Chapter Two

It had been almost two weeks since I'd visited that weird bookstore and, at first, I kept checking my messages several times each day. Each time there was nothing from the buyer I was filled with disappointment and self-doubt. But by the next weekend I'd practically given up hope. I still checked each evening but no longer expected to get an answer. The question was what to do now? At work I'd told my boss and his boss and so on all about my worries but TLC just wasn't going to put any money into the problem so long as there were sufficient bats to produce the guano they needed.

Other coworkers just couldn't understand why it mattered so much to me and I couldn't really explain it myself. There were plenty of jokes at my expense; mostly behind my back but a few were rude right to my face. If I gave up it would be a lot easier on me but I just couldn't seem to do it. So I spent a lot of time alone. At work I did my job to the best of my ability but began to avoid social situations. I spent most of my lunch hours in my office.

On the second Monday after my trip I decided it was time to try to get my life back. The first step was eating my lunch with others. Now my lunch was usually at midnight. I worked nights. I didn't want the cafeteria at TLC and so I made my way to Gibson's across the street. It was open 24 hours and there were plenty of other people from TLC who went there. When I opened the door to go inside I almost turned around. The place was packed! Apparently there had been a local play nearby that just got out so many of the play goers had come in for a bite to eat.

'No.' I told myself. 'It's time.' So I looked around and found a small table that hadn't been taken yet. I sat down, gave the busy waitress my order, and pulled out my book to read. Just because I was socializing more didn't mean I was ready to talk to other people. The food was pretty good but my book was better and I settled down to enjoy the next 30 minutes. I was so focused on the book that at first I didn't hear what the person standing by my table said but he repeated himself.

"Excuse me. I said is this seat taken?" He said.

I didn't even bother to look up. People were always borrowing chairs in here; especially when the place was packed. I just nodded my head and waved my hand at the chair. It was several minutes later that the hair on the back of my neck started standing up. I was being watched!

I looked up and was met by a pair of dark brown eyes looking right at me. The man had sat down at my table! "Look buddy. I"m on my lunch hour here and I'm not looking for a date." I said.

"Good. Because I'm not looking for a date either." He smiled. The man WAS very attractive. But his comment wasn't what I expected.

"Then what ARE you looking for?" I asked. "A place to sit and eat?" I finished sarcastically.

"No, I'm looking for you."

'So he WAS trying to get a date!' "Listen buddy. I'm not looking for a companion." I began but he interrupted me.

"No, I'm sorry if I've put it badly. I really am looking for you - that is - IF your name is Tess Williams." He said with a crooked smile.

"That IS my name." I said. I couldn't help but be suspicious. Most people didn't come looking for me, even at work. My job was one that had a lot of isolation which I usually liked. Now here was a really good looking guy saying he was actually looking for me for some reason. There had to be a catch.

"Good." He said. "Let me introduce myself so you can stop worrying. "My name is Doyle Ingrum and a few weeks ago you asked someone about a book I purchased."

"Oh." Not the smartest thing for me to say but I was surprised. It wasn't what I expected and he was NOTHING like the person I had imagined buying the book! "Um, yes." I was trying to think of something to say but my mind was blank.

"You expressed an interest in just ... reading the book and not buying it." He said, filling the awkward silence. "I thought that was strange but then Mr. Bell said you were trying to save some ... bats was it?"

"Yes." I managed.

"Well, I had some business here and thought I'd come by in person. It all seemed very strange and I'm curious." He smiled again.

'This was my chance! If I could just interest him enough to let me read that book.' My heart started racing and I couldn't help the hope that suddenly shot through me. "Thank you for agreeing to hear me out Mr. Ingrum." I managed. "I really feel that this is important. Over 1/3 of the bat population has died or begun showing signs of the disease already."

Mr Ingrum's eyebrow raised showing interest or surprise I wasn't sure which. "So many? Why isn't your company taking an interest?"

It was a good question and one I'd bitterly asked over and over. "I can't say for sure but I believe it's because there are still plenty of bats out there to produce the guano they need and so it just isn't there problem." 

"You're saying it's about the money." Mr. Ingrum said. 

"Frankly, yes." I nodded.

"So WHY is it so important to you?" He asked. "Why are you willing to invest so much of your time and money in this project when no one else is?"

That was a good question too. One that I wasn't really sure I knew myself. "It's complicated." I said.

"The best things are." Mr. Ingrum replied. Then he sat there waiting for an answer.

"Okay, I'll try to explain." I smiled. "It isn't that bats are more important than people but if there were a disease out there killing 1/3 of our population people would be freaking out. It isn't fair that we use the bats for our products but don't care when they begin suffering from a disease. It matters." I paused to see what he would think.

He nodded non-commitally so I continued. "There's also the possibility that whatever is affecting the bats could jump species. If we don't get a handle on it other animals are at risk. Maybe even ourselves at some point." I stopped talking. I'd given this speech before to the company in person and in memos and they still weren't interested in it. If anything they had laughed at my worries. Would this guy also laugh? I told myself I didn't care if he did just so long as he let me read the book.