June 01, 2020
Review, Edit and Update
In A New Room, the sisters Dez and Emmie, discuss ethical and moral issues, specifically, of assuming that all of her staff would buy into Emmie's very loose plan to help the community with her own form of a Covid19 response.
A New Room
“How are we going to do this, Dez? Now I’m rather afraid to set things in motion. It’s been a long time since I’ve taken on my own project. At least one that feels so big.”
“Who do we need to talk to? Digby and Martha, for sure. And Cook definitely. But they are your employees. How do you want to approach them?”
Dez and Emmie were sitting on the open front porch. They were both exhausted. Emmie wanted Dez's help setting up her bedroom in the den. She really wanted little to do with the bedroom that she had been in for the last many years. Too many memories that she and her husband had shared. Emmie looked off into space, barely listening to Dez.
“What did you say? Oh, yes, my employees.” Putting her glass of lemon water down, she turned to face Dez, setting aside the intrusion of memories. “You know, I think we’ve missed something Dez. As employees, the three of them have always ~ always ~ been kind and accommodating. But I’ve never asked them to do anything like this. I don’t think I can expect them to….no I don’t want to expect them to do this. Definitely not as an expectation of their employment. But I also don’t want them to think they’ll lose their employment. Having potential exposure to the Covid19 virus?! That’s just too much. It’s too much to ask of you too! At the same time, I think we have a lot to offer. If we don’t we’d be letting the community down. I’m feeling pretty frustrated, but I really do feel there is something we can do ~ that at least I should do.”
Dez was swinging on a wicker basket chair in a corner of the porch. It had been a lovely sunny day with little breeze. Daffodils were making a real show of themselves under trees just barely greening. Songbirds, loving the cool air, were proclaiming their joy. A lone deer nibbled and grazed on tender greens. Dez was feeling relaxed and content. It was good being here with Emmie. Any worries she had entertained about them not getting along had been dispelled over their time together. Now they just might have a project to work on together. Dez knew it would really be Emmie’s project, but every time Emmie said 'we will do', it felt good. If they could ever figure out what the project was to be.
“That does put you in quite a spot, Emmie. Don’t worry about me. Whatever you decide, I’ll let you know if I feel I can’t go along with it. We’ve been talking things over pretty good. You only got mad at me once, so far. You really have been thinking this through, haven’t you?”
“Not all the way, yet.”
“I wonder if maybe Digby and Martha have ever had any kind of ideas. You know, ideas about what they would do if they had control of this place?”
“I never thought of that! Dez, that’s a great idea. I think.” Emmie sat up at attention. And just as quickly sat back in her cushioned lounge chair. “It all comes back to talking to them.”
“Have you ever had staff meetings? A lot of the places I’ve worked have some kind of staff meetings. Sometimes only when something big has happened, sometimes regularly. “
“I think Digby insists on regular staff meetings. He says it helps to keep everyone on the same page. My home has been run incredibly efficiently, no matter who I bring home or what surprise over night guests are invited. So, we talk to Digby first and find out about staff meetings? Am I making this harder than it needs to be?”
Emelina was up and pacing now. Over by the porch railing, she brushed away loose dirt and sat down to lean against one of the roof support posts. “I think I can answer my own question. I think I’m expecting it to be harder than it needs to be. It’s just that I’ve been so out of touch with my own home for so long, I don’t really know what to do. Going out with friends, which hasn’t happened in a long time, or sitting in a Board meeting, I seem to have known how to function. But when I come through that front door, it all falls away. It’s like I hang it up with my coat, or kick it off like I kick off my shoes.”
Dez had stopped swinging, letting her feet be her brakes. Standing and bending over in a stretch to touch her toes, she voiced a muffled agreement. “I get that, Emmie.” She stood up and stretched backwards. “I feel that way most days after work. Not at this place I’m working now. Mr. Jorgenssen is such a nice guy, I never have to stress about whether I’m going to say something wrong. But some other places, I’ve just gone in, done my work and gone home at the end of the day. That’s when I take my armour off.”
“Your armour? That’s a good way to put it. Anyway, let’s get back to a staff meeting. Here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to compose an email to send to Digby asking about staff meetings and when they would have their next one. I’ll let him know about a possible project that would involve all the staff. I would like staff to bring ideas for how we can help the community. How does that sound, Dez? I don’t want to scare them about any job security issues.”
“When you write it up, do you want to let them know that I’ll be involved too? Are you going to get more specific about what your idea was?”
“Come on in the house and let’s get some supper. Are you staying out another night or do you have to get back? No, I don’t think I will tell Digby about that, but in the staff meeting I may tell them and everything we talked about. The more I think about it the more I like the idea of a staff meeting so we can sort things out together. Make a solid plan that would include all the staff not just one or two. And, if for whatever reason, not everyone can buy into a plan then, I’ll just have to figure out what you and I can do on our own.”
Dez was already putting her jacket on and digging in her purse and pocket for her car keys. “I do have to get back because I work in the morning for a few hours. If you need me out here after lunch I can come out for the afternoon. I think your plan is shaping up pretty good, Emmie. Here, give me a hug, I’ve got to go. I’ll grab something to eat at home. Love you!”
Emmie was alone in her kitchen. Humming an old Benny Goodman tune, she made a ham and cheese sandwich, put a dill pickle beside it on a plate and took it upstairs to her new room. It felt a little strange when she closed the door and surveyed her new surroundings. Half empty book shelves of dark wood lined one wall. She sat down in her floral covered easy chair with its little foot stool from her old room. The quiet pastoral painting that had hung over her bed in her old room replaced the garish abstract that Mike had loved. Yes, it felt strange but good.
“Everything starts with owning the room.”
~ Deyth Banger, How to Talk to Anyone
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