Texas Gal
by  C. Sprite
© 1999

 

Chapter Fourteen      Hillock Academy 

Tuesday arrived quickly, and a hired car arranged for by the school picked up Mother and me. I was wearing the suit that I had worn to the executive staff meeting in Portland and hoping that it had some good luck left in it. That had been such a wonderful day. When we arrived at the school, we saw that the school campus was comprised of a number of impressive buildings. The car dropped us at the administration building, and we walked inside. I helped Mother since she was still using the crutches. An admissions clerk, who showed Mother to a comfortable chair, greeted us. She told her to relax while I was interviewed, and Mrs. Milner would be out to speak with her shortly.

I was led to a large conference room, and introduced to a group of five individuals. I was informed that they were the school's admissions board. For about 30 minutes, they directed questions to me about my schooling to date. I answered as honestly and as fully as I could. Then they directed me to follow a middle-aged man who had been sitting in a chair against the wall. He led me out a side door, and to a smaller conference room. He said that I would be given a series of multiple choice exams, and I would be timed during each. For the next 4 hours, I took exams in all the major subjects. As I completed each booklet, he took it, grading my answers as I started on the next test. When I was done, he took all the materials and told me to wait there. After about 10 minutes, I was brought back to the room where the five individuals waited for me. I was offered a cup of tea before we started, and I sipped it as the five board members looked at what appeared to be my test booklets. After I had finished my tea, and they had examined all the booklets, they began to question me. At one point, they asked me if I was associated with Ameri-Moore Lumber Company.

"Yes," I said, "I've performed some services for the president, Mrs. Moore."

"A recent news article suggests that you have been responsible for several major changes at the company as well as filling key positions."

"I've had a minor role in those areas."

"If you are enrolled here, will you be able to dedicate yourself fully to your school work, even if it requires you to neglect activities at Ameri-Moore Lumber."

"My education comes first at this point in my life. Everyone knows that. Other activities are reserved for my school holidays and summer vacation periods."

They questioned me for several more hours. We discussed literature, science, mathematics, history, and geography. Towards the end of the interview, one of the board members asked me several very detailed questions about the logging business. I had read the article that he had pulled the questions from. I answered his questions with the information from the article, then began to explain further with information that I knew had not been in the article, but he told me that my answer thus far had been sufficient.

At 4 o'clock, they thanked me for coming in and told me that Mrs. Milner would be in touch. I thanked them for their considerations and walked out. The admissions clerk walked me back to where Mother was sitting. She was reading a magazine. I asked the clerk if she thought that I would be accepted as a student. She said that she felt confident that I would and that Mrs. Milner would be in touch tomorrow.

Mother and I left the administration building and the car was waiting for us. As we returned home, I asked Mother if anyone had said anything to her. She told me that Mrs. Milner had spoken with her briefly. The reason for the interview was to evaluate my education, potential, and desire to apply myself in light of my role in the business world. I was exhausted, and I lost myself in my thoughts on the ride home. Mother was equally quiet.

The following day, Mrs. Milner called to ask if she could come over. Mother said that we would be happy to receive her any time. She said that she would be here at 10 o'clock. When she arrived, Mother introduced my sisters to her. She said that she was looking forward to having them all at Hillock this year. Mother, Mrs. Milner, and I went into the parlor for tea. After I had served, Mother opened the conversation. 

"Well, Mrs. Milner, do you think that Hillock Academy will accept my little girl."

"Mrs. Drake, there was never any question about that. We would be honored to have her as a student at our school. Any school would love to have her."

"I don't understand. Your letter said.." Mother paused to open the letter. .".. New information, brought to the attention of the board, has caused them to hold up acceptance of your daughter, Darla Anne, into Grade 6."

"Yes, that's correct. Oh, I see the problem. I should have worded it differently. I'm sorry if I caused you any agitation. The board had accepted her as a student. The question was whether or not she should go into 6^th grade."

"Mrs. Milner, I assure you that Darla Anne deserves to be in 6^th grade. She has completed all of her academic requirements for 5^th grade. Why, they even let her leave early to move to Texas, and still gave her all A's."

"I seem to have given the wrong impression again. Let me rephrase it, the board wanted to determine if she should be placed into an advanced grade, not a lower one."

"Oh. I see. I did jump to the wrong conclusion. No one has ever suggested that she skip a grade before."

"At Hillock Academy, we want to place students where they belong academically, not where their age 'dictates' that they should be. The board was already reviewing Darla Anne's exemplary academic record when one of them spotted her name in a newspaper, while he waiting in his dentist's office. The picture verified that it was her. The board member even questioned her about logging operations to determine the validity of the article. The question was the most complex that he could concoct and she answered it easily and accurately, and even offered more detailed information than he had requested. The tests that she took show her reading and comprehension skills are already at college levels. Her knowledge of literature is also college level. Science and mathematics are only 8^th grade level but that's understandable because advanced mathematics and sciences are not offered in most grade schools. The board feels that with the right exposure to these subjects and others, Darla Anne, would be able to complete all Academy and Texas State Education Department requirements within an abbreviated period."

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure that I am following you. Are you suggesting that Darla Anne could graduate from the Academy early?" 

"Yes. We feel that students should find their own level. If a student is placed in a class where they are bored because it is below their capabilities, they will not grow as they should. When we see a student who is achieving straight A's year after year, we always test them to determine their proper grade. We currently have 14 students in advanced grades but none as advanced as Darla Anne would be."

"I have always known that Darla Anne was exceptional. What grade does the board feel that she should be in this year, 8^th?"

"The board was split on their recommendation. Three members wanted 10^th grade and two members wanted 11^th grade. So she will start in 10^th grade and advance to 11^th for the second semester if her grades are sufficient and she can pass final exams. She told the board she would abstain from any activities at Ameri-Moore except during holidays and summer vacations. In spite of her abilities, she will have to concentrate on her schooling. She will be taking both Algebra and Geometry this year, in addition to Biology and Chemistry."

"Wow. You've given us a lot to think about. Would the board allow her to occupy a lower grade if I don't want her advanced so rapidly."

"Yes, if that is your decision. Ultimately, you have the final say. But I hope that you will consider allowing her to attain the position that she deserves rather than stifling her abilities."

"I'll call you tomorrow after I've had a chance to sleep on it, Mrs. Milner. Thank you for coming over."

"Mrs. Drake, a child like Darla Anne is rare. We are very pleased to have her at Hillock in whatever grade that you choose. I'll look forward to hearing from you tomorrow. Goodbye."

After Mrs. Milner left, my sisters and the Marcoti sisters came in to find out what had happened. Mother said, "The school does not think that Darla Anne should be in 6^th grade." When my sisters started to object, she held up her hand. "That was exactly my reaction until Mrs. Milner explained. They want to place her in 10^th grade now, and then 11^th grade at mid-term."

My sisters sat down in stunned silence. Judy said, "You mean that she will be ahead of me?"

"Yes, the board tested her thoroughly, then questioned her for several hours, and they feel that that's where she deserves to be, academically."

"I think that it's wonderful," Susan said, "We'll all be together at Hillock. I was so afraid that we would be split up."

"Susan," Judy said, "you don't understand. The other girls may make fun of us if our little sister is ahead of us in school."

"Judy, just because Darla Anne is ahead of us," Mary said, "doesn't mean that we are behind in our class level. We all have very respectable grades. I'm not embarrassed that we haven't all achieved straight A's. There's nothing wrong with having a few B's. And now you'll have somebody to help you when you get into those subjects. Besides, they won't make fun of us, because she'll be ahead of them also."

"Hmmm," Judy said, "that's all true. I guess that it won't be so bad after all."

"We can't just think of ourselves," Susan said. "What about Darla Anne? How are they going to treat her? She'll be four years younger than the other kids that are in her classes will be. Any bully will be able to pick on her because of her size."

"There're going to be four of us at that school," Judy said. "Nobody is going to pick on any of my sisters, or they'll have to face all of us. Just like the four musketeers. One for all, and all for one."

"So far, everybody has spoken except for the most important one," Mother said. "Honey, how do you feel about this?"

"I'm still trying to get over the shock," I said. "I've gone from feeling that I was being rejected by the school, to learning that they want to push me ahead faster than I ever could have expected. It's true that I've been very bored at times in class at St. James, but if I jump into the 10^th grade, I may not be able to achieve top grades anymore. How will that impact my future educational path?"

"An excellent question," Mother said. "Leave it to you to ask one like that. I think that I will leave the decision entirely up to you. I trust your judgment completely. Your aunt may be able to help you a little more than we can. She's the only college graduate in our little family so far. Why don't you talk to her at dinner?"

"Okay, Mommy."

We cleaned up the tea things and went upstairs to make lunch. At dinner that evening, mother told Auntie about Mrs. Milner's visit and the unusual twist in my current educational situation.

"Well, it appears that we all jumped to the wrong conclusions," Auntie said. "What are you going to do, Liz?"

"I've told Darla Anne that the decision is entirely hers to make," Mother said. "I trust her judgment and it is, after all, her life. She had some concerns about grades though. Darla Anne, ask your Aunt the question that you posed."

"Auntie, if I jump ahead into the 10^th grade, I may not be able to achieve top grades anymore. I always thought that I would be able have my pick of colleges when I was ready because of my high ranking in school. How would colleges view my academic record if I was advanced in grade but showed poorer marks?"

"It's difficult to say. They would definitely appreciate the fact that you had skipped four grades, and would understand the heavy workload that you had come under to achieve that most remarkable fact. If you do not maintain good grades, the school would probably reduce your grade level, but they must feel that you can handle it, or they would not have extended the offer. I think that you should try it, sweetheart."

We continued to talk for quite a while. By the end of the meal, I had decided to accept the promotion to 10^th grade. Mother said that she would notify the school and Mrs. Milner tomorrow. With that done, I felt that part of the weight had been lifted from my shoulders, and talk turned to lighter matters. The other girls and myself planned a long ride tomorrow. Gina & Maria had been riding a little longer each day, and thought that they were ready. After dinner, we all went to the theater to watch a movie. The movies from Judy's and Gina's graduation had arrived and we all watched that first. They looked wonderful in their graduation gowns and it was the next best thing to being there. We all congratulated Judy on the achievement. I secretly worried if any of my sisters would harbor any resentment to my sudden advancement. I guess that only time will tell.

The next day, Mother notified Mrs. Milner of our decision. Mrs. Milner said that she was happy that we had decided to accept the board's recommendation. Class schedules and an information package would be sent out in a few weeks. School uniforms should be ordered as soon as possible. She gave Mother the name of the two stores that supplied the official uniforms. She said that she was very happy that the Drake girls would all be attending Hillock Academy, and hoped that we were happy there as well.

Grandma came by the next morning after having been away on business for the past week. She had seen the article but downplayed its significance. "Darla Anne, as I told you when that photographer took the picture, we just have to put up with that kind of nonsense. It's the price that we pay for being business people in a celebrity conscious world. As far as the deal brokers being upset, well, I'm not. You were with me for one of the meetings, so technically that would make you one of the deal brokers. Although we didn't specifically address the purchase of the company that evening, because we were in a public restaurant, all those discussions about lumber prices and productivity were part of making the deal. You provided industry average information that I used to show the Trumbell people how poor their production was. So you see, you were one of the brokers. In any case, it will enhance your reputation in the industry. I would have planted that story myself if I had thought about it."

"Grandma, why would you have done that?"

"Sometimes, when people are in awe of you, they are less likely to try to hide things from you. They fear that you will almost certainly find them out, and they are afraid that it will go more difficult on them. They are therefore much more forthright. If they DON'T respect you, then they are much more likely to try hiding things that they would rather that you didn't know. If you are going to continue to help me with my business, then I think that we will start to work on enhancing your reputation further. Don't be surprised if you see some articles about yourself put out by my public relations office. If anybody asks about them, just say that you have no comment and refer them to the Ameri-Moore public relations office.

I told Grandma about being advanced to 10^th grade at Hillock Academy and that I would not be able to help her much once the school year started because of the heavy workload. She congratulated my advancement and said that she was not too surprised since she was familiar with my talents and was glad to see that Hillock recognized them as well. She said that she would not expect me to spend much time working on lumber business once school started and then said that she would find me some good tutors to help me with my studies. She said that since there were still five weeks before school, she would like me to accompany her on two more business trips if I wished to go, and Mother approved. Once school started, we would not travel until mid-term break. I said that I would like to go and that I would ask Mother for permission, but I was reasonably certain that she would allow me to go. Grandma stayed for lunch and then had to leave. While she was there, she told us when her plane was going to New York again in case Gina & Maria wanted a ride home.

An hour later I was in my bedroom changing my clothes after having slipped in the corral and landing in something a little squishy left behind by one of the horses. As we wouldn't be riding, I had washed the offending substance from my clothes and then put on a denim skirt. I had thought that all of the other girls would still be at the corral but Gina knocked and came into my room. We were talking as I brushed my hair at my makeup table. Gina came up behind me and put her hands on my shoulders.

"Darla Anne," she said, "I haven't told you how beautiful you've become. You're the picture of womanhood. Your shape is incredible and I can't believe the size of your breasts. They are real aren't they? I mean, not tissues, right?" 

"It's only me, not even a padded bra."

She brought her hand down and cupped my right breast. "Yes, I see. You're as large and Maria, and yet you're a whole year younger."

She suddenly pulled me backwards and kissed me on the lips. She had wrapped her arms around me pinning my arms to my sides. At first I tried to squirm out, but then I slowly surrendered to her passionate embrace as I realized that I couldn't get loose. I don't know why I let her kiss me like that but I was suddenly aware that I was kissing her back. She pushed her tongue into my mouth and I started to suck on it. She released my arms and I wrapped them around her neck as she began to massage my breasts. I could feel my nipples harden under her touch and a shudder ran through my body. Her right hand roamed over my body and followed my legs up under my skirt. She gently stroked the inside of my thighs. I began to feel a strange sensation in my tummy as I returned her passion. It was like one of my dreams. She stopped and pulled away from me, then pulled me up to my feet, and taking my hand she led me out of my bedroom and down the hall to hers.

Once inside, she closed the door and locked it. She led me to the bed and started to kiss me again after we had climbed up onto it. She began to rub my breasts again, and then she started to unbutton my blouse as she penetrated my mouth again with her tongue. I moved my hand to stop her. She yielded, and instead took my arm and guided it behind my back. After doing the same with my other arm, she secured them there with a scarf that she had been wearing. I tugged at my hands but I couldn't free them, so I relaxed in her embrace as her tongue explored the inside of my mouth. She unbuttoned my blouse and began to work on my breasts again. Then she lifted me slightly and pulled my skirt and slip up to my waist.

I awoke with a start and didn't realize where I was at first. Then I remembered. Gina wasn't on the bed with me and I heard the shower running in her bathroom. I tried to move but found that my arms were still bound behind me. I tried to slid off of the bed and found that my feet were now tied as well. Gina walked back into the bedroom and smiled at me. "Did you have a nice nap, my little one?"

"Yes, what time is it?

"About 3:30."

"Gina, why did you tie my legs."

"When we're alone I want you to call me Mistress, little one."

I decided to play along with the little game. "Okay Mistress. Mistress, why did you tie my legs?"    

"I didn't want you running off while I was in the shower."

"I could hardly run off with my hands tied behind my back, Mistress."

"Let's just say that I like you this way, and leave it like that."

"Yes, Mistress. Mistress?"

"Yes, little one."

"May I be freed now? I have to clean up and the other girls will be coming in shortly."

"I suppose you're right." She untied my legs, and rolled me over to untie my hands. "Now give your Mistress a big kiss for being so nice."

I sat up and leaned to kiss her on the cheek, but she grabbed me and we locked in a passionate kiss and embrace. As we separated, I slid off of the bed and pulled my slip and skirt back down. They were badly wrinkled so I left to clean up and change after unlocking the door. When I got to my room, I walked in cautiously, making sure that no one else was there. Since my bedroom was the unofficial meeting room, I never knew if anyone would be there. Fortunately, everyone else was still outside. I stripped off my clothes and took a quick bath to freshen up. I had finished dressing when I heard the sounds of my sisters and Maria coming down the hallway. The rooms were all soundproofed, but I had left my door open a crack when I had sneaked in. They asked me why I hadn't come back, and I said that I had lay down and fallen asleep.

We forgot all our cares for the next week as we enjoyed the summer and worked with Mother to exercise her legs. She had ceased to use the crutches and was now only using two canes. We were very happy with her progress. That evening, Auntie gave me my copy of 'Log Views' which had just arrived in the mail, and I sat right down to scan it. I found the column by the reporter that had written about me. His latest column said, 'It was confirmed this week by Ameri-Moore that Darla Anne Drake, granddaughter of Mrs. Mabel Moore, the company's president, was in fact one of the deal brokers in the recent purchase of Trumbell Lumber. We've learned from an unnamed source within Ameri-Moore, that Miss Drake has been busy inspecting the newly acquired, old growth forests, and logging operations personally. While this fact would not be confirmed by company spokesmen, a significant number of company personnel have told me of Miss Drake's amazing abilities and her knowledge of our industry. We have learned that the 11-year-old is a student at the prestigious Hillock Academy for Girls in Texas. She is officially recorded as a 10^th grade student. That's a full four grades beyond the normal grade for an 11 year old, and school officials have told me that they fully expect her to graduate and continue on to college within 2 years. This is yet another indication of her remarkable aptitude. We have been unable to arrange an interview as of press time but will continue to try, and will bring you any new information that our investigation uncovers.' I cut out the article and put it in the scrapbook that mother had started for me, then promptly forgot about it as Grandma had told me.

I couldn't forget the words of the reporter about my schooling though. The school expected me to enter college in 2 years? If we were still in New Jersey, I wouldn't even be graduating from St. James in 2 years. Had I made a dreadful mistake by accepting the promotion to 10^th grade. Was it too much, too fast? Was I ready? My apprehension would continue to grow as the start of school neared.

The following Monday I traveled with Grandma to Portland. When we arrived at company headquarters, everyone that we met greeted me by name, even people that I had never seen before. In the executive lunchroom, the executive's all treated me as if we had been working together for years. They made me feel like I really belonged there. After lunch, Grandma sent me back to the airport where the plane took me to a remote landing field. When we landed, Mr. Sloan met me. He greeted me by kissing my hand and telling me how happy he was to see me again. He presented me with a box, in which I found a new hard hat. It had the Ameri-Moore Company logo emblazoned on it, and beneath that, 'D. Drake' in large letters. Under my name, in equally large letters, it said 'Inspection Team Chief.' I giggled and thanked him for the gift. Mr. Sloan had a jeep and driver waiting. He climbed into the back seat leaving the front seat for me. As we drove to the site, I asked him if he was happy in his new position. He told me that he had never been happier. The position had given him the ability to institute some changes that he had long wanted to implement, but that his predecessor had always vetoed. He felt that we would see a noticeable improvement in production as a result, with no impact on morale or increases in injuries. I told him that I looked forward to reading his reports.

When we arrived at the site, the site manager, Mr. Lopez, actually jogged over to greet us. He knew who I was and introduced himself before I had even put on my new hat. We went into the office trailer and he showed us a map of the site, then we climbed back into the jeep and toured the entire work site. Mr. Sloan and Mr. Lopez climbed into the rear seats. As we rode, Mr. Lopez filled us in on work schedules, production numbers and related a few problems that he was having. I made notes as he talked, and asked a few questions which I felt that he answered openly. As we encountered workers around the site, they tipped their hats to me and I nodded in response. When I asked a question about why a dozen trucks loaded with logs were idle, and why the piles waiting to be loaded were enormous and growing, he hesitated and looked to Mr. Sloan.

"Miguel," Mr. Sloan said, "I told you to answer any question that Miss Darla asks without holding anything back. She can't help us with our problems if she doesn't have all the facts. I've learned to trust her completely and so should you."

"Okay, Pete. Sorry Miss Darla. The reason for our logs backing up is the mill. They're overloaded and have told us to slow down our shipments. I hesitated to say anything because the mill manager is an old friend. I didn't want to get him into trouble."

"Thank you for telling me, Mr. Lopez. I'll see what I can do to help them clear this backlog so that it doesn't reflect on your production records."

He smiled at me and we continued on our tour. When we arrived back at the office, I thanked him for his time and we left. I asked Mr. Sloan how far the mill was from our present location. He estimated about 50 minutes. I asked the driver to take Mr. Sloan and myself to the mill instead of the airport. The driver looked at Mr. Sloan in his rearview mirror. "You heard the boss," Mr. Sloan said. "Don't look at me for approval. Just do whatever she tells you."

"Yes, sir. Sorry Miss Drake."

When we arrived at the mill, I was amazed at the amount of logs waiting to be processed. Acres and acres were filled with them and there didn't appear to be anywhere left to put new shipments. We went to the small building, which housed the offices. As we walked in, I saw a clerk sitting at a desk recording some numbers in a ledger. He totally ignored us until he was finished. Then he looked up, and I saw a smirk start to form on his face as he realized that there was a young girl standing in front of him, until he spotted my hat and read my name. The smirk disappeared and he jumped to his feet.

"C..can I help you, ma'am?"

"Yes. Can you tell me where the mill manager is?"

"He's in his office. Follow me please."

He led us down a short hallway and knock on a door. When he heard a reply, he opened it and escorted us in. The man behind a desk stood up angrily and said, "Jimmy, what the hell is going on. Who are these people?" Then he saw my hat and began to offer profuse apologies for his language.

"Thank you, Jimmy," he said. "That'll be all. Please have a seat, Miss Drake. I'm sorry for my profanity. We were not expecting an inspection team, and I'm a little on edge today. Mr. Sloan, I'm pleased to finally meet you."

"I apologize for dropping in unannounced Mr. Webster," I said. "I only became aware of your problems down here while inspecting Mr. Lopez's site. When I inquired why he has such a huge backlog of downed trees still on the mountain, he said that you couldn't take any more from him. I wonder if you might fill me in on your operation and let me know what I can do to help alleviate your substantial backlog. Shall we start with a tour of the mill and we can talk as we walk."

He grabbed his hardhat and we left. As we walked he pointed to various areas and explained the flow of product through the mill. As we walked through the processing areas, I asked a number of questions about idle workers and idle equipment. He was clearly embarrassed as he tried to explain. I gathered from his explanations that he was having equipment maintenance problem. Parts were only stored at a central warehouse. Both of the down lines were awaiting parts. He had not sent the men home because he had been promised that the parts would be here four hours ago. He had submitted several written requests to maintain a small parts room for common, problem parts but had been refused each time by upper-level management who said that centralized parts inventory was the best way to operate.

"What percentage of time are your machines up and operating."

"Last month we only had a 42% uptime."

"If we could raise that to the industry average of 91%, or better, would you be able to clear your backlog?"

"Yes ma'am. We could put on a full second shift if the machines were operating."

"I'll see what I can do. Shall we continue?"

At the end of the tour, I thanked Mr. Webster and told him that his problems would receive prompt attention. He said that he was happy to be part of Ameri-Moore and said that he looked forward to my next inspection visit.

Charlie drove us back to the airport. I thanked him for driving us around and he left. I told Mr. Sloan that I would see him tomorrow at the next site. He had a small propeller plane for his own use now, and would be traveling separately. I returned to Portland and went straight to the apartment because it was after 6 o'clock. Grandma had just arrived and we sat to discuss my inspection of the logging site. She was pleased with my report, until I told her that a considerable backlog of trees was accumulating on the mountain, waiting to be shipped.

"We'll have to look into that. Did Mr. Lopez tell you why they weren't being shipped?"

"Yes. He said that the mill couldn't take anymore. They didn't have any room to store them."

"That sounds serious, I'll look into that right away," she said as she made notes.

"I already have. I had the driver take Mr. Sloan and myself to the mill. The yards are full. They really can't take any more trees. I had Mr. Webster take us on a tour of the mill. I hope that I haven't overstepped my bounds?"

"You have no bounds. You are the 'Inspection Team Chief.' The entire company, including the new logging sites and mills has been ordered to give you every cooperation; just as if they were dealing with me. You have the right to look at anything, anywhere, anytime. Full carte blanche. So tell me, did you find a problem?"

"Yes, I think so. The mill only had a 42% uptime on their equipment last month. They had two lines down today. The mill manager says that he has several times requested that a small 'parts' room be established at the mill, so that he can keep the most common, problem parts on hand. When I was there, he said that he had been promised the needed parts would be there four hours earlier and they hadn't arrived yet. I asked him if he would be able to clear his backlog if we can get him up to the industry average of 91% uptime. He told me that he could. He would put on a full second shift if the machines were operating."

"What is your opinion of Mr. Webster?"

"He appears knowledgeable and he answered all my questions without having to reference any notes. I didn't look over his records to verify what he was saying, but I believed him. The problem may be with his supervisor, or higher."

"That's one of the most serious problems with buying a company out. You sometimes acquire a lot of 'dead wood.' I'm not talking about lumber. We have to examine every individual, starting at the highest levels, and prune the dead branches away. There's frequently a good reason when a company is faltering in a healthy economy and industry. It's up to us to find that reason and correct it. I think that you may have uncovered a major problem here today. If the wood is not being processed, then it can't be sold. If idle workers are being paid to remain idle, then company assets are being drained. Excellent work, dear. Well, that's enough for tonight. Shall we get ready to go to dinner?"

"Yes, Grandma. I'm quite hungry."

We left about an hour later. We went to a different restaurant than either of the other visits. As always, we joined a party of industry people and all the talk was of lumber. This time however, there was another woman executive there. She kept staring at me throughout the meal.

Finally she said to me, "I'm sorry for staring at you so much. I just can't get over the fact that I am finally meeting you in person. I've heard so much about you."

"You've heard about me?"

"Oh, yes. There's hardly a conversation anywhere in this industry where your name isn't mentioned at some point."

"My name?"

"Yes. Everybody's talking about the wonderful things that you've done. It's so great. Women are starting to get more recognition in this business thanks entirely to you. The men are starting to realize that they may have overlooked a valuable resource that was right under their macho noses."

"I think that things may have been a bit exaggerated."

"Don't pay any attention to that, Carol," Grandma said, "Darla Anne is too modest for her own good, and it's her only fault. She is totally indispensable to me. I have made her my Inspection Team Chief. Every time she visits a site or mill, her recommendations result in a rise in productivity. She can spot a problem or bottleneck better than anybody who has ever held that position. She knows all facets of logging and mill operations."

I decided that Grandma wanted to perpetuate the myths about me so I didn't argue. When we were leaving the restaurant, a photographer started taking pictures of us again. We quickly ducked into a waiting cab.

Over the next 4 days, I inspected 5 more logging sites and 2 mills. The logging sites seemed to be running fairly well, but the mills were both heavily backlogged. In addition to unacceptable equipment downtimes, I found other management problems plaguing their operation. Each evening we dined with executives from other companies, after I gave my reports to Grandma. On Friday afternoon, I returned to company headquarters for lunch, and then a meeting of the top executives. I started to sit in my customary seat against the wall near Grandma but she stopped me. She told me to sit at the table on her right. The executives made room for me to pull up a chair. Grandma called the meeting to order.

After all the old business had been discussed, she said, "During the past week, Miss Drake has been inspecting a number of the sites that we acquired in our buyout of Trumbell Lumber. She has found a number of problems that need to be addressed immediately. Mr. Sloan is working to resolve the identified problems at the logging sites, which have now been placed under his control, and estimates that they will be operating at near peak efficiency within a month. Their operations have merged well with our other sites. The biggest problems have appeared in the mills that we've acquired. Two former Trumbell senior managers have been re-assigned to non-managerial duties, and the responsibility for the mills has been placed with our Mr. Flanders, whom you all know, until suitable replacements can be moved into the vacant positions. Miss Drake has made specific recommendations, and Mr. Flanders is moving to implement them. I am estimating a conservative increase of 200% in production output from the new mills over the same period of a year ago, with only an added cost of less than 4%. We will revisit the mills in several weeks to reassess their operations. Needless to say, if Terrance Trumbell had Miss Drake on his staff, they would not have had to sell out. Is there any other new business to discuss?"

The meeting went on for another 2 hours. We left right afterwards and would be back home in Texas in time for dinner. On the plane, Grandma and I discussed the inspections, and the follow-ups in three weeks. Grandma stayed for dinner with us and embarrassed me by telling everyone what a wonderful job I had done. Susan asked if she could accompany us on the next trip. Grandma said that that would be delightful, as long as she didn't mind playing second fiddle to her younger sister, who was designated as the inspection team leader. Susan said that she knew I was the leader, and would do whatever I said. Grandma told us that we would leave on Sunday, September 11^th so that we would be there on Monday morning. Grandma stayed to have desert with us before rushing off. My sisters had baked apple pies the previous day and the one that we ate was delicious. I said that I guess I was going to lose my baking crown, but I couldn't be happier than to lose it to my own sisters. They all laughed and said that we should have a bake-off one of these days. That evening Susan asked me to show her where the books on logging were in our library.

The following week, Auntie took us to be measured for our school uniforms. Gina and Maria came along and giggled as we were outfitted, but we knew that they were envious that we would still be together. Gina was going on to high school while Maria still had two more years at St. James.

While we were in the city, Auntie took us to the post office building to apply for passports, and social security cards. She had brought our birth certificates and school transcripts for identification, and we had stopped to get our pictures taken that morning. She said that we would never know when we would need a passport, and it was good to have it in case we wanted to travel. Also it was wonderful identification. Nobody would ever dispute who you were once you had a passport in your name. I remembered how hers had helped when she wanted to cash a check at the horse auction. Afterwards, we returned home and went to the stable to saddle up for a long ride.

At the end of the week I received my copy of 'Log Views.' I turned to see if the reporter that had been writing about me had finally given up. I discovered that he hadn't.

His column started 'Miss Darla Anne Drake is back as the hottest topic in our industry this week. Following her inspections of new properties acquired by Ameri-Moore in its buyout of Trumbell Lumber, she effected some major changes in operations. Two top-level managers were immediately reassigned to non-managerial positions. The former Trumbell executives both resigned in protest after the re-assignments.

Mr. Richard Wilcox, former Trumbell VP in charge of Mill Operations, said in an interview, "Those people at Ameri-Moore must be crazy. They're allowing that little kid to ruin their company. One of these days they're going to wakeup and find that they're out of business, just like Trumbell. Ed Gilford and I helped keep Trumbell Lumber afloat and running smoothly for many years. Two days after this Drake kid visits my mills, I'm pushing paperclips around on a desk. You don't treat your best people this way. Terry Trumbell understood how to let his people do the job that they were trained for. He never would have let some child dictate personnel assignments." Mr. Ed Gilford, former Trumbell 'Supervisor of Mills' echoed similar sentiments. Both men had been working for Trumbell since before Miss D.A. Drake (or DD as we have started to refer to her) was born.

This reporter has embarked on a quest to find out if DD has finally made a misstep following her long line of successes. She was recently photographed leaving a restaurant with executives from national lumber retailer, A.J. Wood (see below). This reporter will continue to bring you any news of DD that I encounter. As of this date I have been unable to get an interview with DD.'

The picture showed Carol, from A.J. Wood, alongside me, with the other three executives just behind us. Grandma was not in the picture, again. I cut out the article and picture, and placed them in my scrapbook.

Gina & Maria left to return home on Wednesday. It had been wonderful having them with us for the past month. We would miss them terribly when they were gone, and we hugged and cried as we parted. We told them that they were welcome anytime that they could visit, and hoped that they would spend most of next summer here. Gina had managed to find me alone only two more times. Each time she had immediately tied my hands behind me and insisted that I call her 'Mistress.' The pleasure that I experienced as she brought me to climax was so great that I would have called her anything that she wanted. I didn't even mind being tied and helpless as long as the binds weren't too tight, and she didn't gag me. She pinched me gently as we embraced at the plane.

After they boarded the plane, we gave the two cakes that we had brought with us to Captain O'Toole for himself and his co-pilot. He thanked us and after tipping his cap, sealed the stairs/door. The plane was airborne within minutes.

When we got back to the house, Susan asked if I would help her with some questions that she had after reading from the books about logging. We went to 'our' bedroom to talk about them. I found that she was taking the task of learning about logging very seriously. We worked until lunchtime, then resumed after lunch. She had read the two basic logging books and was trying to get through the very difficult third. I gave her the notes that I had developed as I had read the book. Over the next four days we spent all our free time working together. She wanted very much to be ready for our trip this Sunday. I told her that I thought that she was doing very well, and that Grandma would no doubt agree.    

On Sunday afternoon we boarded the plane with Grandma, for our trip to Portland. As I predicted, Grandma was very impressed with Susan's efforts to learn about the logging industry. She said that it would be wonderful to have two granddaughters working with her. After arriving in Portland, we dined before going to the apartment. Grandma hadn't planned to meet anyone for dinner, but when we arrived at the restaurant, we met several business acquaintances that were waiting for a table. While we waited, we started talking, and decided to have dinner together. Dinner was delicious and the company was enjoyable. During the meal I tried to include Susan in the conversation as much as possible. I knew that a lot of the things being discussed were still a little over her head, but she was quick and would pick it up soon enough. Trying to help her made me realize how much I had learned. When we left the restaurant, a photographer was there to take our picture again. We ducked into the waiting cab and went to the apartment.

The next morning Grandma went to company headquarters while Susan and I went to the airport to begin a round of inspections. We flew to the remote airport that would permit us to tour of the mill that Mr. Webster managed. The same driver that I had met last trip was waiting for us. Charlie took us to the mill.

As soon as I walked into the site's office building, Jimmy jumped up, greeted us, and led the way down to Mr. Webster's office. Mr. Webster welcomed us warmly and offered us tea. As we drank our tea, I examined Mr. Webster's production logs. I made notes in my notebook to refresh my memory when I reported to Grandma that evening. When I had finished with the logbooks, we chatted about the operation. I told him that I was very impressed that he had cleared up so much of his backlog. He told me that everyone at the mill was happy to see things moving along so well. Moral had been terrible when I was last there because the men thought the mill was going to be closed down as a result of its poor production, and because Trumbell was having financial problems. When they realized that their jobs were no longer in jeopardy, and that new management was taking steps to correct the many ills of the past, they had attacked the mountains of logs with new vigor. The mill had attained a 96% uptime rate over the past two weeks. Mr. Flanders had set up a parts inventory storeroom and when a piece of equipment broke down now, the mechanics could start to work on it immediately. A new preventative maintenance program was catching small problems before they became major ones. Mr. Webster took us on a tour of the plant after we had talked for about an hour. I didn't find even one idle worker this time. All the lines were operating and it appeared like a model mill this time. I asked Mr. Webster if there was anything that he needed. He mentioned a few small things that would help moral, and then said, "aside from that, just keep the trees coming. I can't tell you how much I appreciate what you've done for us here. I like coming to work again. Before you started inspecting us, I spent all my time trying to get our equipment up. Now I can concentrate on doing my real job of managing. On behalf of myself and all my men, thank you Miss Darla."

"You're most welcome Mr. Webster. If there is ever anything that I can do for you, or if you run into any management roadblocks, please leave a message with Mrs. Moore's secretary. This will be my last visit for a while. I'll be returning to school in a week."

"Well then, I hope to see you in the spring." With that he kissed my hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Webster. Goodbye."

Susan and I left after that. I asked Charlie to bring us to the logging site. I hadn't been scheduled to visit it, but I wanted to check on their surplus while we were near, to see if they had moved all their logs. Mr. Gomez greeted us enthusiastically. I took a quick look at his books and then we did a quick tour of the site. The surplus had all been moved off the mountain and a steady flow of trees had passed us on our way from the mill. Everything seemed to be running smoothly so we said goodbye to Mr. Gomez and returned to the airport. I thanked Charlie for taking us around and we boarded the plane. We flew to our other scheduled inspection and found that that mill had likewise had a dramatic improvement. On the way back to Portland, Susan and I talked about the inspections.

"Is that all you do? Just look around a little and talk to people?"

"That's it. Of course, you have to keep a sharp lookout for problems. You have to know what you're looking at, what you're looking for, and be ready to offer suggestions and solutions. But by establishing a good working relationship with these people, you can usually get them to identify where a lot of the problems are. And then you have to work to get the problems resolved, or they won't continue to bring them to you."

We spent the rest of the week inspecting the remainder of the mills and a couple of logging sites. On Friday, Susan got to attend her first executive meeting. The executives were surprised to see that another granddaughter had been inspecting sites, and greeted Susan warmly. By now she had picked up a fair amount of logging knowledge and was able to follow everything that was said. We returned to Texas that afternoon. On the way back, Grandma and I worked with Susan to enhance her logging education. She said that she would continue to study, and promised that by spring she would be able to inspect a site by herself. Grandma was very pleased with her enthusiasm. Grandma said that we needed to fill Mr. Gilford's former position of Mill Operations Supervisor for the mills acquired from Trumbell. She asked whom I would recommend from the mill managers that I had met. I told her that based on what I had seen, Mr. Webster would be my choice. He was friendly, outgoing, and competent. I felt that he would make an excellent Operations Supervisor. 

The next day I read my copy of 'Log Views' which had arrived this week. I turned to the column written by the reporter who had chosen to make me his favorite subject. He wrote, 'I have just learned that since DD's recommendations have been implemented, output at the former Trumbell Lumber mills is up 246% over the same period of a year ago. Costs for the same period have dropped by 8% from a year ago. With such unbelievable production increases, and even more surprisingly, at lower costs, I think that Ameri-Moore officials will be more than willing to let Mr. Wilcox, Mr. Gilford, or anyone else think that they are crazy. Crazy like foxes.

When asked for a quote about the incredible increase in production, Mr. Richard Wilcox, former Trumbell VP in charge of Mill Operations, said "Drake is only reaping the credit for changes that Ed Gilford and I had instituted before our separation from the company. The production increases were a direct result of our efforts. I can't believe that she's stealing credit that should be going to us."

A mill employee, who asked not to be identified, said, "Wilcox said that? Listen pal, DD is singly responsible for the improvement and everybody here knows it. Wilcox and Gilford almost dragged this mill down into oblivion. I'd be on the unemployment line right now if it hadn't been for DD. There's no way that you could convince me to think badly about that little lady. She's got more sense in her little pinky than Wilcox and Gilford have together."

DD's reputation continues to grow with this sensational success. The company is going to sorely miss her talents when she returns to school next week for the Fall semester.' I cut out the article and put it in my scrapbook. I was glad that school would be starting next week. Hopefully this reporter would forget about me soon.

 

(continued in Part 15)

 

 

 

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