looked out over the bay. This was not exactly what I had envisioned.
“That’s almost a week! What happens now? I mean we haven’t come to an agreement or
been hired, right?” The wind was modulating and had dropped at that instant. I was
still shouting, and the sudden overcompensation sounded like an outburst. Given my
sinking stomach, maybe in part, it was.
“No, but I’m pretty sure they want us onboard. The issue is going to be how they hire
us. From my conversations with Charles on the phone, they don’t want our company;
they want us to work for Ocean Futures directly.”
“Does anyone on-site know that we’re here representing our company?”
“I think Jeff does and Peter might, but only because I know Jeff received the proposal.
I don’t know if Peter or anyone else knows. In fact, I don’t think the rest of the
staff has any idea why we’re here.”
After Dr. Cornell had specifically contacted Robin about the project and following
his first tour and evaluation, we had sent a formal proposal on our company letterhead.
The proposal created an awkward conundrum between us and OFS leads. Lanny had intended
to hire a person, not a company. To them, it must have seemed we were trying to take
over the project and their jobs.
I was wearing a denim long-sleeve shirt with our company logo over the left breast
pocket. “What about this?” indicating my shirt, “should I cover it up? You think it’ll
confuse matters?”
“No, it’s fine. Jeff knows why we’re here, and I haven’t tried to hide it with any
of the staff.”
We had noticed the ferry heading into the channel as we talked. It was now passing
right between us and our line of sight to the bay pen. This was no small ferry; it
seemed more of a full-on ship to me. Again I wondered about the noise. Not wanting
to get off track, I checked the thought, convinced that I’d remember to ask about
it later.
“I haven’t really worked Keiko, just observed, and that’s all I’ve really told the
staff … that I’m here to observe the operation and help where I can,” Robin said.
“So in the time you’ve been here and working Keiko, they haven’t asked who you are
or what you’re doing here?” I pressed, completely dumbfounded.
As Robin explained, I learned that no one in upper management had communicated to
those in Heimaey who we were or why we were brought to Iceland. For weeks we had been
toiling with the makeup of our proposal, Dave and I in Florida, and Robin dissecting
operations in Iceland. As a result, here I was now in Iceland and expecting my arrival
and purpose were common knowledge. I didn’t understand why the whole of it seemed
so secretive. To me, it was simple. As the wave of realization came over me, I felt
suddenly awkward. At best, I was an unknown and unwelcome visitor nosing in on their
territory, and they had no idea why.
“So what do you want me to do until Tuesday?”
“You need to focus on Keiko. I want you to get a good read on him before we meet Charles.
We’ll go out to the bay pen with the opening crew tomorrow. We’ll both spend the day
on the pen and watch sessions. I’ve got some additional ideas to add to the proposal
before Charles gets here. You’re not going to believe it, it’s pretty amazing, but
the way they treat Keiko … it’s like he’s a big pet.” The analogy was not the first
of its kind I had heard, but used in this context to describe the release of a long-term
captive whale, it was as chilling as the cutting wind.
So as not to be gone too long, Robin wanted to get back to the hostel, the living
quarters for the frontline staff. Besides, we were both starting to force our words
through clenched and chatteringteeth. “Let’s head back and put your stuff in the hostel, then I’ll introduce you
to Jeff and Jen.”
The Hostel
The hostel was far from the bare-bones travel stops I had heard existed
“That’s almost a week! What happens now? I mean we haven’t come to an agreement or
been hired, right?” The wind was modulating and had dropped at that instant. I was
still shouting, and the sudden overcompensation sounded like an outburst. Given my
sinking stomach, maybe in part, it was.
“No, but I’m pretty sure they want us onboard. The issue is going to be how they hire
us. From my conversations with Charles on the phone, they don’t want our company;
they want us to work for Ocean Futures directly.”
“Does anyone on-site know that we’re here representing our company?”
“I think Jeff does and Peter might, but only because I know Jeff received the proposal.
I don’t know if Peter or anyone else knows. In fact, I don’t think the rest of the
staff has any idea why we’re here.”
After Dr. Cornell had specifically contacted Robin about the project and following
his first tour and evaluation, we had sent a formal proposal on our company letterhead.
The proposal created an awkward conundrum between us and OFS leads. Lanny had intended
to hire a person, not a company. To them, it must have seemed we were trying to take
over the project and their jobs.
I was wearing a denim long-sleeve shirt with our company logo over the left breast
pocket. “What about this?” indicating my shirt, “should I cover it up? You think it’ll
confuse matters?”
“No, it’s fine. Jeff knows why we’re here, and I haven’t tried to hide it with any
of the staff.”
We had noticed the ferry heading into the channel as we talked. It was now passing
right between us and our line of sight to the bay pen. This was no small ferry; it
seemed more of a full-on ship to me. Again I wondered about the noise. Not wanting
to get off track, I checked the thought, convinced that I’d remember to ask about
it later.
“I haven’t really worked Keiko, just observed, and that’s all I’ve really told the
staff … that I’m here to observe the operation and help where I can,” Robin said.
“So in the time you’ve been here and working Keiko, they haven’t asked who you are
or what you’re doing here?” I pressed, completely dumbfounded.
As Robin explained, I learned that no one in upper management had communicated to
those in Heimaey who we were or why we were brought to Iceland. For weeks we had been
toiling with the makeup of our proposal, Dave and I in Florida, and Robin dissecting
operations in Iceland. As a result, here I was now in Iceland and expecting my arrival
and purpose were common knowledge. I didn’t understand why the whole of it seemed
so secretive. To me, it was simple. As the wave of realization came over me, I felt
suddenly awkward. At best, I was an unknown and unwelcome visitor nosing in on their
territory, and they had no idea why.
“So what do you want me to do until Tuesday?”
“You need to focus on Keiko. I want you to get a good read on him before we meet Charles.
We’ll go out to the bay pen with the opening crew tomorrow. We’ll both spend the day
on the pen and watch sessions. I’ve got some additional ideas to add to the proposal
before Charles gets here. You’re not going to believe it, it’s pretty amazing, but
the way they treat Keiko … it’s like he’s a big pet.” The analogy was not the first
of its kind I had heard, but used in this context to describe the release of a long-term
captive whale, it was as chilling as the cutting wind.
So as not to be gone too long, Robin wanted to get back to the hostel, the living
quarters for the frontline staff. Besides, we were both starting to force our words
through clenched and chatteringteeth. “Let’s head back and put your stuff in the hostel, then I’ll introduce you
to Jeff and Jen.”
The Hostel
The hostel was far from the bare-bones travel stops I had heard existed
Similar Books
