The Crossroads Read Free Page B

office staff was small. There was Myra Miles, the book-keeper. Leo could never understand how anybody who chewed gum so constantly and avidly, and giggled at the most asinine remark, could keep books so accurately. The Walterburg firm of Kimball and Kimball who did the auditing and the tax statements never found an error. Myra handled the payrolls too. Joe Varadi, whom Leo considered to be a very sour-acting man with very little personality, handled the consolidated purchasing for all the corporate-managed facilities, assisted by Elena Hessecker, a rather pretty girl who acted as sour as Joe. But sometimes they would laugh themselves practically helpless over something which, to Leo, didn’t seem the least bit funny. Then there were the two secretaries. Ginger Daley wasn’t a secretary. She ran the switchboard and did typing. Gloria Quinn took shorthand and did typing, and was supposed to be the secretary for the Drovek brothers. But Leo had complained often to Charles about her. She always seemed to be busy helping Joe or Myra, and it took her forever to get his tabulations typed. She even acted as if they weren’t important.
    The three managers, of course, reported directly to Charles. Marty Simmons managed the two gas stations and the automotive end of the business at Truck Haven. Walter Merris managed the two motels. John Clear managed the restaurant part. John really had the biggest job. The Motor Hotel Restaurant, and the Crossroads Pantry and the food end at Truck Haven, as well as the big bar and cocktail lounge in the new wing on the north side of the Motor Hotel Restaurant, the Starlight Club. It didn’t open until 11:30 A.M ., and closed at two, three hours after the restaurant itself closed. John had his own office and staff over on the top floor of the Motor Hotel Restaurant and wasthe only manager who did any appreciable part of his own buying.
    Leo reminded himself to speak to Charles again about John Clear. He had sent memos to John telling him exactly what additional operating figures he needed, but John was not co-operating. Certainly the man could easily compile separate figures on pilferage and breakage instead of lumping them together the way he did. But he would have to talk to Charles when he was in a good mood. Sometimes Charles became unreasonable and yelled at him in front of the staff. It would be better to talk to him after this automobile agency thing had been settled.
    He realized Betty had been saying something to him.
    “What, dear?” he said, looking across the small table at her. She was a small, somewhat scrawny woman with graying hair. Her wide blue eyes were her prettiest feature. He loved her dearly. It often seemed to him that she was the only person able to comprehend the real value of his contribution to the Crossroads Corporation.
    “Martha May’s cold is worse today. Thank goodness Roger and Bunny haven’t caught it yet. I’m going to keep her in bed.”
    “Good idea.”
    “You don’t have a cold, do you? You were coughing in the night.”
    “No. I feel all right.”
    “Are you worried about something, dear?”
    “I think that Charles is going off the deep end on this automobile agency thing.”
    “Really?”
    “I’m going to have to have a serious talk with him. I think we have enough leased operations right now. It’s time to consolidate instead of expand. First we had the six little shops across from the restaurant. Then the drive-in movie and then the bowladrome and then that enormous shopping center. I don’t think we should borrow more money at this time.”
    “I’m sure he’ll listen to you, dear.”
    Leo wished he could be as sure as Betty was. For one moment he had the dispiriting memory of having objectedto every structure they had built for lease, and having Charles go ahead anyway. And having it work out well.
    He stood up and patted his firm mouth with his napkin, went over to Betty, bent and kissed her trusting lips, and left for the office a half