist better known as Fisherman’s Wharf.

.  The couple enjoying the sundry shops,  the abundance tourist activity,  the showmanship of the street vendors, but before departing,  deciding to board a Red & White fleet Bay Cruise boat. The journey  under the Golden Gate Bridge, the rolling swells,  from the afternoon incoming tide making its presence,  Gary and Fran  experiencing the wind swept sea breeze mist, and in some ways, sharing a moment in time like the seafarers before them.   The boat turning about but not retracing its course back,  but casting  itself towards the infamous  Alcatraz, the island presence still foreboding.  The cruise heading back, the boat navigating into its slip, Gary wondering if those aboard left with a vision of another place in time.  The two finding this experience and the day well worth the time and effort, the journey to San Francisco an emprise, Gary once again putting the Buick on the road back to Columbia.

Continuing to stay at his sister’s in Columbia, Gary becoming keenly aware of his employment status,  keeping abreast to opportunities in the Sonora Union Democrat, hesitant about returning to a EMT or  hospital contingency,  but still willing to allocated his maintenance experience.  Noticing in the paper,  the woodland Columbia College was in search of a full time maintenance person.  Decided to investigate, submitting a brief resume’ at the college, just over a mile from his sisters, being informed he would be contacted by phone.  It was several days before summoned where a committee was assembled for the interview.  On arrival being directed to a small conference building off a tree-lined path, the  58 year old couldn’t help but notice that he was much older than the other applicants.  During the interview he found the job wasn’t for a maintenance person,  but for an on call custodian who would do routine cleaning and set up chairs for school activities.  Receiving the perfunctory phone call,  the position had been filled, Gary wasn’t surprised, continuing to monitor the paper, remembering hearing an adage, opportunity is like bus’s,  there’s always another one coming.

.  Gary  remained aware of his unemployment status,  having continued to monitor the Sonora Union Democrat for employment opportunities,   noticing the Columbia Village Apartments having placed an ad,  accepting applications for a soon to open facility management position,  by the, Apartment Investment & Management Company.  One of the largest owner operators of multifamily apartment housing companies in the country.    Gary approaching Fran with his recent discovery, pointing out that with her bookkeeping and business management skills,  his maintenance experience  they would make an ideal team for the position.    Fran somewhat hesitant then agreeing,  the couple setting about documenting their resume’,  Gary traveling to the Columbia Village location,  just over a mile east them on Parrots Ferry Road,  leaving the resumes’,  being told he would notified.

.  The couple expecting a long wait,  but to their astonishment receiving a phone call the following afternoon asking them to meet with the complex manager for an interview.  Gary and Fran arriving,  the interview going well,  but as expected the result was indecisive, informed there were other applicants,  but  they would be notified as to a decision.  The phone rang and it was the expected call,  requesting the couple meet again,  this time scheduling a meeting  with a corporate representative at a recently opened AIM CO Apartment complex in Sonora.

. An ensuing  evening trip to Sonora, their AIM CO host began by providing information about the responsibilities and duties of facility manager,  the security of the building and residence, questioning Gary about his maintenance capabilities,  and referencing the company’s belief  it was  beneficial to have a husband and wife team with both fiscal management and maintenance skills.  The interview was completed,  the couple leaving  but still no employment confirmation. The following morning the couple received their third phone call from AIMCO  notifying they had been accepted for the position and to meet at 2:00 p.m. that afternoon at the Columbia Village office.  The afternoon arrival  finding a conjugal hostess introducing  them to the paperwork that accompanied new employees and handing them an itinerary for a two-week training course that was to begin in three days.  Gary was about to mentioned  fiscal compensation when the lady  brought up the subject, their position  would of course provide an apartment and monthly salary, their total employment package in excess of $47,000 per year.   She continued that their new working environment would not be in Sonora or Tuolumne County,  but a new complex in Roseville,  18 miles northwest of Sacramento, it was about to inaugurate a Grand Opening and there would be an influx of new tenants.  The drive back,  Gary elated,  he and Fran having found a once in a lifetime opportunity where they could both work together and begin a substantial life.

. The schedule was set for the training sessions to begin,  Gary making a phone call about their first session time,  Fran asking him to  inquire about pets at the new facility.  Gary interjecting the question during his phone conversation,  being told that upon initiating a new complex opening,  the policy was, no pets allowed.   Upon hearing this,  Gary knew there was no way they could accept the management offer,  giving Fran the news about the no pet  policy, and acknowledging the hopeless situation.  Gary noticing a change in Fran,  a standoffish ere, wondering if she felt like she was responsible for their loss of opportunity.   Gary was disappointed with the circumstances, but having been through many disappointments in life,  had learned something more meaningful than disappointment,  that was understanding.   Deciding it best to drive to Columbia Village,  giving the AIMCO management the explanation, because of the no pet policy, they would have to decline the position.  

. Fran displaying a disquiet disposition not serious but problematic,  Gary reason it was  because of the lack of intuitiveness and their failure to obtain a mutual goal.  Fran having mentioned she would like to visit her cousin Rhoda in New Jersey,  Gary agreeing that it might  give the couple time to recoup from this their first marital set back.  With an airline reservation obtained, they made a late afternoon drive,   spending the night in Oakland rather than San Francisco for the early morning flight east.  The return drive to Columbia was enduring,  Gary concluding,  him and Sammi would have to wait for Fran to reconcile any misgivings,  for time can heal what reason cannot.  

1217 Blue Daisy Way

.  With Fran still back east visiting her cousin Rhoda, in Vineland New Jersey, the weekend found a new amortization,  Gary’s sister Nancy asking him to accompany her to Modesto,  having  recently evicted tenets from her single family rental house at 1217 Blue Daisy Way after receiving several phone calls from neighbors about their conduct.   The last phone from Dr. Eric Ramos,  Chief of Staff at Doctors Medical Center who resided next door, it was his call that resulted in the eviction action.

.  The two upon arrival discovering the  house and yard in disarray, the walls and ceiling of every room having been painted with yellow paint,  the backyard swimming pool filled with algae resembled something out of the movie “the Creature From the Black Lagoon”.   The original longtime renters were an elderly Hispanic couple, but apparently family member of a younger generation had replaced them at some point in the past without his sister’s knowledge.   It was reported they parked cars on the unkept  lawn, had outlandish loud music and parties with come and go traffic at all hours giving cause for the neighbor to suspect a crack house.  Gary considering the condition, could see that it would take more than weekend trips to rectify all the damage, mentioning to his sister that he would be willing to move to Modesto and work at restoring it to a satisfactory condition, giving thought to the possibly of renting it.

.  Driving to Groveland to inform his sister Katherine of his intentions, borrowing her pickup to transport the bed and other possessions from his move from Kiowa.  The Kitchen appliances in the Modesto house remained, with the exception of the refrigerator,. Gary running across Aaron’ Used Appliance on South 9th Street. which sold used refrigerators for less than nothing.  With the utilities service, internet and phone turned on, the reparation process, including repairing the hinges and guides on all the cabinets and draws of the built-ins began, the final project was having new carpet install throughout. 

.  Once again borrowing the pickup,  he began a two day ordeal, making several trips per day, relocating all of Fran’s furnishings transported from Florida to Columbia and his remaining possessions from Groveland with the exception of the piano.  Gary having just completed his moving endeavor, the furnishing and boxes yet to be organized when Fran, who had never seen the house,  called giving notice of  her impending return.

.  Her timing was impeccable, Gary having no desire to arrange the furnishings at 1217 Blue Daisy Way,  and was more than satisfied to leave the house hold furniture placement up to Fran, instilling a confidence  their life together would be one of shared decisions, and their new home would provide a renewed genesis.  

.  The ensuing drive to San Francisco found Gary not alone,  Fran’s welcoming wouldn’t be appropriate without the third member of the family, Sammi.  Gary once again able to see a light at the end of the tunnel, with the Willson’s establishing a residency in Modesto 

.   Gary once again  began the pursuit of employment,  scanning the help wanted section of the Modesto Bee,   searching for suitable vocation,  discovering a sundry of opportunities.   Finding an interesting prospect,  journeying to Oakdale to submit an application and interview for a flight cargo coordinator position with Sierra West Aviation, an air freight carrier based at the Oakdale Airport.  The Oakdale audience was a formality, filling out an employee application, submitting a resume’,  being briefed,  the post entailed preparing manifests, coordinating airport pickups and delivery for arrivals and departures at various destinations.   Gary having experienced this coordination with the John Deere Company, having provided for custom cutter customers on the Harvest Trail. The interview coming to a conclusion, the outcome coming as expected, “we’ll get back to you”.   The following morning an unexpected call for a second interview,  but this time with the operations manager.   Arriving, Gary again related his past John Deere experience in preparing manifests,  inventory paperwork, coordinating and confirming pickup and delivery.  The interview completed, leaving with a feeling of confidence,  the prospects for acquiring the position was beginning to look good,  but a phone call the next morning brought disappointment, his employment search to continue.

. The search for employment endured,  Gary’s savings in the bank still a lone provision for their livelihood,  Fran joining the pursuit of employment discovering a help wanted ad for the McHenry Avenue Dollar Tree.  Acknowledging her prior years of service in Florida,  she was immediately hired,  working the early morning shift, commencing at 4 A M,   accepting incoming freight, restocking the shelves.  Fran being a non driver and with no public transportation at that hour,  Gary found himself on the morning shift,  providing her early morning transportation to work and her return in the afternoon. Continuing his search,  he interviewed with a company accessing inventory, putting a team of inventory data people together,  to count shelf items in stores. The morning paper giving notice for a maintenance position at the Modesto Parkway Plaza Wall Mart store. 

. That afternoon found him driving across town to the Park Plaza store,  seeking out the Human Resource person,  attaching his type written resume’ to a filled out Wall Mart employment application.  The next morning he received a call from the inventory company notifying him of his acceptance, and scheduling a meeting day and time.  No sooner had he got off the phone,  he received a second call, it was Wall Mart, the  Human Resource lady asking  if he could be available for an interview at 2 P M.  The afternoon Wall Mart  interview with H R was brief,  and as before received  the standard answer  “we’ll notify you”.  Returning home he was undecided whether to just go ahead and follow up with the inventory position when the phone rang again, it was Wall Mart,  his orientation and employment would commence in the morning.   Gary was amazed,  two job confirmations in one day, but more amazing was the expediency of Wall Mart’s hiring,  neither position high paying,  but at least a working opportunity.

. Wall Mart’s process for hiring was a new experience,  a drug test,  a signature for permission to acquisition his DMV and law enforcement records, accompanied with a scheduled computerized maintenance and safety test.  Gary discovering the test somewhat inefficacious having to watch four hours of safety videos,  then  a five-part, ten question test about interactive maintenance procedure skills, most which were not relative.   The orientation completed,  Gary finding the  hours were from 11:00 p m. to 7:30 a m in the morning in the 24 hour accessible store.   The first evening on the job, discovering the crew of eight wasn’t contingent for performing actual maintenance, they were custodians,  responsible for floors, restrooms and clean-up duties, vacuuming the offices and trash,  all plumbing, lighting and other repair requirements were subcontracted out.   Wall Mart having a single custodian person on duty during the day and early evening,    responsible for cleaning up spills and cleanliness of restrooms and  the lunch room.   The Crew Chief assigning the night crew their work assignments,  stripping and waxing various section of the floor,  vacuuming the vast store area carpet, which could entail three hours, followed by a low-speed buffer top scrubbing of the carpet for stains, and riding the propane driven powered buffers over the vinyl flooring. 

. The custodial experience was nothing new, having worked five years at the Kiowa Grade School as a custodian/driver, but he was more impressed with the work ethic of the other department employees,  finding the managers of the various sales departments would arrive during the early morning hours,  some as early as  5:00 A.M. to ready their department for the days expected traffic, filling inventories, rearranging and stocking the departments shelves. 

. The store prevailed a representative Safety Committee,  meeting once a month to discuss workman’s comp and safety issues,  also offered as a benefit,  stock offerings and medical insurance for all employees, designated as associates.  For some, the only disparity being the hourly wage earners were required to clock out for their two 15 minute breaks,  their off the clock time compensate.  A 30 minute lunch being a normal clock out situation, Gary discovered  clocking in and out for breaks as well as a 30 minute so-called lunch was to his advantage.   By not taking any breaks he was able to combine the two 15 minute break allowances with his 30 minutes lunch,  providing him an hour to clock out, stop at the Jack in the Box drive thru, drive home and have Fran at the Dollar Tree at 4 a m, and clock back in with his return.  He realized that his Wall Mart maintenance $7.75 per hour employment was a dollar more than the Walmart starting wage, and 2 dollars more than minimum wage.  But still was just a stop gap measure, determined to continue his search,  attesting it was just a matter of time before he would encounter a more applicable precedence.

. Six weeks having expired when destiny made its  appearance,  in the form of the help wanted section in the Modesto Bee.  Colony Park Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, a 99 bed skilled nursing facility,  located on East Orangeburg Avenue less than two miles from the Willson’s  Blue Daisy Way residence, was in need of a full time Maintenance Supervisor.  Gary jumping at the chance,  submitting an edited resume’  to Colony Park,   deciding not to  include his current employment at Walmart,  discerning it might be a detriment,  considering  the other positions he had held in the past.  To account for his employment time in California he listing his last employment reference as working for Sierra Management Corporation in Groveland, the company name of one of his sister Katherine’s  LLC’s, calling to give her a heads up,  she might receive a call from Colony Park.  His notification  wasn’t in vain, Kay having received a call from the Administrator at Colony Park,  giving her brother a notable,  but honest recommendation.   The call  was forth coming, requesting him to be present for an interview the following afternoon.

. Gary was somewhat apprehensive, but confident, arriving at Colony Park, appropriately attired in a sports coat and tie at his appointed time.  Entering,  he noticed two others who appeared to be waiting applicants dressed in jeans seated in the lobby awaiting their interview opportunity.  Gary directed to the administrator’s office,  being introduced to three gentlemen,  the Colony Park administrator,  Dave Yarborough,  Brad Kikuta, a corporate vice president,  and Arden Bennett, the CEO of  the eight facilities that comprised Health Care Management Corporation.   Gary soon found his questioning being conducted, not by the administrator of the facility or the corporate vice president,  but by Arden Bennett, the Corporate CEO. 

. Bennett explaining the facility having had some difficulty,  the administrator having hired four maintenance supervisors in the past year, none proving satisfactory,  and that Colony Park was entering a new phase, it was to be the first Healthcare Management facility to apply for Jay coe,  Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization membership.   Gary couldn’t believe what he was hearing,  as he was very familiar with the organization, having worked with JCAHO representatives during his tenure as president of the Kansas Hospital Engineers Association.    He related his experience to the CEO,   as a member and president of the KHEA  he attended many JCAHO seminars and had written hospital maintenance policies to JCAHO specifications.  Questioned about his maintenance experience, he concluded he was versed in all aspects of healthcare facility maintenance,  from the operation and maintenance of the physical plant to the intricacy of servicing patient care equipment. 

. Gary leaving the interview confident, his answer coming after a two-day wait, David Yarborough calling asking how soon he could start, that he could commence his orientation immediately,  then the disappointing news,  Gary’s request for $16.00 an hour was rejected, relegated to  accepting 12 50 as a starting wage.   The afternoon found Gary traversing to Wal-Mart to address his departure, meeting with the congeal Human Resource lady,  turning in his time card, apologizing for such a short notice of his departure,  explaining that he had found a better opportunity,  her smile relieving his displeasure for not fulfilling his obligation,  her reply “this happens to us all the time.”

. Gary’s vista having risen,  his employment at Colony Park giving him a contingency to affirm his years of Plant Service Manager experience.   He soon  discovered the healthcare facility void of anyone with real comprehensive knowledge of a structural plant systems,  including his acquired maintenance assistant, Reyes Hernandez, called Ray, whom directed him on a tour of  the building and premises.    The 99 bed skilled nursing facility maintained a staff numbering over 100, with a continuing 90 plus residential census.  The building encompassing  four wings in the shape of an X,  one wing,   a locked down certified Alzheimer’s unit,  equipped with a keypad exit but also with a fire alarm release mechanism for the door and the units patio gate.   The building  encompassing 32 restrooms and six shower stalls,  plus the  department offices, kitchen, dining and activity rooms.

. Gary finding his only disappointment, expecting an updated facility,  but discovering the building was built in 1964 and lacked few improvement since that era.  The upside to his work environment,  the yard work was contracted out,  no mowing, the total lawn area was on an automated sprinkler system.  His designated office was in 16 by 42 foot shop,  northeast of the building,  accommodating a storage area for maintenance, housekeeping,  custodial and laundry supplies.  The shop was in total disarray without organization,  an electric wall heater for winter and a swamp cooler for summer.   Gary’s first priority was to make it presentable,  giving a semblance of organization, inquiring and receiving a computer,  connected to the core system in the conference room, ready for the virtuous tasks that he knew were on the horizon.

. Gary as a new employee having respect for Administrator David Yarborough,  a retired Army Officer with a college degree in business administration,  but soon finding the other department heads had little regard for him,  and for some reason  the corporate entity, Healthcare Management had put him on probation.   Within two months of Gary’s arrival the administrator  was relieved of his position and transferred to the Merced facility as temporary administrator,  then relieved of his employment,  Brad the Corporate Vice President assuming a temporary position of Administrator  

. Brad, fluent in the Japanese language,  his parents American citizens,  their Valley farmland confiscated during world war II,  then being placed in an internment camp, the youth growing up in the San Joaquin Valley,  a graduate of Fresno State University.   Brad as a person was a confirmed bachelor with a regimented life,  dawning the day with a 5 a.m. calling  at Gold’s Gym every morning,  arriving at work at 7a.m.,  conducting the department head staff meetings at 9a.m.   Most mornings  finding him departing the building for his corporate duties at their offices in Madera or visiting one of the other facilities,  entrusting the everyday management of Colony Park to the Department Heads.  

. The Maintenance Supervisor having  progressed three months into his duties when Brad entreated him to his office,  asking Gary if he would be willing to expand his responsibilities by accepting a position appropriating the addition of the Housekeeping,  Custodial, and Laundry departments,  while still concurring his maintenance duties.  It was  Day jà vu,  Gary recalling the very same circumstance happening 10 years earlier following his employment at the Anthony Hospital in Kansas.  Brad conferring his new job description as Environmental Services Supervisor, Gary accepting,  but not without experiencing an inner feeling of compassion,  as Shirley,  the housekeeping and laundry supervisor,  given notice, exited in tears. 

. Included with the added responsibilities was a substantial pay raise,  discovering he and the Director of Nursing,  Carolyn Hauser,  were the only two salaried staff employees.   The new responsibilities made for a longer day,  retaining his 7 A M appearance on most days,  his eight hours extending sometimes into a ten-hour day.  Gary settling in to his new position recalling, It’s not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourself.

.  Gary reviewing his staff of 13,  the housekeeping department exceedingly  responsive, never a problem,  Mary Speiss,  Kamala Prasad and Suarjeni Prasad always fulfilling responsibilities with an outstanding work ethic.   The custodial crew responding applicable,  not always the case in the laundry, discovering without a doubt the laundry was by far the most demanding and the worst assignment,  not only in his department but in the facility.  The starting wage paying the least and the performance level very demanding with two shifts,  the first starting at 5:00 a.m. and ending at 1:30 p.m., the second beginning at 3:30, ending at midnight, a turnover of personnel was inevitable.   The two-hour pause between the two shifts causing an interruption with the necessary output flow and  service.

.  Gary remedying this by fulfilling the two-hour laundry needs himself, sorting the barrels of residents clothes,  sheets,  towel and incontinent pads,  keeping the washers and dryers fulfilling their purpose.   On occasion members of the housekeeping staff would help during their break time,  including  Administrator Brad Kikuta stopping by to fold sheets, towels and pads from the four dryers that continued  their never-ending cycles.  The only bright note in laundry Services was Louise Bruns, able to gathered unmarked residences personal apparel, placing items on hangers and delivering them to the correct dresser drawer and closets in each room.  Louise a wondrous person,  the only person able to fulfill this position without difficulty,  her memory of the residence personal clothing was beyond expectation.

.  Gary having never experienced a utility co-generation system.  Mounted in a covered mechanical systems area at the rear of the facility was a Chevrolet natural gas powered 350 cubic inch V8 engine, which operated 24 hours a day, coupled to a generator providing 110 volt AC to the building grid, and supplied heated water to the fan coil units that heated the facility rooms, and in the summer,  supplied the heated water to four heat absorption air conditioning units with their 16 foot high motor cooling towers.  Completing the Physical Plant equipment was a 50 KW Onan diesel standby generator supplying electricity for selective circuits during a power failure.  Gary discovering  the fire-alarm,  smoke detectors and sprinkler system a mirror of his past experience.

.  Nick Barton, the corporation’s computer consultant approached Gary about Dietary Supervisors, Saushi Singh’s kitchen office stand alone computer being in need of a cabled online presence with the main server in the conference room.   Gary after surveying the situation,  realizing the difficulty, the crawl space traversing above the kitchen, break room, business office, plus having to drill thru two fire walls before entering the conference room crawlspace.  After some thought, Gary remembering a similar circumstance when installing  Kiowa Hospital’s  ER ambulance; and front door entrance cameras, having run the ER cable down the side of the building, entering above the lobby and into the nurses station.  This situation was no different,  run the cable out of the kitchen  down the building and back into the conference room.   Gary realizing it was somewhat unorthodox,  but the finished results worked.

.  Healthcare Management and Colony Parks goal,  was now focused on receiving a  Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization,   JCAHO  certification.   Gary being introduced to Susan,  a consultant hired by Healthcare Management, a previous employee of the Joint Commission.   The consultant ceding Gary a six-inch thick  binder containing the Jaycoe seven directories for safety management,  each directory requiring written facility policies and procedural protocol.   The thick binder contained the 7  stipulated programs for safety management.   Safety, Medical Equipment,  Emergency Preparedness,  Utilities,  Security,  Fire Safety,  and Hazardous Material,  Gary’s responsibility being to address each individual program with written management policies and procedure’s appreciable to Colony Park .  The bulk of the JCAHO four  inch tabbed binder alone made for apprehension, one could foresee it unmanageable with the addition of the Colony Park policy and procedural documentation.  Gary having a simple but innovating  remedy,  separating the directories into seven individual smaller binders,  addressing each management plan separately.  Spending hours on the computer and many evening hours at home addressing  JCAHO requirements.

.  The time of reckoning finally arriving,  the department supervisors introduced to an elderly JCAHO surveyor at a special morning department head meeting,  giving notice that if all went well he should conclude his survey in three days.  Environmental Services was last to meet with the  representative, Gary entering the conference room discovering  Brad was in attendance.   Gary no longer having a single enlarged binder of the JCAHO  management plans, spreading  seven  labeled individual binders on the table, each binder addressing a management plans.  The representative taken aback,  asking for an explanation,  Gary explaining the seven  plans would be better  addressed individually than as group, it would provide a more focused complaisant presentation.   The JCAHO representative seemed impressed,   giving Gary an assurance,  he had done well.

.  The final meeting,  the JCAO representative announcing to the department supervisors, Colony Park had qualified for certification.  Then something unexpected, the surveyor giving a special recognition to Gary,  asking the department supervisors to applaud him, that in his twenty years of certifying facilities,  Gary was the first to pass the seven safety management plans without a deficiency.  Gary acknowledging his recognition from his professional co workers,  and inwardly, the cultural diversity of its makeup,  an existence and relationship he had never experienced before.

A meaningful shock resonated, a hollowness within prevailing,  discovering a heartfelt remorse never felt before.  His immediate feeling was one of tears and emptiness,  a shattering,  the acceptance that his Grandson was no more.   Gary’s thoughts weighted to the countenance of Chris and Marlo,  the effect of this tragedy on them and how it would converse their life.  The elder Willson immediately evoking plans for transportation to Oklahoma City,  Gary understanding when his wife Fran decided to forgo the solemn trip, and that his mother would accompany him.

The phone call from Oklahoma City came early in the evening of April 6th, 2001 it was from Gary’s son Scott.   Scott, the bearer of earth shattering news that his grandson Garrett having been struck by a car was in the hospital.  Scott disclosing the circumstances,  Garrett’s dog having discovered a way out from their backyard of their home on  S.W. 124th St.,  the 12-year-old boy scurrying the neighborhood,  searching for his pet.   His father,  Chris concerned about Garrett’s absence and  knowing the circumstances,  started a neighborhood search in his car.  Discovering Garrett addressing May Ave.,  a four lane thoroughfare east of the residence.

The phone call from Oklahoma City came early in the evening of April 6th, it was from Gary’s son Scott.   Scott, the bearer of earth shattering news,  his grandson Garrett Denton had been struck by a car and was in the hospital.  Scott disclosing the circumstances.  Garrett’s dog,  having discovered a way out from their backyard,  the 12-year-old boy scurrying the neighborhood,  searching for his pet.   His father Chris,  concerned about Garrett’s absence, knowing the circumstances,  started a neighborhood search in his car.  Discovering Garrett addressing May Avenue,  a four lane thoroughfare east of the residence.  Stopping,  blinking the headlights from across the road,  letting Garrett know he was present.

The boy  recognizing his Dad’s car and in haste started across May Avenue.   The 12-year-old  struck by an oncoming car,  Chris having to witness the harrowing event.  The father a Firefighter and EMT immediately going to his son’s aid.  Scott, continuing  on the phone, sounding very despondent,  telling  his Dad that Garrett’s prognosis wasn’t good.  Gary,  after receiving the call,  an optimist throughout his life,  having no idea of the severity of Garrett’s accident,  but having hope,  not wanting to accept its consequences received another call from his eldest son Scott later that night.  Garrett injuries were Pernicious ,  his grandson having passed from this Earthly Life.

A meaningful shock resonated, a hollowness within prevailing,  discovering a heartfelt remorse never felt before.  His immediate feeling was one of tears and emptiness,  a shattering,  the acceptance that his Grandson was no more.   Gary’s thoughts weighted to the countenance of Chris and Marlo,  the effect of this tragedy on them and how it would converse their life.  The elder Willson immediately evoking plans for transportation to Oklahoma City,  Gary understanding when his wife Fran decided to forgo the solemn trip, and that his mother would accompany him.

The California flight arriving at Will Rogers World Airport,  Gary’s son Scott awaiting their arrival.  Lana Norwicki, the mother of Gary’s granddaughter Sarah, offering lodging for Gary and the Great Grandmother Betty,  the two finding a welcomed hospitality at Lana’s residence.  An arrival from Kansas of Robert and Sandra,  Gary’s  two youngest fulfilling the complement of Gary’s children.

Gary and his mother making their presence at the mortuary with Marlo to view Garrett,  and later that night, the grandfather making a second journey to Garrett’s temporary resting place with Robert and Sandra. This trip more emotional than the earlier one,  secluded with Robert and Sandra,  Gary displaying something that he had held within,  openly expressing a meaningful outward expression of his emotion and the loss of his grandson.

  The departing services were scheduled at The First Southern Baptist Church on Sooner Road in Del City,  Gary having attended services at this church once before with Chris,  Marlo and his exwife Kaye during a visit to Oklahoma City.  The church,  a magnificent structure seating over a thousand,  their services with a string led orchestration  and choir and  providing internet televised services every Sunday.   Garrett’s memorial service fulfilling a good portion of  the church’s capacity,  Gary recognizing many acquaintances from years past,  especially his longtime friend Jerry Willis and his wife Shirley.

The service concluded,  a long line police escorted progression proceeding to Resthaven Cemetery on southwest 104th.   It was a typical  Oklahoma City spring day, the blustering wind gusting out of the south,  the canopy for the service,  not very stabilized,  flapping in the wind,  making many uncomfortable,  but Gary surmising that it was a reflection and tribute to the energy of his Grandson.

Seated with Marlo’s mother,  the Grandfather providing a lap for Granddaughter Allison during the wind-driven ceremony,  an inner despondency prevailing,  but the imminence of Allison gave life a meaning.   Gary having adulation for his Daughter and Chris ,  maintaining an efficacy of composure.   those present bearing witness to the family’s tragic loss,  and conscious of the abrupt change it would make in the couple’s  life.

Gary was impressed with the Stewart of Chris,   his amazing posture, considering what he bore witness to,  the accident, the rendering of aid,  inwardly not accepting the acumen,  but outwardly having to accept the outcome.   Gary comprehending  the heartfelt tragedy would remain with Chris forever,  but recognizing Chris and Marlo’s stature thru this event as a testimonial to their strength and fortitude.

The return to California was a solemn process, Gary accepting Gods orchestration for  life,  but sometimes questioning its reasoning,   especially when someone at such a young age and promising future,  is tragically released from these Earthly Bonds and summoned to be an angel in heaven.

.  A precipitous  surprise, Gary’s daughter Sandra,  disclosing that she and Jeremy Birzer,  would soon be joined in  matrimony.   Gary was unaware of the seriousness of Sandra and Jeremy’s relationship, the lack of communication between father in California and daughter in Kansas  was always exigent, something to be improved on.   Jeremy,  a family amicus,  and Sandi’s brother  Rob’s  best friend through his proclaiming years of junior and senior high in Anthony Kansas.

.  Although living in Harper,  Jeremy was deemed special, the Willson’s on many occasions stopping in Harper so he could accompanying them on ventures to Wichita.    On one occasion,  Gary inviting the youth to join Robert and Sandra, introducing the three to the Wichita Symphony Orchestra at the Century II Concert Hall.  Gary was uninsured of their impression,   but perceptive the orchestrated classical music was a ruminative experience for the youths.  On other occasions, finding Jeremy and Robert accompanying him to Wichita,  making a juncture to stop at a certain specialty skateboard shop,  the two boys able to satisfy their selective aspirations to garnish their skateboard enthusiasm.

.  The elder Willson having acquainted Jeremy’s parents Joe, and Marilyn Birzer,  finding them a very congeal couple and appreciative of his advocacy for the boy’s interest.    It wasn’t surprising the family found out after the fact,  Jeremy and Sandra abstaining from a formal announcement of the wedding,  the two affirming a small private service.  Jamie Johnson,  Sandra’s Kiowa Cousin standing with her and Jeremy’s sister Corrine standing with her brother, the service conducted by Kiowa United Methodist Church’s, Reverend Jack Pilgrim, on Sunday August 5th, 2 thousand one,  the couple being joined in holy matrimony,  pronounced husband and wife.

.  The Tuesday morning of September 11, 2001,  was like most mornings for Gary,  a wake up shower and shave at 6:15 a m,  a cup of coffee and some toast, before leaving for Colony Park, then the phone rang.   Gary’s wife Fran having spent the night at his sister Nancy’s in Columbia to start a dog sitting presence, as his mother and sister were about to venture on a vacation later that day.  Gary’s mother on the phone,  exclaiming “they’re bombing New York City,  turn on the TV”.   Gary reassuring his mother that in all probability that was not so,  but would turn on the news.   The television projecting an unreal scene of devastation,  something unimaginable,  two planes having targeted the preeminent twin towers of the World Trade Center,  both upper stories of the two towers in flames.   Gary somewhat awe-struck,  making a phone call to the nursing facility,  giving notice that he would be late for work, and would miss the 9  o’clock department head meeting.

.  Seated before the television  watching in consternation the events unfolding before his eyes,  absorbing what had happened.   The first hijacked plane,  American Airlines flight 11, departing from Logan International in Boston,  having struck the north tower at 8:46 a.m. east coast time.   American Airlines Flight 175,  from Logan International,  its destination also Los Angeles,   plummeting into the south tower of the World Trade Center at 9:03 a.m.. Another shocking announcement,  American Airlines flight 77 from Washington Dulles Airport to Los Angles,  having targeted, and crashed into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m..

.  Gary finding the televised live events unbelievable, watching the destruction of  the 110 storied monolithic buildings,  the World Trade Center, its contents of  human life disappearing  before his eyes,  as the south tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m.   Then came word that a fourth plane had been hijacked,  flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco,  the plane coming down at 10:01 in Somerset County Pennsylvania,  the passengers apparently attempting to regain control from the hijackers.   At 10 28 the final affliction, the north tower of the World Trade Center falling to earth with the contents of those remaining  trapped.

.  Viewing these live events were not without consequence,  Gary’s inward response was one of witnessing the unconceivable,   the realization that a new era of terrorism having prevailed,  the once impervious America which he grew up in was now vulnerable to those who espoused its destruction.   The events unfolding that morning coming to a conclusion,  Gary recognizing his work duties remained,  proceeded as most Americans,  to fulfilled their workplace obligations,  nevertheless the events of September 11, 2001 would remain an indelible inscription forever.

Colony Park

.  Before Gary’s employment, Roto Rooter was a frequent visitor to Colony Park,  an on call maintenance person not always available.  The facility having two  6 inch sewer lines extending the length of the building,  the west side line starting in the kitchen, traveling south to the cities main line on East Orangeburg Avenue, the only one to ever back up.   The area before exiting to the street was the Alzheimer’s wing,  where the residents flushing  sundry items causing a backup.   Gary soon found a contributing factor, the building contractors failed to install a kitchen grease trap, consequently,  even with an occasional hydro-jetting of the line, there was still an abundance of  forty years of grease  deposited.

.  An afternoon call for a drainline backup,  this time originating in the kitchen.  Gary attempting to snake the familiar clean-out, but to no avail.  A call to Roto Rooter, they too unable to clear the line,    deciding to inspect it with a camera.   The camera revealing the embedded pipe network beneath the kitchen concrete floor showed signs of  collapse,  followed by another casualty,  the camera got stuck and the growing concern, the kitchen would be unable to drain any water and may have to shut down.  Gary placing a call to inform the administrator, then scouring the valley yellow pages in search of a plumbing source who would respond, the only response was, to  schedule a later date walk-through appraisal.  During a conversation with a non receptive spokesperson,  they suggested calling M  Santos & Sons,  an industrial plumbing contractor.

.  Gary calling,  finding Tony Santos in the office, agreeing to stop by and appraise the situation later that afternoon.  With Santos and Brad’s arrival,  Tony pointed out what would be involved with a cement floor, the time element, the removal of the cement, the noise of  a jack hammer, and the replacement of  the pipes.  Brad expressing the possibility for the kitchen to remain open, Tony relating,  the crew could work at night and  lay down a plywood covering so the kitchen could still function during the day.

.  Gary bringing up the subject of a grease trap,  Tony suggesting a below ground commercial trap placed in the blacktop area behind the kitchen.   Sashi Singh the dietary supervisor remained calm and collected,  taking the event in stride, her staff utilizing paper plates, cups and disposable utensils for resident food service.  The outside hot water outlet provided for cleaning the delivery carts was put in use to clean the cooking accouterments.  Much to Gary’s surprise the project was completed in four days  including the installation of the  grease trap,  the project costing over $23,000.

.  Administrator Brad Kikuta,  never hesitant in displaying his appreciation to the employees of  Colony Park.   During the spring, summer and fall Gary would wheel the two barbecue grills outside,  and he and Brad would grill hamburgers, hot dogs or tri-tips and chicken for the facility staff.  Sawshee, the dietary supervisor would provide the salad, sides, drinks and condiments. The night shift able to partake of left over’s, but also receiving delivered pizzas.  Gary and Brad also grilling when social services provided outdoor lunch events for residences and attending family members.  Gary having experienced the stewardship of authority throughout his lifetime of employment,  but never witnessed the leadership quality of a Brad.  His somewhat shielded concerns included the outward appearance of Colony Park, making trips to Home Depot, purchasing flowers and rose bushes, planting them in the area beneath the windows of the residence rooms.

.  Gary proposing a  gazebos for the grass center area of the circular drive in front of the building, Brad concurring with the idea.  The Environmental Services supervisor starting a cost-effective search,  but unable to find a ready-made suitable gazebo,  putting forth a plan to build the structure himself.  With the purchase of the material he enabled his project,  Brad taking time to assist in the pouring of a concrete slab and the laying of a 24 inch wide stone  pathway,  giving  access to the gazebos.  Gary wasn’t surprised when receiving a request for three more similar,  but smaller structures in the fenced-in resident patio area,  including the same stone walkway presentations.

.  With the department supervisors involved in a diversified number of ongoing projects, quality assurance headed the list,  each department given an investigating assignment.  The supervisor would draw the name of a skilled nursing facility in Modesto,  visit and introduce themselves as a friend or family member of a prospective resident,  inquiring and asking about a tour of the facility.   Upon completion of the visit file a written record of their assignment,  and during a  meeting,  verbally critique the physical appearance, room cleanliness, kitchen, dining areas and social activities of the visited facility.

.  A Morning department supervisor meeting being called for an in service presentation concerning the Alzheimer’s unit,  the speaker, a psychologist being introduced.  the doctor provided insight to actions the caregivers can take, and changes to the physical environment, the example of a more home like atmosphere in the day room, also mentioning a facility placing a  wall viewing cabinet at the entrance to the occupants room, each having a shelf for some type of family memorabilia or pictures.

Gary mentioning his interest in the project, Brad suggesting he look into the cost and feasibility,  his search for a cabinet or reasonable facsimile was unsuccessful.  Everything even close was either too big, or enclosed in glass which was an absolute no in the Alzheimer’s wing.  Gary wasn’t without a plan B,  when all else fails, build it yourself.   The project wasn’t complex, traveling to Home Depot for the wood, Don’s Mobile Glass,  honing the half inch clear plastic for the front.  With maintenance assistant Ray Hernandez assisting,  he furnished nine,   2 by 3 foot,  wall mountable cabinets with sliding plastic front cover plate.  Enclosed in the cabinet was a shelf for each of the rooms three residence.  Gary mounted the finished products with welcoming results,  cataloging the events and projects of Colony Park,  ‘all in a day’s work.