I ended the conversation wondering if it was the last time I'd speak to Daniel Brennan, a stand-up guy.
Before I could consider calling After, the phone rang, tossing our day into further turmoil. Martha answered and with a strange look on her face, turned the phone over to Howie. We could tell by his reaction the news wasn't good.
The caller was the husband of Howie's mother, his step-father, informing him that his mother had suffered a serious heart attack and was in critical condition. Howie stammered through his side of the conversation, terminating it by saying he'd call back. He looked bewildered as he explained the situation to us.
"What should I do?" he asked.
"Go out to Santa Barbara, of course!" said Martha. "She's your mother for heaven's sake."
"But what about the work we're doing here?"
"We'll just put things on hold until you return," I said. Howie looked unconvinced.
"Could Quinn come along, with his stuff, maybe?"
We'd discussed the possibility of conducting our business at other sites, should the need arise. While it was feasible, Quinn's equipment was cumbersome and there were the ever present problem of absolute quiet, not to mention the security issue.
"Just go for now," I said. "If your stay is prolonged, we'll discuss alternatives later.
It was midafternoon before we got Howie on the road, first to Boston and then a flight west. He would fly to Los Angeles and transfer for the short hop north to Santa Barbara. For the first time in months we were temporarily out of business.
Cleveland, Ohio. The bastard shot me! Someone had the utter nerve to maim me who didn't even have a gun! The shock of it! The pain!
But I am no ordinary opponent. My intelligence and resourcefulness is without equal. While the fools looked for my car nearby, I, in spite of excruciating pain, managed to escape their feeble efforts to find me.
I knew I needed medical assistance beyond the temporary first aid I applied in my home on wheels. But if I went elsewhere, how would I explain a gunshot wound? Others less resourceful might have vacillated but not me. I drove to inner city Cleveland and parked my vehicle. A couple of blocks away, I crawled into a horrible alley and began to cry out. When I was discovered, I told the young fool who found me I'd been shot and mugged, my money clip stolen!
The police responded and I was taken to a hospital where proper care was being given. The authorities were most sympathetic and cautioned me against taking short cuts when parking in the city at night.