Silence Isn't Golden

Silent Isn’t Golden

           “So, are we all going to keep ignoring what’s been going on? No one wants to be the first to end the vortex we found ourselves in. Just eat and run I guess, is that it?”

           Glancing around the table, I noticed few eyes peering up from their dinner plates. Did they hear what I just said? The only response I heard was the sound of the forks hitting the plate harder out of frustration.

           “Is there no one at this table willing to talk this out and be a family again?”

           Phil’s ears turn red when he’s angry and George looked up a split second and mom stopped eating and placed her fork on her plate looking around for someone to speak up. Whenever we got into trouble when we were kids, while totally ignoring the nannies and babysitters, mom would get frustrated because, one, we were bad, two, she was not home for her to discipline us herself because she was at the office. But, oh, we would get it bad when she and dad got home. She had that look on her face at dinner.

           We sat around this dinner table thousands of times before and never have I seen the stone-cold pale expressions like I have these last couple of years. I read the anguish on everyone’s faces and I wonder how did we get like this? We have always been a normal family…well, what I thought was normal. When you’re a kid you think that everyone is the same. Looking back, I realize now that we were not like other people.

           We always lived in this mansion built on one hundred acres of land, renovated periodically to keep with modern times whether it needed it or not. Nice cars, the best schools, gourmet meals, the biggest in-ground pool in the neighborhood. We never wanted for anything. Like I said, I thought this was normal.

           The company was built by my great-grandfather, Joe when he and his family came to America from Italy. Built it from the ground up with his brains and hard work overcoming all sorts of challenges. It has always been a family business…it was never an option. When we turned sixteen, we worked after school in the mail room until we went off to college…which was chosen for us. We worked in the company during Christmas vacations, spring break, and through the summers until graduation, then we moved up the ladder to upper management positions.

           Dad passed away a couple of years ago and mom is retired and frail now at eighty and the company falls into the hands of my oldest twin brothers, George and Phil who share ownership and are always fighting. If they aren’t arguing about business, they are fighting about who’s better, who’s kids are more well off and the list goes on.

           “What do you want us to say? You gonna play savior little brother?” said Phil.

           “I just want to understand everyone’s issues, and I do want to save this family from doom. What’s wrong with that?” I said.

“Nothing wrong with communication dear,” mom said. “I could die happy if this family could get along.”

“What’s all this fuss about all of a sudden? The company is fine. Everything’s fine right?” Emma said.

“Yes, everything is fine. Why wouldn’t it be?! It’s always been fine. Maybe if you show up at the office once in a while you would know what’s going on there,” said George.

“I’m at the office every day. You’re just not paying attention. I know where you attention does go these days, it goes to your assistant and everyone who works in your department,” said Jane.

“It does not. I do the work I’m supposed to do and more so,” said George.

“Yeah, we know the extra work you do. That’s why you only hire young women just out of college,” said Emma.

“I’m not dead yet,” said George.

“You’re close,” said Jane.

“Shut up!” said George.

“So, this is what you want to talk about?” said Phil. “This petty stuff?”

“No, Phil. I want to talk about why everyone at this table hates each other so much,” I said.

“What are you a therapist now? Just leave it be,”

“No, this is important,” I said. “What happened to this family?”

“What happened to this family is that some people at this table are selfish and stubborn,” said Jane.

“Don’t forget spiteful,” said George.

“The only one that’s spiteful here is you George,” said Jane. “I can’t believe you’re still mad at me for nothing.”

“It’s not nothing to me Jane.”

“I include you in everything, it’s your own fault that you don’t insert yourself in things. You don’t come over or you cancel at the last minute to hang out with your young chicks. But, regardless, I still invite you,” said Jane.

“And I’m tired of covering for you Phil. You drink a lot, always hungover, and I am overwhelmed at work. I cannot do my work and your work anymore,” said Emma.

“Don’t talk to us like you two are perfect angels,” said Phil.

“How about those family trips you both take. Or all those “spa” days you two are always going to and let’s not forget those hotel bills Jane,” George said.

           Jane’s head burst up and shot imaginary daggers at both George and Phil.

           “Yeah, that’s right girls. Did you think we weren’t going to find out? We know it all,” said Phil.

           The thermostat may say sixty-nine, but it sure feels like eighty-nine in here. Silence covers the room except for utensils slamming the dinner plates and the tension in the dining room is thicker than the pot roast. Everyone knuckles were red with the tight grip they all had on their forks. No one looked up. I really want to push harder, but it’s not going to be easy.

           "Earl? Something you want to say?” He poked his head up like he had something to contribute.

           “No. No. I uh…nothing to say,” Earl said as he wiped the beads of sweat forming on his forehead with the napkin and kept eating like someone set the timer.

           “Earl. You know something, don’t you,” I pressed him again.

           “Well….” Earl started.

           “Shut your mouth, Earl!”

           “No! No, I won’t shut up any longer!” Earl said. “I’m tired of all this arguing and I’m tired of all the ruthlessness that goes on at the company and at home. I don’t want to be a part of it anymore. You don’t care about anyone besides yourself, you will do anything to make more and more money. I don’t see any extra money, the workers don’t see anything extra, and Sean here, doesn’t see anything so where does all the money go?! No one wants to work for you. So, go ahead George and Phil, tell them. Tell them everything.”

           “Earl, I know exactly what you’re talking about, except, it’s not George or Phil,” said mom as she scans the dinner table and sets her eyes on Charlie who has sat through this entire dinner and has said nothing. Everyone’s heads almost slip off their shoulders when they turn to look at him.

           “Tell them Charlie,” I said to him. “Tell them how you have been embezzling from our company for years to support your gambling habit. Tell them.”

Charlie’s face turned bright white. He tried speaking but nothing came out.

           “You’re caught. It’s over now,” mom said as everyone’s mouth dropped open and heads swiveled to mom’s direction.

           “Mom, you knew about this?” Jane said.

           “Yes, so did Sean,” said mom. "Sean, the floor is yours,” mom said.

           The doorbell rang and Sean gets up to answer it. The police enter the foyer and follow Sean to the dining room.

           They head straight for Charlie, cuff him, read him his rights and lead him out the door to the police car and drove away.

           “I don’t believe it,” said Phil.

           “Me neither,” said Emma. “Mom, Sean, you both knew? Why didn’t you say anything?”

           “The D.A. requested it that way. I noticed the books a while ago, went to mom about it and we knew we had to do the right thing,” Sean said.

           “Wow. So, what happens now?” George asks.

           “We sell the company and be done with it. Don’t worry, everyone will be compensated. Then we become a family again,” mom said.

           “Well, I’m speechless, but I’m for that,” said Jane.

           “Me too.”

           “Me too.”

“Me too.”

It was unbelievable. All that anger seemed to fly away at the idea of selling the company. Somewhere along the way that became the core of the disfunction of this family. The conversations switched from frustration and finger pointing to care and consideration. It was a beautiful site. I looked around the table and smiled.