Chương 20: Book 2 - Chapter 1 B

There were more fireworks, carefully supervised by Dad after the birthday cake and ice cream. Once the fireworks were gone, we headed inside so I could open my presents. There were lots of new clothes, and a card with cash from Grandpa. It was cash I'd won playing chess months earlier. The card had a little loose note from Grandma, 'Your pterodactyl is in Tulsa.' I gave them both hugs, then Mom sent Dad to their room to get a present, and Grandma sent Grandpa to Mattie's room to get a present.

Both men met in the living room, emerging from opposite rooms, each clutching unwrapped cardboard boxes. Mom's expression, usually soft and amused on my birthday, went instantly flat. She crossed her arms tight enough to press the air out of her lungs.

"You got him a computer too?"

"He said he needed a computer, so we got him one," Grandpa defended, his box showing a simplified drawing of the Macintosh. Dad's boxes were held in a big stack. The bottom box said 'The Personal Computer' in cursive.

"He told me the same thing!" Dad countered, a hint of desperation in his voice. I couldn't help the large, satisfied grin that spread across my face.

"Thank you so much! It was exactly what I wanted! They are two different kinds, and I plan to write computer programs for them both." Mom's head snapped toward me, her arms still rigid.

"Two? What do you need two computers for? You've got two arms and two hands, not four!" I resisted the urge to explain that the number of arms was irrelevant to the amount of processing power required to bridge two fundamentally incompatible operating systems.

"The two computers work differently," I explained, trying to keep my voice calm.

"One is a pure 8 bit machine, and the other is a 16 bit graphical machine. What runs on one doesn't run on the other. I can't fix that unless I have one of each."

"Fix what? You think you can just program a computer to fix things?" Mom started to question, emphasizing the last word.

"Okay," Dad interceded, stepping between them. He gently uncrossed Mom's arms.

"I think it's all right. Johnny, you've got a good plan, but if one starts collecting dust, we'll get rid of it." That mollified Mom, and Grandpa just grinned at her reaction. I grabbed the Apple //e box first. The heavy cardboard was warm from being so far from the living room air conditioner. I ripped off the protective tape and started setting it up on the dining room table. With a heaving groan I carefully lifted and placed the monitor on the stand above the computer with its built in keyboard.

I left the heavier Macintosh box on the floor for later. While I was working to connect the external floppy drive, Grandpa came over to watch. He quietly whispered to me.

"Why do you need three computers?"

"I explained it already. None of them can share software. I'm going to fix that," I told him softly.

"And, you need the third machine to do that?"

"Right, the new IBM doesn't come out until next month."

"Well, don't let anyone know I knew about all the different computers," Grandpa whispered back. I gave him a wink.

"I'll keep it secret, Grandpa, you're safe from Mom." The following day I left with Grandma and Grandpa to go to Tulsa. They had purchased a building, The Mayo Hotel. Before Grandpa bought it, it had been stripped and abandoned. Construction crews were already at work cleaning the place up when we arrived.

"I'm so excited to see the space for the first time," I told Grandma as we passed through the construction entrance.

"Welcome to The Mayo," said the site foreman, Peter Nivens.

"Just going to show the grandkid his new playroom on the 16th floor," Grandpa said, shaking Peter's hand.

"It's a bit industrial for a kid's playroom," Peter responded.

"Sorry, I'm making a joke and you don't know the story. We are fitting it out as a multi use area for John."

"It's my mad science laboratory!" I crowed excitedly.

"Well, come on over to the elevator and we'll go up to the 16th floor." When the doors closed, the elevator started ascending. Because of its age, it made some noise. Grandma flinched when it made a heavy thud and I took her hand.

"You are just the best," she told me trying to smile.

"Are you afraid of heights Grandma?" I asked her.

"I'm afraid of falling," she said with a chuckle.

"No fear of falling, the elevator got a full safety check, and all back up systems are in full working order," Peter assured us. The doors opened on a very large, high ceilinged space and we exited looking around. The hard floors echoing every step.

"This used to be the Crystal Ballroom, back in the day," Peter explained.

"About 13, 000 square feet of space, double height ceilings and double height windows." Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

"The windows don't look double height anymore," Grandma said, as she looked around at the solid plywood walls.

"Well," Peter said, chuckling, "you can't see the windows because of the plywood on the walls."

"That's just over the original walls, right?" Grandpa asked.

"Right, we put plywood up on a frame along the outer walls and ceiling. The original is perfectly protected behind it."

"It's going to be very dark in here when the lights get turned off," Grandma mentioned.

"The walls and ceiling will get a sealant and get painted. It's going to be a very bright white. Once that is done the Electrician will be in. He'll run the conduit on the exterior of the plywood, installing all the plugs and switches and such."

"The lighting isn't very nice," Grandma said.

"You just see the temp lighting we put up. The original chandeliers are in storage. My crew changed them out for these overhead lights, after putting plywood up to protect the ceiling." I smiled and ran into the space and around the corner. It was perfect. I was checking out the new industrial flooring laid over more plywood as they came around the second corner to find me.

"Do you think you'll have the room you need?" Grandpa asked, teasingly.

"It should be enough room for a while. Then this will all come down and the Ballroom will get restored."

"I saw pictures of the original. It was a beautiful space," Grandma said.

"Don't worry Grandma, everything in here will come right out, and it'll be a gorgeous space, with amazing views." Peter nodded eagerly in agreement.

"The views are amazing up here. It was a shame to cover the windows. Even better upstairs, though."

"Let's go upstairs then," Grandpa said. We didn't have to wait for the elevator, Peter's override key had kept the doors open and the elevator in place. It was just a short trip up one level.

"Oh my!" Grandma said, as she looked out at the amazing view.

"This is being renovated as the new bar area. It used to be a penthouse suite," Peter explained.

"Elvis Presley stayed here," Grandpa told him.

"Yup, lots of celebrities back in the day. We can't go too far in, as it's still being renovated."

"Is that the roof?" Grandma asked.

"Yup," Peter said.

"We are extending the penthouse bar area, but more than half the area will remain an open space for good weather dining." We all looked out the windows at the bright sunlit space.

"Might be a little warm in the summer," Grandpa said.

"There's a nice breeze this high up," I told him.

"Is it safe?" Grandma asked.

"It will be. We are installing safety fencing along the parapet. Nobody will go over the side."

"Okay, I'm ready to go down now," Grandma said at the thought of someone going over the side.

"Let's go look at our living level," Grandpa suggested. We went down two floors to level 15. The crews were working hard here, and the noise levels made it hard to talk.

"This is the family level," I loudly told Grandma.

"You'll have a space here: three bedrooms, kitchen, living room and everything."

"Why do I need a three bedroom house? Do you know how much cleaning that will take?"

"It's a hotel, Grandma, the staff will clean for you. You can have people come visit."

"If they visit, why can't they stay in one of the hotel rooms?" she countered. I just smiled, as we headed back to the elevator. It was just too noisy and not safe to wander around looking. As the elevator dropped, Peter said, "Your architect put together four three bedroom apartments and two two bedroom apartments on that level."

"I want a two bedroom then. That's what I have in California, and I don't need somebody else to clean up after me."

"Whatever you want is fine with me. One of the two bedrooms will be my office space," Grandpa told her.

"Probably better to use a three bedroom, Grandpa. You'll need room for your staff to work."

"Um, the architect drawings show the office space is half of level 14," Peter interrupted.

"Right, I forgot about that," Grandpa said.

"A short commute, and the family level stays private."

"How many rooms will there be?" Grandma asked. Peter smiled, happy to have the attention.

"There were 600 tiny rooms in the building originally. When we are done, there will be 65 two and three bedroom luxury apartments, and 200 luxury hotel suites."

"What makes it luxury?" Grandpa asked him. Peter laughed.

"I have no idea. That's what the Architect put on the plans. You'll have to talk to him and the decorator about that. I'm just the foreman for the renovation and upgrades."

"Oh? What upgrades?" Grandma wanted to know. Peter started listing them off.

"We are installing sound insulation, and replacing the windows for not only energy efficiency but noise control.

"All the plumbing, electrical and H-VAC is getting updated. I've got some very specific design details from the Architect on the general interior. Especially the Lobby. According to him: 'We will fully restore the Booz Arr charm of the building.'""I thought it was Art Deco," Grandpa said.

"Beaux Arts, Grandpa. It's a French classical modernism and was big here in the US before the 1920s. Art Deco came around as it ended."

"Aren't we doing Art Deco in the lobby?" Grandpa asked.

"The late 1800's and early 1900's were the 'gilded age'. That's the Beaux Arts era. It is similar to Art Deco. Your Architect is a fanatic about both styles, so we'll see what he does. Even if he does a mix of the two, it'll be beautiful and awesome," I said. Peter gave me a look, and Grandpa hurriedly asked, "What's the time frame on the renovations?"

"The family level, offices and the Mad Science Lab," Peter said with a chuckle, "will be done first. Then we'll move to the bottom and start working up.

"Kitchens, and the pool will come next, then the restaurants, and all the while we will move up, renovating the hotel rooms.

"It'll take a year to have a hundred rooms ready, and maybe another year for the rest of the building."

"When will the restaurants be open? The OneOK (pronounced one oak) building across the street is almost finished, and we want to be the preferred formal dining spot for all those office workers," Grandpa told him.

"Should be by this time next year," Peter said.

"Thanks for the tour, Peter," Grandpa said. Sticking a thumb out to point at me, he continued, "Now we need to grab his bags and move him into his room." We were riding down to get my stuff out of the car when Grandpa hit the button for floor number 4.

"I need the bathroom," he said.

"I'll only be a few minutes."

"Take your time, Joe. John and I can get the bags. We'll leave the computers to you. You should use the hotel luggage cart," she told him before the elevator doors closed. After riding back up with my bags, I set my stuff down in one of the freshly cleaned original hotel rooms.

"We're next door," Grandma said.

"Everything has been cleaned and it's all new. Beds, bedding, and furniture." I listened to her as I looked out the window at the beautiful building with the green top in the distance.