III.
Carlos looked at the man in front of him. He was tall, with broad shoulders, shaved jaw, and a neat haircut now growing out just a bit. His resume was pretty bare, but that wasn't unusual for applicants at A New Dawn Construction Co. He claimed that he'd done a lot of volunteer work in Central and South America, some housing work, a lot of jackleg engineering for disaster relief.
That wasn't unusual, either. A lot of the men and women at A New Dawn had come on board from volunteer and NGO efforts like Habitat for Humanity, the Peace Corps, and even a few International Red Cross guys. This man would not be the first new hire to be more familiar with filling sandbags than hanging drywall, but they could train him up pretty fast.
"Well," Carlos said warmly, "I have to say, you impressed Breck out there on the site. He plays at being a hick some times, but he knows his stuff. And a recommendation from Donald Graham… you worked with his son, you said?"
"We went to school together. Fraternity, campus activities, that sort of thing. We've lost touch recently, but his father told me to give you a call if I got back to the States." The man spoke with precision, his thoughts expressed clearly and without the slang so many of the younger guys used all day. It was actually sort of refreshing for Carlos. Once you got past the rough, croaking sound of his voice, or if you ignored the textured and angry scars on his neck, this guy could be on TV, like maybe a weatherman or a sportscaster or something. He had the build of an athlete and the big square jaw that TV likes.
"Recommendations are good, and your interviews have been solid. I am a little concerned at your lack of formal training in the trades… Well, Mr. Finn, normally I'd say at this point that you need to speak to Mr. Harris, and I'd get his final decision." He stood up, and Finn did the same, looking somewhat disappointed.
"I see," Finn said, sticking out his hand. "Well I thank you for your time anyhow, sir."
"Oh, I'm sorry, you misunderstand. Mr. Harris is out on family leave, and I want to get you working right away. Welcome to A New Dawn, Mr. Finn." He shook Finn's hand firmly.
"Riley," said Finn. "My friends call me Riley."
A few hours later, Carlos and Riley were eating tacos at a little place down the street from the office. Carlos was trying to explain what it was like working at A New Dawn after his previous job as a code enforcement inspector, then a liaison with Habitat.
"Let me give you an example. A little while back, the boss had us all start going to this dojo over in Anaheim. We're studying kendo, like with wooden swords and everything. It's supposed to be good for discipline, you know?"
Riley smiled briefly. "Martial arts. Discipline, inner peace, something like that?" He washed down a piece of chicken taco with a pull from his second carton of milk.
"Yeah, that's what they said to us at the time. But what makes this so cool is, we get paid for the time we go, and a couple of us even got paid time off to go to a tournament for beginners in Bakersfield a couple weeks ago. I guess when you got customers lining up like the Pirate has, you can make with the benefits."
"The Pirate?" Riley raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, sorry. I keep forgetting you haven't met the boss yet." Carlos shook his head. "I remember when he first got to town, this dude with an eye patch, and getting grey already." He touched his temples. "White almost, right here. Baby face, but the saddest guy I ever met. Starts doing odd jobs, living in some sublet out by the old box factory."
"Well, in two years, he's doing solid work, carpentry mostly, but whatever needs doing. Then all of a sudden, he's got this young girlfriend, things start dropping into his lap, and he's starting his own company. He builds them a house over in the Minear Park addition, gets a few grant projects. He's headed up and we get lifted on the rising tide. They're having a baby now, their first, so we made him take a couple weeks off."
"Sounds like quite a guy. He obviously has loyal employees." Riley was looking forward to meeting the Pirate soon. He'd have to get him a card or something for the baby.
"Hey, we all like to joke around, especially the Pirate, but he knows how to treat people. That's something none of those business schools teach, you know? Just a decent guy, and a good boss. Day ever comes he points to a hole and says, 'Carlos, I need that hole filled and I don't have time to explain why,' that's the day we all start jumping in the hole, you know what I'm saying?"
"Impressive," was Riley's only comment.
"You got to like your job to do it well, but liking the people you work with can make it all fun. You know? And Xander is an easy dude to like. We hardly ever get staff turnover."
Riley was blank-faced, a bite of taco halfway to his mouth. He realized his mouth was hanging open. "Xander. You do mean Xander Harris from Sunnydale, or I'm lying right now hallucinating in a jungle in Panama, right?"
"You knew Xander back in Sunnydale? He never talks about those days, never talks about the eye either. I don't suppose you know how that happened?"
"Afraid not. He was still pretty much whole the last time I saw him. I do remember something about him doing handyman jobs or something." Riley was trying to calculate the odds. Sunnydale, you laugh at us from your grave, he thought.
"Damn, man, I was hoping you had the inside track. We got a pool going, everything from a silly string fight gone bad to alien abduction. My theory is 'pointy stick,' but I'm not married to it." Carlos finished his tea. "Speaking of married, his sister in law was coming in this morning I think, from London. Maybe you know her too?"
Riley wiped the milk mustache off with the back of his hand, and looked at the cloudy skies outside, the gusty weather. Not good flying weather. He realized he was daydreaming.
"No, if they started dating after he got here, I'm sure I don't know her." Xander, married. He thought about Sam. He missed her. He wondered what this new start would be like if she had come up with him from Panama.
"Nice girl, and the Pirate just worships the ground she walks on. They're good people." His pager was beeping, and after he paid the check, he called in.
"Yeah, just down the street. Si, si. Gracias, Carlotta." He hung up the phone, and turned to Riley who was standing behind him. Guy moved pretty smooth for a big dude. Wonder if he'd come to kendo some night? Always trying to get the new guys in the program.
"That was the office," Carlos said. "It's official- the boss is going to be a daddy. Pretty cool. Anyway, why don't you go get some rest? We start early tomorrow and something tells me you're only pretending to be awake right now."
"It was a long drive. If you talk to Xander, er, Mr. Harris, don't bother telling him about me okay? I'd like to surprise him." Finn was wondering where he'd sleep tonight. The back of the suburban had been fine, but he wasn't sure where he could park it safely now he was back in California and 'civilization' again.
"If you want, Riley. But I have to warn you- he meets everyone who does any home construction for us. No one builds a house with us he hasn't approved of, got it? He'll probably ask to meet the new hires when he gets back from leave."
"Fair enough, Carlos. I imagine he'll be surprised to see me."