A Child's Haven - 3. Chapter 3

I was anxious to get to the warehouse and start ordering material for the dining area. The tables should arrive today, and once they are in place, I’ll know where to place the vending machines. I marked off the space for the counter and refrigerator across from the tables. The painters arrived and started to spray paint the walls. I received a call from the supplier of the vending machines, and they acknowledged my order. Shipping would be within the next seven days.

Calling my mom, “Mom, could you purchase some kitchen equipment for me and see if they’ll deliver it to the warehouse.”

“Text me a list, and I’ll see what I can find. I assume you want to have this as soon as possible.”

“At least within the next few days, I’m going to buy some cabinets. Then I’ll have a place to put the equipment. Thanks, Mom.”

I ordered the overhead kitchen cabinets and one under the counter cabinet. I needed space under the counter for dishwashers and refrigerators. The question now was how much space I’d need. Taking a ruler, I visited an appliance store and noted the width and depth of several pieces of appliances.

That evening at dinner, Mom told me what she had looked at and her suggestions. “I need to get countertops, but I also need to design the kitchen area. Do you think you could come and help me?”

“OK, I’ll go with you in the morning. I’m quite anxious to see this project of yours.”

The next morning, Dad drove mom to the warehouse. When we arrived, I saw a lot of people hanging around. I guess the workers coming and going last week stirred up some curiosity. I wonder what they’ll think when it’s complete.

I showed my mom around, explaining my ideas and how the building would be utilized. We started in the basement and worked our way up to the second floor. I showed her a picture of the Japanese capsule hotels. “This is what I’ll install on this floor.”

Going back to the ground floor, the back door opened, and a man entered, “We have some picnic tables for a Mr. Williams.” My dad and I both answered simultaneously, “I’m Mr. Williams.”

Laughing, “This is the Mr. Williams you want to talk to; he’s my son and the owner of this building.”

I showed him where I wanted the benches placed, which he did within 30 minutes. “What do you think, Mom?”

“I like the idea. Good place for kids to eat, maxim utilization of the space. Yes, I think that’ll work perfectly.”

“Mom, here is where I want to put the dishwashers, refrigerators, microwave units, and the sinks. I plan on putting a cupboard above to hold dishes, glasses, and cups. Silverware will be in a drawer under the counter. There’ll probably be several drawers. I can’t wait to open this place. There are so many needy kids.”

“I know you have a passion for helping these kids; I saw several on our way here. We’ll help you to expedite the finishing of at least the first two floors and the basement.”

I’m not sure what transpired when my parents left. Late that afternoon, a man showed up asking if I was Brad Williams. I acknowledge that I was. He asked if I could show him around and tell him what my ideas were concerning the rooms. I wasn’t sure if I should do that, but I didn’t see any harm, so I showed him around. When we were finished, he asked what time do I usually arrive in the morning. I told him I’m usually here at eight in the morning. He thanked me for the tour and left.

That evening at dinner, I told my dad about this man coming to the warehouse and asking to be shown around.

“Was he about 6 feet tall, white hair and a black mustache?”

“Yes, I thought it was odd, white hair and a back mustache.”

“That’s Abe Carver. He’s an architect and a friend of mine. I asked him to look over the place, get your ideas, and get back to me as soon as possible. I thought with all the changes you’ll be making, and it wouldn’t hurt to have plans that would guide your thinking and any workmen that you employ to help.”

“Thanks, Dad, he should’ve introduced himself. There was a moment I thought he was from some agency that could’ve stopped me.”

“I should’ve told you he was coming. Don’t be surprised who shows up. Ask them who sent them, and they’ll tell you if it was me or if it was an agency.”

The next morning, I checked to see who made the cubicles that I’d need for the bedroom area and the showers for the first floor. There was a knock at the door, followed by, “Is anyone here?”

I opened the door, and there was a man dressed in coveralls. “Your dad sent us; we have a load of bricks and lumber. Is there a back way into the building?”

I nodded and asked that he followed me, taking him out the back door; I showed him the unloading dock. He thanked me and went back out the front door. I hung around the loading dock, waiting for the truck. In about fifteen minutes, the truck arrived and began unloading the bricks and lumber. I signed the delivery paper and called dad. “Dad, they made a delivery of bricks and lumber today.”

“Yes, and tomorrow masons will show up to start closing up the windows. Abe has a draft of the renovations, and I’ll show them to you at dinner tonight.”

True to his word, masons showed up with an architectural plan and began working on the windows. While they were doing that; Abe showed up with a plan for the basement; it laid out all of the piping and ventilation. He suggested where the shower rooms were located, cut the drain into the floor, and then a grate would be placed over the top to permit water to move to a sump at the washer area. I thought that wasn’t a bad idea and told him that. He showed me the basement layout, highlighting the shower area, lockers, sinks, commercial washers and dryers, smaller washers, and dryers. He included a commercial pressing machine that could iron any size clothing, sheets, etc. I liked the plan and told him. The next thing I knew, he was talking to someone on the phone. Smiling, he shook my hand and left. The following morning, the masons arrived and men with pneumatic drills and a carpenter. The men with the drills went to the basement and marked where the drains would be. If someone could look down from the ceiling, they would see the layout was identical to the drawing Abe had shown me.

The noise was deafening. The men wore hearing muffs that deadened the sound, but you could hear it on the second floor. The carpenter started to layout the second level, what I referred to as 2A. He looked at my idea of the cubicles and made some notations on a sheet of paper. Before he left, I showed him the kitchen area on the ground floor. He made some notes again and told me he’d be back in the morning.

I was anxious to get to the warehouse in the morning to see what was accomplished and who was going to show up. Although my dad arranged for these workmen, I made it clear that I’d pay for their services and not my dad. When I arrived at the warehouse, although it was only 7 am, the carpenter was there with a truckload of wood, I-beams, and several men. He showed me Abe’s print, “We’re going to start on the second level making another floor.”

I was delighted to hear that. I felt that this project would become a reality for the first time. The basement drains were finished by the end of the week and tested. I didn’t need to look for shower stalls as Abe had designed a stall and submitted it for bids. The first four arrived one week after the floor drains were completed. For the next several days, shipments of the shower stalls arrived, sets of four. By the end of the week, they were put in place and ready to be connected to the water and drains. I had ordered the lockers, and they were coming Monday of the following week. The lockers for the personal effects I bought from schools who wanted to update their sport lockers. I liked these because they looked like train lockers. You need a key to insert into the door lock. Once the door was closed, you could remove the key; once the door was open, you could not remove the key. The carpenters helped to install the lockers.