ARROW - 55. Chapter 55

The following week my carpenter came back with an estimate for the fire escape. I thought this was a necessity otherwise I couldn’t rent the apartment. He also talked to his painter about repainting the rooms and hallways. He said he would follow-up with the fire department concerning fire retardants and fire suppressing equipment. I asked him to ask them about fog suppressants that wouldn’t damage artwork. I wasn’t sure if they would have a recommendation or not. Then I thought about the gallery in town where the Professor and I had visited.

Checking with Mary, she said that several students have asked about the apartments. I asked her what she told them, she said she told them they needed to be brought up to code. “Did you take their name and contact information?”

“Yes, I also told them it would be quite a while and they should think in terms of next term.” Next term would be the fall term.

Professor came over and wanted to ask if it was alright to show his students the village. I told him it would be okay as long as they stayed inside of the roped area. I didn’t want anyone touching the painted surface. “Mary, let me know when they will be here. I’d like to be present.”

I reviewed the contractors comments and costs with Colin. He thought they were reasonable and told me to go ahead with the fire escapes and electrical upgrade. I wanted to have the fire suppressant system installed between the apartment floors and the gallery ceiling. I was still worried about a fire destroying the paintings in the gallery.

I contacted my carpenter and electrician and told them to go ahead with their proposal. I set up a meeting with them on the following day at the gallery I had agreed on a down payment if I approved the proposed project. I needed to negotiate the other payments depending on the degree of work completion with a final payment based on my inspection. I knew their work would be first class, these were the contractors that completed the club.

I arranged with the professor to visit the gallery downtown. “I’m refurbishing the apartments including a fire suppressant system. I’m concerned about my gallery. I want to know what they are using.”

“Don’t be surprised if they don’t have one. I know no smoking is allowed, you have the same signs in your gallery.”

Walking into the galley we were met by the owner, “Hello Professor, Armand, it’s nice to see you. Armand, I thought you agreed to let me sell one of your paintings.”

“I did but that was before my husband surprised me with a gallery of my own. However, I did promise so I’ll bring one over tomorrow.”

“I know you didn’t come here to buy a painting, so how may I help you?”

“I was wondering what do you do if you had a fire? How would you protect your paintings?”

“I have heat detectors which will notify the fire department and a CO2 system. Look there, that line is under pressure and those nozzles are designed to function if the temperature gets above a preset temperature. I have them set for 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I was going to set them lower but during the summer, the outside temperature gets in the 80’s and sometimes 90’s.”

“So you basically flood the area with CO2.”

“Yes. Have you talked to the fire department?”

“Not yet.”

“You need to do that. They were very helpful when I installed my system.”

“While we are here, let’s look around and see if he has some new paintings.”

And that was what we did. I was particularly interested in the prices he was charging.

The following day, I did make a visit to the fire department. I invited the captain to come and take a look at not only the gallery but the apartments as well. The men where working on the fire escape when he arrived. “I told the previous owner that he needed those fire escapes. He said it would cost too much money and he was happy not renting the apartments. I think he lived in one.”

We spent about 2 hours, looking over the apartments and the gallery, I had to show him the village. He never asked who the artist was that painted the village in fact even when we toured the section where my paintings were, he never asked about the artist.

He said he would put together a proposal and let me know when it was completed. I wonder where I would store a CO2 tank. I figured it would have to be outside. I wonder if Colin had a plot plan of the site.

That evening, while sitting at the bar, I told Colin about the fire department visit at the gallery. “Do you have a plot plan of the gallery?”

“I think I do. In our apartment I have all of the papers. Maybe we should have a CO2 system here in the club. That mural is worth a lot of money.”

“When I pick up their proposal for the galley, I’ll asked them to come and check out the club. I’m sure he will suggest a system for the kitchen.”

I did meet with the fire department to review their proposal. I passed it on to the contractors for inclusion in the overall project. Now I needed to fine a spot for storage of the CO2. Again I visited the fire department with the plot drawing. They suggested that a liquid CO2 storage tank be installed underground close to the building. I discussed with Colin what they suggested. Colin suggested the tank be stored under the fire escape. I thought that might work.

The following Tuesday at my weekly meeting with the contractors, I mentioned the storage of liquid CO2 for the fire suppressant systems. “Colin suggested the liquid tank be set under the fire escape.”

“It’ll have to be insulated otherwise the liquid will evaporate and pending on the construction of the tank, a high pressure may develop.”

“It can’t be any worse than those CO2 containers you are installing in the kitchens.”

“Let us talk to the gas supplier and see what they recommend.”

They did that and we did install their recommended tank system under the fire escape. When the installation of the tank was completed, I ask the fire department to come and check it out.

Now we needed to design the distribution of the CO2 system in the galleria and the apartments.

I returned to the fire department with my contractor. They gave us a name of a designer who they have used. "He will design a distribution system for you. I called the firm suggested by the chief of the fire department. We agreed to meet with him the following Wednesday.

Mary and her contacts from the club, furnished the apartments. She had the same type of carpets installed in the living room and bedrooms as we had in the club. Her friend from the restaurant supply company donated a set of dishes for two, in each apartment. When I asked why only two, “Those apartments are ideal for two and if you are thinking of renting them to college students, you don’t want more than two living in an apartment.” I thought about what she said and after talking to Colin, I agreed.

One change had to be made to the carpark on the side of the building. I had to extend it to the back of the building to make sure they could fill the CO2 tank. It also gave us a small parking lot.

My days became a routine. After getting Colin off to work, I’d work on a painting. I would go to the gallery for lunch with Mary and Thomas. The evenings we would spend time in the club except when the club was closed on Monday and Tuesday. Those times we spent discussing club issues and the gallery. But mostly we enjoyed our roof, especially in the evening.

“Armand, do have the dates of Geno and Angela’s wedding?”

“Yes, I mark them on the calendar in the kitchen. I’ll check them later.” I was comfortable sitting next to Colin I didn’t want to move.

“I got a letter from Carlo, he wanted to know if he could come and stay with us again.”

“I don’t see why not. He’s always welcome.”

“Good, I invited him. He’ll be arriving next month.”

“He didn’t send you a letter.”

“Yes he did. Only he didn’t mention about visiting. That was me.”

“You two have become good friends.”

“Yes, we seem to hit it off. When we were at his restaurant, he showed me around. We had the opportunity to chat. He wanted to know how I met you? What was university like in the States? He had a lot of questions so I invited him to visit. He still mentions our stay in his letters.”

“When we go back for the wedding, Carmella is coming back with us. I thought I’d arrange a honeymoon for them, one week in Europe and then here until they need to go back.”

“Go and get the calendar, I need to mark my calendar at work. Is there anyone else you invited to visit?”

“Not that I remember. Did you invite anyone, maybe those girls we met at the Spanish Steps?” Saying that I quickly left the roof to get my calendar.

Looking at the dates of Geno and Angela’s wedding I didn’t realize it was closer than I thought. I took the calendar to the roof, “Colin, where has the time gone? Look at my calendar, their wedding is this fall. I can’t believe 2 years have passed since we got married.”

“Our anniversary is next month.”

I sat down next to him, looking through my calendar, he was right. “How did I lose time?”

“When we came home, we started refurbishing the club. That took several months, the club is going on the 2 year mark, we have the gallery, and you have spent a lot of time there. You just haven’t focused on the time. Think, how many Christmas have we spent together, how many New Years parties have we had at the club.”

He was right, I never pay attention to the passing of time. Rather than use a calendar I mark time on a day by day activity. I knew it was Sunday because of the lunches, Tuesday and Wednesday the club is closed.The rest of the week, each day is basically the same. Morning, I’m at the gallery or painting. I always knew when I was painting I would loose all semblance of time. Many times my professors would send someone to get me. I’d be painting or prepping to start a painting.

“Colin, I have always lost track of time. You need to remind me of important dates. We need to get tuxes for the wedding and I need to plan their honey moon. I’ll fly them to Paris for a few days and then book them a cruise ending in New York. We can meet them and bring them here. I’ll have Carmella fly home with us. Then we’ll fly them back home. That will be our wedding gift.”

Now I need to tell Mary and hopefully between Colin and her, I’ll be kept on schedule.

Wednesday I went to the gallery. Thomas was sitting in his usual place in front of the painting of the couple. Mary was in the office. Passing Thomas, I ruffled his hair, he looked and then he grabbed my hand following me to the office.

“Hi Mom, I think this young man is looking for something.”

“I think it’s close to lunch time. Right, Thomas?” A nod was the response.

“Mom, do you have room for this painting?”

She looked at the painting, it was a little boy on a pier fishing. “This is one of the photos I took when I was at the beach. I added the pier and the young fisherman.”

“That little boy looks like someone I know. I’ll find a spot for it.”

“Thomas, ready for lunch?” A big grin was the answer.

Thomas and I left to get lunch. “Thomas, what would you like for lunch?”

“Hot dog.”

“Didn’t we have that last time?” He nodded yes, “How about a hamburger?”

“With fries?”

“Yes, with fries and a milk shake.” He smiled.

So we had hamburgers with fries. I ordered two side salads and a milk shake.

Walking back to the gallery, he showed me where he lived. It wasn’t far from the gallery.

Walking into the office, Mary had the coffee ready. Sitting around the desk, “I need to buy those trays so we don’t have to clear the desk.”

“I think I may have some at home. We used them when Colin was small and we would sit and have lunch in front of the tv. I’ll check tonight.”

After lunch I went and checked on the apartments. The painters were painting the bedrooms. They had finished the living rooms. “Who picked out the colors for the rooms?”

“That woman downstairs in the place with all of those paintings.” I knew they meant Mary.