New Horizons

Kevin must hire a new assistant supervisor

 

New Horizons

 

 

 

 

Kevin rode in the front of the helicopter as they flew back to base. Normally, this was Kevin’s favorite spot. He had enough flight time to get his own pilot’s license and he really loved to fly. 

            Today, it was different for Joyce. Kevin had unnerved her and she was quiet on the flight back to base. Kevin’s request to see her in his office was really bugging her and he would offer no clue as to what he needed to see her about. She was really hopeful that he was going to approve her transfer to his shift, but something in the tone of his voice had told her this might not be the case. She was considering another job offer if she could not get off the shift she was on now and she really had hopes of staying with Life-Star. Emotionally, she was totally drained and physically, she needed about a week of solid sleep. 

            Once they were on the ground again, Joyce set about to clean up the equipment and get her unit back in shape for the next call. To get her mind off the meeting with Kevin, she cleaned and swept and began to wish she had not given up smoking. She even helped Reggie restock Kevin’s unit and tried to get some information out of Reggie as they worked together. She had no luck at all.

            “Joyce, if you have time, I need to see you for a minute or two.”

            Joyce was really tense as she left the bay area and went to Kevin’s office. She really wished she had not left her soda on the rear bumper of the ambulance. She could use a big long cold drink right now.

            “Please sit,” Kevin offered. 

            She sat in the chair Kevin had pointed to and tried to relax, but it was no use. She was too tense, especially when she could see that Kevin did indeed have her transfer request in his hand, along with her service record folder. One thing that did not go unnoticed was the unopened can of soda on the desk in front of her seat. She began to relax a little as Kevin motioned that it was hers. Kevin’s ever-present glass of ice tea was full, and Joyce knew that meant at least a 20-minute slot of time was set for this meeting. Kevin often joked about his meetings taking one, two or three glasses of tea. One budget meeting he had described as a whole pitcher meeting.

            “Joyce, this is not easy for me, but maybe you could make it easier.  I need you to explain why you placed this request for transfer to this shift.”

            “I feel that maybe it is time to change things a little. I love working here, but things are not that great right now.”

            “Is it the medic shortage? I know that has been hard on all of us, I know, but it will end soon enough. We have three new hires and others are coming back, including your old partner.”   

            “No, that is not it at all. It’s just not easy for me right now. Things are just not going very well here, at least on my shift anyway. Goodness, Kevin. My life is a mess and that shift is killing me.”

            “Joyce, remember we are friends. Relax and give me a reason, please. It will help both of us out.”

            Kevin already knew of the trouble Joyce was having on her shift. She was a single mom raising two children and working as many extra shifts as she could. She was a perfectionist with her job and her life. Joyce always pushed herself and those around her to go the extra step. It was not easy to actually supervise Joyce in her work. She was always that one step ahead, and it really did not play well with the manic compulsive assistant on the opposite shift.

            Joyce would also never be the one to blow the whistle on a superior. That was Kevin’s reason for meeting with her this morning. He had to hear the situation from Joyce’s side before he made his decision to bring her to his shift.    

            "Okay", she sighed. "I'm not getting on very well with my assistant supervisor. I've been written up twice in the last three shifts and I really don’t understand the infractions she's charged me with. She wrote us up last night over the broken axle. We had no control over that and I've done nothing to deserve being hounded the way she has hounded me."

            "That's what I've heard. I understand your reasons and I hope you will understand my next request. I want you to reconsider this request for transfer."

            Joyce's heart fell deep into her chest when Kevin said hose words. She could feel her cheeks begin to burn and her eyes were beginning to well up. She was totally crushed. She looked up at Kevin who was handing her a tissue. Kevin was her strength, the one person she felt she could always depend on when the world came down on her.

            "Can you tell me why?” she asked. She was trying to put on her bravest face, but she was sure he could hear the wavering in her voice.

            "It would compromise a request the board has approved for you. I have requested for you to be transferred to this shift as my assistant supervisor, but this transfer request of yours will make the promotion look rather cheap, if you catch my drift."

            Joyce had been on an emotional roller coaster all morning and this meeting with Kevin had followed the same path. She had never expected a bombshell such as this to land on her.

            "Hasn't the request gone too far already?"

            "No, it hasn’t. I have your request right here. It doesn't have to go any farther if you are interested in my offer."

            "Of course I'm interested!" she exclaimed. "This is more than I ever expected. I only wanted to work on this shift. Assistant supervisor? Are you sure? You wouldn’t try to fool an old friend with this I hope"

            “I’m serious, Joyce. My request was contingent upon you accepting the offer, but you have to do something with this, and let no one ever know that you made this request.”

             Kevin handed the request form across the desk to Joyce who immediately tore the paper to shreds.

            "I want you to take the next shift off. You’ve worked a lot of overtime and I know you are dead tired. I appreciate you covering on this shift, but you need some rest. When you come back, report to this station, Medic Unit 11-A-2 in five days. Reggie or Randy will be with you for the first few days until you get the hang of things on my shift."

             Kevin got up to open the door for Joyce as she got up from her seat; still not believing the way events had turned in her favor today.

            "Kevin, I don’t know how I can ever thank you enough for this.” She got up to leave the office, but then, as an after thought, she gave Kevin a big hug. 

            The move caught Kevin a bit off guard, but he instinctively hugged in return. Kevin could smell her shampoo and feel the softness of her hair as she squeezed him tightly, too tightly. It was a touch he had not felt in a long time.

                        Joyce felt Kevin relax from the initial surprise of her embrace. She could not explain why she felt she had to hug Kevin at that moment, but the time felt right and her emotions took control. As suddenly as the act felt right, she felt Kevin resist the hug.

             "Joyce, you are welcome. You deserve the position, but we're both sort of tired right now."

             "Yes, well I'll see you Monday, okay."

             "Monday it is, so enjoy your long weekend."

             "I will, and thanks again."

            Joyce left the office a little red faced, but Kevin had loosened up when she hugged him. She knew what she had felt and Kevin Wright was indeed a human being. Still, he had pulled away from her before she left his office. She still had a long way to go before she made any headway into Kevin's life.

            As Joyce left his office, Kevin sat down to think about what had just happened. Even though he had not always been the ideal husband, he had never cheated on his suspected unfaithful wife. Joyce was a special case in several ways. She was very talented, very attractive and very available. Kevin had helped her through some trying times when her second husband left her with two children and no spirit to fight. She spent many hours at the station talking with Kevin about her problems and many more hours in therapy to get over the disappointment and rejection she felt from the divorce and the abuse she had faced. She had emerged from those times very strong and very competent.

            Still, Kevin had to fight the desires he had felt today. He was very bewildered concerning his own life and marriage situation. Things were not the best in his own life and he revolved around work and his girls. Several matters lay before him at the moment. As much as he needed an assistant supervisor with the skill and dedication Joyce possessed, he could not let his emotions come into play. The last thing he needed was for his emotions to wreck his judgment.