K. Janssen - Hampton Manor

The medical staff attending to his father, however, reported directly to Adam. Milton receives reports on Adam II’s condition after each shift is over. Adam III sees copies only when there is a significant change in his father’s condition.

At breakfast, earlier in the week, Milton reported that Adam’s father seem to be responding to a new drug Arecept, his nurses reporting that he seemed to be more cognizant of his surroundings and was responding well to questions.

“You said the other day that my father was responding well to a new drug. Is it still showing promise?”

“Yes sir, he’s been on it for a week. The doctor seems pleased with the results.”

“What about side effects? These new drugs usually have a few.”

“The first two days he was constipated, had some nausea and dizzy spells, but these conditions have disappeared. They are pretty common side effects for that class of drugs. The doctor said we shouldn’t be concerned.”

“As they spoke, Bootsy and Flopsy, five year old beagles, came into the den and began rubbing up against Adam’s leg. He reached down and gave each a brief ear rubbing, settling them down. They seemed to sense when a visit to the West Wing was imminent. The dogs were allowed to accompany Adam whenever he visited his father. When Adam II was first confined, the dogs lived with him, but when he began to hallucinate and thought the dogs were trying to kill him, they were taken back to the main residence and allowed only occasional visits. Today was one of those days.

“I’ll notify the ‘wing’ that you’re on your way?”

“Thank you Milton.”

Adam was admitted to the ante-chamber with the dogs in close pursuit. While he discussed his father’s condition with John Nagel the Senior Supervisor, Bootsy and Flopsy, with tails wagging excitedly, stood impatiently at the opposite door, sniffing the smell of ozone from the ultra-violet lamps, that wafted under the door. Armed with a clipboard, John unlocked the door that opened into a buffer zone that was built between the reception area and the five other rooms on the main level of the wing. Immediately in front of them, down a long hall, were doors to the other rooms, a library, clinic, Adam II’s bedroom, gymnasium and the den.

The library was stocked with a myriad of fiction novels that are representative of his father’s broad interest in authors and genres. He has an amazing memory of what he reads; often repeating paragraphs verbatim. One wall stores volumes of technical manuals and personal notebooks on equipment and processes utilized in Hampton Industries businesses. These were moved from his den in the main residence. When his father died, Adam II had spent endless hours visiting the factories and observing the manufacturing processes. Growing up he had exhibited little interest in the business, but upon taking ownership he found himself filling notebooks with what he observed. He was suddenly fascinated by every step from the input of raw materials to the ultimate finished product ready to be distributed to the end user. He took the notebooks back to his office and spent days reviewing his copious notes about each operation until he was satisfied that each plant was functioning at optimal production. Often he revisited the plants and offered suggestions on how to improve the manufacturing flow; suggestions that were construed as orders regardless of the subtleties they were couched in. He offered the suggestions, not because he didn’t think his engineering staff was competent, he hired only engineers that were at the top of their graduating class, nor was it because he himself had superior technical skills or training. He had neither. The truth was simply that he was an autodidact with a deep love of manufacturing processes and as owner he could implement any changes that he thought would be productive and he did that many times.

The clinic was a fully equipped hospital emergency room. The nine men on the staff were all Rn’s with emergency room training and graduates of private classes on physical restraint. Turnover was rare since the salaries were well above scale and the work was not very demanding. John, the Senior Supervisor reported directly to Adam III.

Adam II’s bedroom was a carbon copy of the master suite in the main house. On each shift, one of the nurses plays the role of butler in an attempt to make his life close to what it was previously. His medications and breakfast were brought to his room. The nurses remain with him until his pills are taken. Any food that requires slicing was pre-cut since the day that he stabbed one of the nurses in the arm when he reached to remove a plate before Adam was finished. The wound was superficial, but the warning was clear. His behavior was unpredictable. Each morning clothes were laid out for him and his bath was drawn, emulating the service that Milton had provided to him for many years, the exception being that he had to use an electric shaver in place of the Gillette razors he preferred. He accepted these changes without complaint.

The gymnasium mirrored the gym at the country club that Adam frequented in the early days of the his tenure as CEO and President of Hampton Industries. In those days his powerful build was maintained by three visits weekly to the gym and weight training under the direction of the gym’s pro. Much of the muscle tone so arduously gained during those years was lost during his “playboy” period. It takes some cajoling, now, to get Adam to work out and whenever he does, he spends most of the “gym” time on the recumbent bicycle or treadmill, adamantly refusing to engage in any weight training. The last room was the den, a lavishly decorated sitting room or lounge. A circular table with four cushioned armchairs is set in a nook for Adam’s lunch and dinner. He often invited the shift “butler” to join him. He was allowed a single glass of wine with his dinner. On holidays the three man shift usually ate their holiday meal with AdamII, occasionally with the company of his son Adam III.

Adam III waited for his father, sitting in an overstuffed leather chair that was a duplicate of the chairs in his own den. A bar was set up in one corner of the room. Shots of alcohol, brands favored by both father and son, liqueurs and beer are dispensed by an elaborate machine installed to control Adam II’s alcohol consumption which is strictly limited by his doctors to prevent interactions with the medications he must take daily. Adam III can override the system for his own use and is reminded by a flashing message on the monitor to reset the dispenser when he is finished. As he waited he mixed a rusty-nail, dropped in a few ice cubes, swirled the drink around a few times and took a sip. He smiled as he allowed the fluid to roll over his tongue and slide gently down his throat. He slumped back in the chair as he allowed his thoughts to drift, I see Marcia again tonight. I wonder how her day has been going with that loser Masterson. I picked the right person for the job. She can bust chops with the best of them when she sets her mind to it.

He looked down at the glass in his hand and reprehended himself, I’ll have to be on my best behavior tonight. If I don’t watch myself I’ll be giving away the company. I’ll order the recommended wine with the meal and I won’t have more than one of these at her place for a nightcap. I’m sure I can find something better to do when I’m with her, than to suck these things down.. The possibilities that came to his mind produced a big smile and a gentle stirring in his loins.

Adam looked at his watch. He had been waiting twenty minutes already. As he rose to check on things, John opened the door poked his head in the room and announced, “Your father will be ready in about five minutes. When he heard he had a visitor, he insisted on getting dressed in a suit and tie. There was no arguing the point with him. It took Barry a while to get your father to decide on the right suit, shirt, tie and shoes.”