his life. You know, decide to make something of himself."
"Some kids are late bloomers," I offered.
"Shawn was not just a late bloomer. First I sent him out to Arizona State University. I should have known better than to agree to that, but he had his heart set on it. So reluctantly I agreed. It seems, in retrospect, that Shawn spent all his time at ASU drinking, skipping class, and—" Kurt looked unnecessarily about the meeting room to make sure that we were still alone, then added in a lower voice: "Chasing tail."
"I'm sorry to hear that, sir," I said. But I knew that there had to be more. Shawn wouldn’t have been the first young man to spend too much time on partying and carnal pursuits while away at college.
"After Shawn flunked out of ASU, we placed him a college closer to home. Sent him to Ohio State. At first things went better. His grades at OSU improved somewhat: not A's, but at least B's and C's. Then he hit a little patch of trouble."
"Trouble?"
Another wave of the imperial hand. It was clear that I was not to know the exact nature of the "trouble" that Shawn had gotten himself into at Ohio State. At least not yet.
"Bernie Chapman took care of that. He was our family attorney back then."
I merely nodded, saying nothing. I was wondering where all of this was leading. I had met a lot of CEOs and corporate executives over the years. Men and women in those positions might mention their spouses and children on occasion, but only in passing, and only in a context that would enhance the corporate leader's image. More than one of them had told me, apropos of nothing, that a son had been accepted at Harvard, or that a daughter was leading her school's team to the state championships in soccer or field hockey.
This made my conversation with Kurt all the more strange. TP Automotive's VP of strategic operations certainly wasn't bragging. There was nothing in this little family tale that was even marginally complimentary or image-enhancing.
"But what you want to know," Kurt said, his face brightening again. "Is why I am telling you all of this."
"Something like that," I said. I wouldn't score any points by denying the obvious.
"TP Automotive has acquired another company in Ohio," Kurt explained. "In a little town called New Hastings. Just outside of Columbus. It's another struggling enterprise like Great Lakes Fuel Systems, a company called United Press and Stamping, or UP&S for short."
"I see."
"Two months ago I arranged for Shawn to assume an executive position at UP&S. I think that the responsibility is doing him some good—giving him a chance to test his mettle and prove his worth."
This was the sort of spiel that aroused my latent sense of working-class ire at the privileges of wealth and socioeconomic class. By his own father's admission, Shawn Myers was an unmotivated playboy who had flunked out of college and landed himself in some sort of trouble—trouble that required the services of a lawyer. But now he would be able to leapfrog over other, presumably more competent men and women to assume a key managerial post, all because of his last name.
But what did any of this have to do with me?
"UP&S will be a good learning experience for Shawn," Kurt said. "And I believe that he's up to the task. I've spent some time at UP&S myself since the company was acquired. I'm putting a great team in place there."
"I'm sure that Shawn will make it through," I said. "It sounds like you've got his back."
If Kurt detected the thinly veiled knife in my remark, he let it pass.
"But UP&S isn't a perfect organization," he continued. "There are...disruptive elements. People who need to be nudged out. Agitators. That's where you come in. You've done such a great job here at GLFS, that we're going to enlist your services at UP&S as well. If you're interested, that is. If you are, then I’ll call Beth Fisk in, and we can go over the details.”
There was really only one way for me to answer. I didn't like the way that TP
"Some kids are late bloomers," I offered.
"Shawn was not just a late bloomer. First I sent him out to Arizona State University. I should have known better than to agree to that, but he had his heart set on it. So reluctantly I agreed. It seems, in retrospect, that Shawn spent all his time at ASU drinking, skipping class, and—" Kurt looked unnecessarily about the meeting room to make sure that we were still alone, then added in a lower voice: "Chasing tail."
"I'm sorry to hear that, sir," I said. But I knew that there had to be more. Shawn wouldn’t have been the first young man to spend too much time on partying and carnal pursuits while away at college.
"After Shawn flunked out of ASU, we placed him a college closer to home. Sent him to Ohio State. At first things went better. His grades at OSU improved somewhat: not A's, but at least B's and C's. Then he hit a little patch of trouble."
"Trouble?"
Another wave of the imperial hand. It was clear that I was not to know the exact nature of the "trouble" that Shawn had gotten himself into at Ohio State. At least not yet.
"Bernie Chapman took care of that. He was our family attorney back then."
I merely nodded, saying nothing. I was wondering where all of this was leading. I had met a lot of CEOs and corporate executives over the years. Men and women in those positions might mention their spouses and children on occasion, but only in passing, and only in a context that would enhance the corporate leader's image. More than one of them had told me, apropos of nothing, that a son had been accepted at Harvard, or that a daughter was leading her school's team to the state championships in soccer or field hockey.
This made my conversation with Kurt all the more strange. TP Automotive's VP of strategic operations certainly wasn't bragging. There was nothing in this little family tale that was even marginally complimentary or image-enhancing.
"But what you want to know," Kurt said, his face brightening again. "Is why I am telling you all of this."
"Something like that," I said. I wouldn't score any points by denying the obvious.
"TP Automotive has acquired another company in Ohio," Kurt explained. "In a little town called New Hastings. Just outside of Columbus. It's another struggling enterprise like Great Lakes Fuel Systems, a company called United Press and Stamping, or UP&S for short."
"I see."
"Two months ago I arranged for Shawn to assume an executive position at UP&S. I think that the responsibility is doing him some good—giving him a chance to test his mettle and prove his worth."
This was the sort of spiel that aroused my latent sense of working-class ire at the privileges of wealth and socioeconomic class. By his own father's admission, Shawn Myers was an unmotivated playboy who had flunked out of college and landed himself in some sort of trouble—trouble that required the services of a lawyer. But now he would be able to leapfrog over other, presumably more competent men and women to assume a key managerial post, all because of his last name.
But what did any of this have to do with me?
"UP&S will be a good learning experience for Shawn," Kurt said. "And I believe that he's up to the task. I've spent some time at UP&S myself since the company was acquired. I'm putting a great team in place there."
"I'm sure that Shawn will make it through," I said. "It sounds like you've got his back."
If Kurt detected the thinly veiled knife in my remark, he let it pass.
"But UP&S isn't a perfect organization," he continued. "There are...disruptive elements. People who need to be nudged out. Agitators. That's where you come in. You've done such a great job here at GLFS, that we're going to enlist your services at UP&S as well. If you're interested, that is. If you are, then I’ll call Beth Fisk in, and we can go over the details.”
There was really only one way for me to answer. I didn't like the way that TP
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