16- Starting over… chapter sixteen

After two hours of searching on the European Space Agency Walter was a bit disappointed. To be honest, they were apparently on par with NASA which is rather disappointing. Were any of the ESA visitors actually interested in making progress in the space endeavor, it may not be hard for Richard to lure them 'into the fold' as he said. There is a good chance Richard's program will have a launch within two years. Wonder if that is why they are visiting the US- researching NASA then the private sector to see which is farther along or to see what kind of information can be gleaned to advance their endeavor.

He got up, stretched, pulled his tie off and his stomach growled. He hiked up to the roof to see totally clear sky, light breeze so decided to take the Ferrari out for a drive around town and hit a restaurant other than the tandoori or Kovelski's. He stuck his phone in his pocket, grabbed a sweatshirt and jacket, went down to pull the car out and close up. Putting the sweatshirt on and pitching the jacket on the passenger seat, he put the top down and took off. Cruising around town, he spotted a steak and seafood restaurant, pulled in close to the front windows. Entering, he requested a seat by the window so he could keep an eye on the car. His order for coffee and the stuffed flounder was taken and he pulled his phone out to scan some sites while glancing at the car periodically. Sipping his coffee he was surprised to have someone stop by his table. Looking up he recognized one of the engineers of Elias space division, and rose.

"I am sorry to say while I recognize you from the Elias gala, I do not think I ever got your name," Walter said.

"Fran Stockton, space division engineer. If you are expecting company, I do not want to disturb you," she said. "I just wanted to congratulate you on the awards. Three patents is impressive."

"No, not expecting company, if you would like to join me?"

"Thank you Mr. O'Brien, I was going to dine alone. Company is always nicer," she said while sitting down. "Have you been here often? I come in a lot and have never seen you here before."

The waiter came by, "Good evening, Fran, your usual?"

"Yes, and separate tabs, Bill, thanks," Fran said. "As you were saying, Mr. O'Brien."

"No, never here before. Was just out for a drive, got hungry, saw the sea food and decided to stop. And, please, Walter."

"Walter. It is well known throughout the division that Mr. Elias is trying to get you roped into employment." She leaned in conspiratorially, "I have heard there is even a betting pool on whether you will or not."

Walter smiled, "it is enough that I have become an independent affiliate. The business collaboration benefits Richard and I, both- I do look into his designing for the space venture, he needs security for his data centers, I make security programming. Win, win I think it is referred to."

"That original component you designed, the fuel booster, I was in on the testing. Did quite well, then you came out with the redesign which did even better. I saw the paperwork on your computer modeling for efficiency. That was very impressive as well."

The waiter came by to refill Walter's coffee and her iced tea.

"I had acquired a rocket to work on in order to enter a contest of innovative rocket design in order to get funds for an experiment I was working on. The reason for that experiment became moot so I launched the rocket and put the design on open domain and Richard decided to use it. The redesign I really had no need for."

"So you design and give them away?"

The waiter came and placed the entrees and condiments then left.

"Designs are of no value if not used- I didn't have any more rockets sitting around. I was cleaning out my computer of unused files," Walter said with a smile. "This is quite good, I will have to add this place to my list of eateries for future."

"There is a pack of European Space Agency people visiting around the nation, including here," Fran said. "Mr. Elias is having a get together for them."

"Yes, Richard asked if I would like to attend," Walter replied. "Will I see you there?"

Fran laughed. "Yes, and just about everybody else of space division. Again, word has it Mr. Elias would like to reel a couple of them in. I wonder if they will jump the ESA to join up."

"That will remain to be seen. Many Europeans would happily jump at the chance to come to the US, others have a jaundiced view of America, so will be interesting to see how it goes."

The waiter came by, "Care for dessert?"

"Not me, thank you, and I will take the full tab," Walter said.

"Nor me, Bill, and that is a no on that, Walter," Fran said.

"Least I can do for so pleasant a dinner companion, Fran." Walter rose when Bill came with the two folders of tabs. Walter took them both and pulled out his wallet and gave Bill his credit card to sit back down. "While I know it is not proper to give anyone insider information, when it comes to that bet on my joining Richard's enterprise, put your money on 'no' as it won't happen. The status quo is working out just fine."

The waiter came back with Walter's credit card. "Thank you Mr. O'Brien, hope to see you here again."

Walter rose as did Fran, Walter helping her with her jacket.

"Thank you very much, Walter. However, next time dinner is on me."

Walter walked her out to her car.

"Have a good evening, and thank you for coming by. Always better to have company with a good meal," Walter said shutting her car door then walked to the Ferrari, started it up as she drove by. He pulled out to get behind her to exit the parking lot, she taking a left, and he a right. Walter continued on out of town, pulled in a gas station to fill up and took a long drive out to the dry, brown hills to return to the garage close to four in the morning. Closing up and setting security, he hiked up the stairs, glanced at Megan's picture, and continued on into the bedroom to strip and go to bed.

Walter awoke around nine, got up to shower, then sitting in boxers at his desk he opened the laptop to check for mail to find a number of messages. Most were reports from the data centers that system monitoring showed no problems. One from Cabe:

Walter- Remember you are invited to join us Christmas. Allie is going all out so see you around two to have turkey and everything that goes with it. Pumpkin pie- homemade! Allie sure can cook. Cabe

A new alert-

Walter- come on down to the office. Have fresh coffee going.

Walter got up went to the bedroom to dress in jeans and t-shirt and headed down to the office. Going into the kitchen he got a cup from the cabinet and poured himself some coffee and went through the swinging doors into the office to find Gina at her desk and Jake in one of the easy chairs.

"Good morning, you two."

"Walter, pull up a chair and have a cookie," Gina said holding up a plate of cookies. "Last day of work for the year, nothing to do but drink coffee and eat cookies."

"Gina said she invited you to our Christmas pot luck- we owe you dinner, anyway. Hate to have debts from one year to the next, so why not stop in for a while at least for pie," Jake said with a smile. "We have a bunch of people of different ethnic backgrounds so no telling what may pop up food wise. Chen will bring some smelly fish concoction as aways, and we end up with fifteen different types of rice dishes, something Indian, and a few Middle Eastern somethings. Gotta' love America, somebody is from just about anywhere outside the US."

"I am Irish but don't cook….. been completely Americanized so depend on pizza delivery or Chinese take-out," Walter said. "Good cookie."

"Yes, Jake does the baking like a pro. I never got the hang of baking, have to have a touch, but I sure can sling the steaks, turkey, or major entrée," Gina said with a laugh.

"Sounds like the two of you could dance around the kitchen together as well as you do the dance floor," Walter said. "I may be out and about tomorrow so may pop in, won't guarantee it, though."

"Well, if you do, park and take the elevator to the third floor and follow the signs. Each floor has like a study, conference room, so we set up there. Come hungry and willing to try strange things," Jake said getting up. Gina held up the plate of cookies and Jake took another, "one for the road. Hope to see you tomorrow Walter. Merry Christmas," he said heading for the door.

"Believe it or not, Walter, you might enjoy yourself if you stop in. I hope you do, really."

"We shall see. I am doing some research so enjoy your last work day of the year," Walter said rising. Gina held up the plate of cookies. "Thanks for the cookies, they are good," he said taking a couple more.

Quitting time, Gina pushed open the kitchen door and yelled

"MERRY CHRISTMAS, WALTER! HOPE TO SEE YOU TOMORROW!"

Walter at his desk in the den yelled back "MERRY CHRISTMAS, GINA- DRIVE CAREFUL.

Walter awoke in the morning, stretched, got up and took a shower to sit at his desk in his boxers. Thinking back of the past few Christmas dinners with the Scorpion team… silly season, indeed. Depressing season more like it he thought then got up to go get dressed in jeans and t-shirt. The weather was typical SoCal, sunny and warm, not a cloud to be seen so he grabbed a sweat shirt and jacket, threw them into the Ferrari, put the top down, pulled the car out, closed up and headed for Cabe and Allie's. When he pulled into the apartment complex parking lot he spotted Happy's truck, and a red Chevy that might have been Paige's along with Cabe's black SUV. He sat for a moment then put it in gear and left to hit the condo. An afternoon with students and interns might be fun, especially should the math majors show up. Get a bit of math war going to sharpen everybody.

Pulling into the underground parking, he got out to take the elevator to the third floor then followed the signs to the study/conference room. First to spot his entrance was Gina sitting with Jake and the rest from the first dinner at the Mexican restaurant.

"WALTER! So glad you could make it. Come have a seat. People are still arriving so the food is still in-coming. In the meantime, have a cookie." Gina said. "I can get you some coffee or water? Sit, sit, I'll get it."

"Gods, I feel old around you people," Walter said sitting by Jake as Gina handed him a cup of coffee.

"Oh, come on Walter, you can't have more than ten years on any of us," Jake said laughing. "Ten years these days isn't much at all when people live to a hundred. "They say seventy is the new forty with the state of medicine and people being healthier over all."

"On top of that, Walter, you have the mind of a young person, looking forward to space exploration, especially the theoretical for the future." Cory said. "Old people get stuck in present or past."

"Think it is the math that keeps the brain cells young and popping," Wayne said entering the room with bowls of salad in hand. Putting the bowls on the buffet table he returned to where Walter was sitting. "I want to apologize for that stunt. Was one of those things that seemed like a good idea that really wasn't. I am more careful acting on suggestions before thinking about it."

Walter smiled shaking his head, "no apology necessary, Wayne. Thinking before acting especially on others suggestions- first step to wisdom. I have had many such lessons over the years, many much harder on the head to learn."

Gina brought the coffee pot over to refill Walter's cup. "My goodness, Walter, the way you talk leads one to think you were at least seventy. Remember, I am around you near every day and you are a very young thirty something."

"Thanks, Gina," Walter said. "You do realize it is said it isn't the years but the miles. Lots of miles in thirty four years."

"Alright, off the topic of age," Gina said. "It is Christmas so people should be talking of uplifting things, happiness, the coming year, GOOD stuff. Everyone ready to eat? Looks like the table is pretty full to overflowing. Come on, Walter, first in line- age before beauty as they say."

Walter got up, "thought age was not to be brought up." He got a plate and went along the table with Gina and Jake following to return to their table to eat.

"You have no family here, Walter?" Hans, arriving late asked entering and spotting Walter.

"No, only parents still in Ireland," Walter replied. "You have no relatives, either, Hans?"

Wayne sauntered over to Hans at the buffet table loading his plate to whisper in his ear. Hans glanced at Walter sitting talking to Gina and Jake. He nodded and carried his plate to sit far from the main crowd.

Watching Hans Walter turned to Gina and Jake, "much as I am enjoying this, I think it best I take off before the seething anger erupts."

"What are you talking about?" Jake asked.

"Hans has a definite disliking of me, and before long there will be a problem. This is like the joke spoken of family gatherings- the dislikes, dissention, and differences that surface. For some reason your buddy over there is stewing- I do not understand why. He had Wayne drop that problem, I answered it. I do not understand people, at least I admit it, so it is best I vacate. Thanks to you both for the invitation, food was great, company enjoyable," Walter said rising.

"Hey, Walter, you're not leaving are you?" Hans called from across the room. "A bunch of math majors are on the way to join in on the revelry."

Gina rose to stand with Walter, "remember what I said about competition? To everyone but Hans this is a friendly rivalry, the most math proficient, most able. Fun and games, why not play?"

Walter looked at her, then Jake who shrugged his shoulders. "You might find it invigorating, the stretching of ability. You did say you do hypothetical and theoretical math for fun. Go enjoy yourself, it is Christmas, after all." Looking to the door, "the math major invasion has arrived."

Walter sat back down. "This seems a bit juvenile, muscle flexing, but, let's see where it goes."

The room, being a study, conference room for the floor had whiteboards attached to the back wall. One of the math majors had his laptop with him. "Anybody up to a bit of competition?" He brought up a site with unsolved theoretical problems.

Hans rose, "How about it Walter? You said you do this for fun on off time. Christmas is off time, right?"

Walter looked at the expectant faces all around the room and rose. "Let the fun begin. What are the rules of this competition?"

"Simple. Steve picks a problem, writes it on the board, who is first to solve it, Harry uses a calculator for the correct answer. Agree? If so, come on up to the board and pick your marker."

Walter walked to the board, closed his eyes for a moment to gather himself, and with a slight smile said, "go for it."

Steve scanned and took a marker to write the problem on top of two whiteboards, then stepped back. Hans started writing on his board furiously the numbers and symbols flowing while Walter stood looking at it. Before Hans had half his board filled, Walter stepped up, wrote his answer on his board and stood back to watch Hans finish his formula and reach an answer- the same as Walter's.

Hans stood back to see the two boards, got red in the face, to turn and stare at Walter in the silent room.

Walking to Hans, Walter asked quietly, "can I talk to you privately for a moment?"

"Sure."

They went out the door into the empty hall as conversation started in the room.

"Hans, many years ago, I played chess with a Grand Master. And lost. I lost one hundred four matches. The one hundred fifth, he tipped his king over and said, "ah Walter, at last, and so it goes." The Master was seventy one; I was twenty-two. Do you understand what he was saying?"

"No."

"The Master was the old guard, I was the new. The old finally, after five years and one hundred four lost games, was replaced by the new, as it has gone generation after generation. I am not yet that old, plus I have numerous subjects in which I am proficient- math, computer, and design just being the major subjects. You are competing with a genius. I do not say that to belittle you. That genius has made my life difficult, lonely, and contentious. You do not need to add to that. A few years before the Master died, he lost his sight yet we continued to play- we told each other our moves playing without board and pieces which puts the game at a much deeper level of concentration. That is the point I just made with you. I am old enough to have the concentration and focus you may in time acquire…. but you do not have it- yet. Quit wasting your time competing with me, it will not end well. You're emotional, that is what I lack, and that is why you will lose. Do you understand, now?"

Hans looked at Walter, "I understand you are an obnoxious bastard."

Walter shook his head, "so be it." Walter turned, went to the elevator, got in the Ferrari and headed out to take a long drive outside the city reaching a high elevation scenic view point to pull in and sit to watch the sun set.