Security - 7. Chapter 7

Dave left with two cups of coffee and two egg sandwiches. “I think I need to get going. I need to drive to the airport.”

“I have my license, the next time you need to be driven to the airport I’ll do it.”

“I’ll let you drive my car after I put you on my insurance.”

We walked back to the cottage, I hugged him as we headed inside the cottage, “I go to work at nine, I’ll hang here till then.”

I headed to the airport, arrived in time for a nine o’clock lift-off. Grabbed a cup of coffee and started to lay out what I wanted to talk to Noah about and second, laying out a sales pitch for my new invention, my personal security bracelet.

The flight took four hours and as we landed I could see Noah waiting for me. As soon as I deplaned, he had his arms around me hugging me for all I was worth. “It’s so good to see you. I was afraid after we graduated I'd never see you again. I spoke to Lee’s mom and dad a few times, they couldn’t say enough about you. You did the right thing but I’m not sure how many more would do what you did. But then Lee was special for you.”

“Yes, Lee was very special to me. I did only what was right. He would’ve done the same for me if I was the one that got killed.”

“I know he would, I canceled your hotel, you’re staying with Gwen and me. No way would I let you stay in a hotel.”

“Thanks I appreciate that but I can only stay one night. We are about to land a very lucrative security job overseas.”

“Okay, then we’ll talk fast.”

Laughing, “Well if our talk is successful, you’ll be seeing more of me.”

Walking into Noah’s home, I was in the arms of a beautiful woman, “Gwen, it’s good to see you and you’re still as beautiful as you were in college.”

“And you’re still full of baloney, a true salesman. Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes.”

“Noah, maybe we can discuss my business, and then we can enjoy the rest of my time here.”

“Okay, what can I do for you?”

“Noah, does your university offer scholarships in marine biology?”

“No, there isn’t enough interest and we can’t compete with the larger universities. We are a private university and our main focus is on liberal arts. A few of us got the board to include biology under the auspices of general knowledge. Our position was biology is the study of living organisms and not engineering. Then we had to convince them that biology was a part of liberal arts. We reference Greek studies, put together a program including liberal art courses. They approved but no money for scholarships. We agreed.”

“So what happens if I want to offer a scholarship?”

“I don’t think they’ll accept it.”

“Okay, I have a young man who wants to be a marine biologist. He has good grades but he applied to some of the schools too late. I don’t know why, but I’ll find out. I don’t want him to know I’m paying. So how do we do this?”

“Let me think over dinner. A man thinks his best on a full stomach.”

Dinner was a total delight. We laughed over our college days. “Whatever happened to that guy who was so jealous of you and Lee?”

“You mean Pete, I think he was more jealous of what we were working on. He’s married and works with me. Do you remember Dave, he dated that girl who was earning her degree in math. She was always making jokes about engineers.”

“Yes, she was in the dorm in my building. She wasn’t smart but funny.”

“Her and Dave are married and Dave works with me as well. And she still makes jokes. They have two children, one of each is the way she puts it when you ask her.”

“What do you do?”

“Do you remember what Lee and I were working on?”

“No, but I knew it involved computers.”

“It was a security program. We had perfected it just before Lee was killed. We had patented it the night before. When Lee was killed, I wasn’t interested in the project anymore. Dad had a friend who had a friend which resulted in me licensing them for eighteen years. Then I went to work for them bringing Dave and Pete along with me. Lee would be proud of how successful the systems are.”

“What’s that bracelet your wearing? Is it gold?”

Yes it's gold, it’s a personal security system. After Lee’s death, I have been working on this project. In case of a threat, it automatically calls 911, gives them the information needed to send police. It takes three seconds for this to take place.”

“What triggers it?”

“Heartbeat and skin moisture. The two things that any type of anxiety will trigger. And a few other things. Do you want to be Guinea pigs? I can make it in gold or platinum.”

“We need to think about it.”

“Okay, let me know when, if you’re interested. The dinner was delicious, my applause to the chef.” Gwen smiled, it was a very good dinner.

“Now about that scholarship?”

“I’m sorry Chaz but we can’t. The board would never go for it.”

“Okay” as I tore up that letter. “Here read this.”

I watched as he read, a sly smile crossed his lips as he read. “You are a sly devil. This we can do.”

“Okay, I’ll have him send you a letter concerning a scholarship. That’s your answer.”

“What’s his name?”

“Robert Acadia, he’s a good kid and was a great help to mom and dad. My way of paying him back.”

The rest of the evening we just got caught up on our lives. Talked about some of the crazy stuff we did in college. We talked, laughed, and drank till midnight. “I’m sorry, but I must get some sleep. I have a little business to do late tomorrow morning and then I’m flying back home. Rest assured I’ll be back, for now, good night. Would you show me my room before I fall down? Don’t know if it’s the time or the alcohol,” I slept a very sound sleep thanks to those drinks. I have always enjoyed fruit-based drinks, beer is normally my alcoholic drink.

I got up late in the morning, but as it turned out so did everyone else. I went to the kitchen, found the coffee, and made coffee. Gwen came in smelling the coffee. “You can stay here anytime, the coffee smells great. We had fun last night, old times. We forget those carefree days when all we had to worry about were exams.”

“Yes, it makes reality seem so drab, all seriousness, work, and no play. There are times I wish I was back in school. We studied but we had good times and good friends. We need a reunion of the old gang.”

"What are you all talking about? Coffee smells good.”

“Chaz suggests a reunion of the old gang.”

“Can you handle that Chaz? You know Lee will be brought up.”

"Yes, I can handle that. Lee and I have reached an agreement.”

I expect a reunion of the old gang could bring up sensitive issues. Lee and I had discussed what we would do if one of us died. It was a game we played, if you died this way what I would do. One of the men who were not in our group heard us and thought we were sick. I always treated it as a joke till it happened and then it was no longer a game.

Saying goodbye to Gwen, Noah drove me to a small realtor’s office. I needed a small cottage close to the school and the ocean. Having commissioned the realtor to find the cottage, I was ready to leave for the airport. The plane was ready, I thanked Noah for his hospitality. “ Let me know if you want a bracelet and I’ll have your bracelet when I return. Also if Gwen would like one. They are a little bulky as you can see. However, once it’s on, you can’t remove it. If you try, it’ll self-destruct, better than patents.” Waving goodbye, I boarded the plane, and shortly we were heading home.