The Road Ahead

“I HATE you!”

Peter Paltiel stares at his wife in total disbelief. The woman he has been married to for the last thirty-five years is standing in the open doorway of their home, screaming for all the neighborhood to hear. Her rage makes her nearly unrecognizable. Wild eyes and hair-spittle flying from her lips.

Victoria throws his suitcase and clothes onto the front lawn, “I only married you because accountants are supposed to make good money! But oh no, not you! You make money for everyone else but not for me! You’re just a worthless piece of shit! I want you out of my life! Now!I’m calling my lawyer!” She glares at him with hateful eyes and then slams the door shut.

Peter stares at the closed door for several minutes before turning to pick up the wreckage of his life spewed across the lawn. He sees his neighbors close their shades or back away from their doors. He knows they have no sympathy for him. Hanging his head, he stuffs the scattered clothing into the suitcase and walks toward his car. Peter hesitates and then turns to look at his house. He can barely utter the words, “She could have said something sooner. I had no idea she harbored such feelings. I would have let her go had I known.”

Peter doesn’t know how long he sat sobbing in the driveway, trying to understand what happened. He suddenly becomes aware that someone is tapping the driver’s window. He turns red-rimmed eyes toward the police officer standing by the car.

“Mr. Paltiel, could you roll down your window, please? We’ve just received a call from your wife. She plans to file a restraining order against you. Under the circumstances, it might be best if you leave.”

Peter sighs heavily, “Where will I go? I don’t know where to go.”

The police officer tightens his lips. “I can’t tell you. All I know is she says she is afraid of you. I think it is in your best interest to leave.”

Peter shakes his head and thanks the officer before starting the car. As he drives his head is in a whirl. He does not have any idea which direction to go in.

Peter drives aimlessly for a while when he sees a road sign declaring he is on Interstate 21. He recalls seeing a Motel 6 out this way and decides it will be as good a place as any to spend the night.

After checking in, Peter drives down the road to a truck stop to purchase a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and a razor. He toys with the idea of calling in sick but changes his mind. Peter has never called in, no matter what the problem was. He is very dedicated to the job.

The night is long and troubling. Peter attempts to shake out as many wrinkles from his suit as possible. Even after a shave and shower, he still looks like hell. Arriving at work, he notices his supervisor and a younger man in a brown suit standing by his workstation.

“Ah, Peter! Right on time as usual.” He frowns when he takes in Peter’s haggard appearance. “Is everything alright?”

Peter nods his head as he tries to flatten out his tie. “ Yes, Mr. Blackwell. How may I help you?”

“Let me introduce you to Mr. Billings. Mr. Billings is joining our firm. I would like you to show him all of your clients progress and how you‘ve handled them to date.

Peter’s jaw drops as he turns toward Blackwell and chuckles in disbelief.“What are you saying? What a minute. Did you say your name is Billings, as in Billings Associates? Our biggest client?”

The young man’s face turns bright red, “Yes, you’re correct.”

Peter’s phone buzzes in his pocket. He sees that Victoria’s lawyer is calling and wants to meet with him at his law office in an hour to discuss the demands and arrangements of the divorce.

Looking straight into Blackwell’s eye, Peter tells his supervisor he knows precisely what he plans to do and will expect his severance pay one week from now.Peter turns to the young man and wishes him luck. “You’re going to need it.”

Driving back to the motel, Peter’s head is spinning. He’s angry, confused, full of regrets and self-pity because this is happening to him. Something catches his eye. It’s a highway marker- Exit 229 in 2 ½ miles. Beneath it is the name of a town Peter has never heard of- Paradise, population 1,200.Peter puts on his directional and pulls over in front of the sign.

Peter places the car in park and shuts off the engine. He rubs his face with both hands and sighs as he recalls his life. Yeah, he was always different from the other kids when he was young. He wasn’t interested in sports or video games. He was a numbers nerd. He loved numbers. He was fascinated by all the things they could do. You can add, subtract, divide, multiply, and use them in calculations.They can tell you how fast something is going or how tall a building is. They measure height, length, and width. Your shoe size, hat size, waist. They keep track of the number of years you have lived. There is even a book in the Bible called Numbers. There are holy numbers and evil numbers, 666. However, the numbers he enjoys the most are those used in business to manage profit and loss. He feels that by calculating the outcome of a client’s business, he controls their lives.The simple placing of a dot can mean the difference between millions or hundreds. Money can be discovered or hidden if the accountant is good enough.

The problem with Victoria was she wanted millions. Peter was so satisfied with his work that he didn’t care if he was overlooked for bonuses or raises. He was happy just to be left alone.

Peter takes another look at the sign—Paradise population 1,200. “You know, Grandpa always told me to expect the unexpected. Maybe it’s time for a change after all.”

Peter starts to plan. “Tomorrow, I call the firm and officially resign. Next, I’ll tell Victoria’s lawyer she can have everything, including half the bank account. Send me the papers, and I’ll sign them. Those are two problems out of the way! Oh! And two is the first of the prime numbers. Yes!I’m feeling better about this plan.I’ll open a bank account under the name Eli Rich.

Eli Rich is the name of his offshore banking account. For the last twenty years, Peter has embezzled money from his clients by placing money under the “miscellaneous” section. He would transfer the funds to his offshore account. No one is the wiser.

Peter leans back and sighs. He will have disappeared off the face of the earth to live the rest of his life doing what he loves to do the best. Working with numbers and, in his spare time, counting his fortune

He starts his car and returns to the highway to exit at 229- and takes the road up ahead.