Date: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 01:32:52 -0400 From: Mark Arsenault Subject: I Woke Up 316 I Woke Up 316 by M.P. Arsent Copyright to this story remains strictly that of the author. No other publication or use of this story is allowed without the author's consent. This story contains male-on-male sexual content both implied and explicit. If this offends you please do not continue. All characters and implied situations are strictly those of the author and are not based on real-life events or characters. If you are under 18 years of age please exit this story now. I welcome all responses to my stories. Please ensure you list the story's name in the email line. If your email is to alert me of misspelled words or improper punctuation or grammar save your time because it will be deleted. I hope you enjoy my vivid imagination. Please let me know what you think at mparsent@gmail.com and remember to donate to Nifty as they do an amazing job. "OK, but if it's not here tomorrow, I'm making the call. I've got a bad feeling about this Stan." "What's the worst? You take it again in a couple of months." "Not before I have to go back to school and after that it will be a real pain in the butt. I'd have to take at least one day off. I'll basically be taking 2 years of required classes in one year. I think that will have me damn busy and one day, more likely 2, will make a hell of a difference." "The alternative is to wait another whole year." "Which I'm not willing to do." "Then the hell with it make the call now." Stan pressed the intercom button on my phone. "Mrs. Hines, please get the Licensing commission on the line to Mr. Sawyer's office." It was a few minutes before I heard Mrs. Hines. "Line 3." "Mr. Sawyer, this is Ms Anderson with the licensing commission. How may I help you today?" "I'd like to enquire as to the results of my testing approximately 2 weeks ago. Others locally have apparently gotten their licenses but I haven't seen mine as yet." "Just one moment please while I check." I was put on hold. It was several minutes before Ms. Anderson came back on the line. "I'm sorry Mr. Sawyer, but we have no record of you ever taking the exam." I about blew my stack at that but realized that this young lady likely had nothing to do with the situation. "I'd like to speak to whoever is in charge please." "Just one moment and I'll get you connected to the commissioner's office." "Commissioner Harris's office, this is Mrs. Culver, how may I help you?" "Mrs Culver, My name is Dennis Sawyer. I'd like to speak to the commissioner, please." "I'm sorry Mr Sawyer, but the commissioner is in a meeting at the moment." Stan must have seen the look on my face and motioned for me to give him the phone. "Doris, this is Stan Bellows............yes good to hear yours as well. This is something that 'Tank' is going to want to hear about sooner rather than later....................OK, you have my number on file?.........Good, we'll be waiting for his call." Stan hung up the phone. "Tank?" "You'd understand if you ever met him face to face, but don't you ever call him that." "Got it. So I take it he knew Dad?" "He did and I'm going to leave it at that, at least for the time being." For the next half hour, Stan and I sat there waiting for the phone to ring. "Mr Bellows line 2 please." Stan hit the speakerphone and the line. "Good afternoon, Stan Bellows." "Stan, how the heck are you?" "I'm fine Tank. I've got you on speakerphone with my boss, Dennis Sawyer." "What can I do for you gentlemen?" "Commissioner Harris, Dennis Sawyer. I took my exam a couple of weeks ago and when I spoke to Ms. Anderson a short time ago, she informed me that there was no record of my ever taking the exam." "I'll certainly look into it for you, but I have no idea what might of happened." "Well, I might." "Dennis let me. Tank remember about 12, 13 years ago that dust-up between Adams and Marty?" "You know I do." "Well, it looks like it isn't over yet." "I think I'll need a bit more detail." "Last term at state Mr Adams took over a class I was taking about a month before the end of term. He flat-out told me he was going to fail me. Needless to say, this was something I wasn't going to take lying down. This is not something that you'll have to take my word for. Dean Evans I think wanted to keep this as quiet as possible, but I will call him once we are done here and ask him to release his findings to you. More to the case at hand, Mr Adams was one of the proctors when I took my exam." "Mr Sawyer, why didn't you say something at the time?" "I thought it would look rather petty of me and stir up more trouble than it was worth." "Understandable. Did you have any interaction with Mr Adams at the time?" "No sir, but he did have a rather.....unsettling smile on his face when his eyes landed on me." "Do you by chance remember to whom you turned your test into?" "The gentleman said his name was Mr Thomas. He commented that it would be good to see a Sawyer back at the helm of the company." "Anything else you can recall Mr Sawyer?" "No sir, that covers it all." "Very well. I'll look into this and contact your college as well." "Thank you, sir. I imagine that my test has long since been disposed of. Is there any way that I might retest before having to go back to school in August?" "Let me get back to you on that Mr. Sawyer." "Thank you very much, Commissioner Harris." "Good afternoon gentlemen." I hung up. "So how seriously do you think he'll take this Stan?" "Oh, he'll take it damn seriously." "Then I'd better make another phone call." I got on the phone and dialed Dean Evans's office. "Dean Evans office, this is Mrs Humboldt, How may I help you?" "Mrs Humboldt, this is Dennis Sawyer. May I speak to the Dean, please?" "Just a moment Mr Sawyer." I was put on hold for just a few moments. "Mr. Sawyer, what can I do for you today?" "Dean Evans, I have to ask something of you. I took my licensing exam a couple of weeks ago. When I called earlier today to get the results, they had no record of my taking the test. Mr Adams was a proctor at my testing." "And if I know you Dennis, you went straight to the commissioner." "I did and I expect that you'll be hearing from him in short order. I'd appreciate your giving him whatever you can without putting the college in any kind of legal jeopardy." "Yes, I can see where full disclosure is going to be needed here. Very well Dennis. I'll take care of it." "Is Mr Adams going to be on campus this fall?" "As of this moment, he is. If anything comes of this current situation, well we'll see. I have taken pains to arrange your classes so that you shouldn't have any interaction with him." "I appreciate that Dean, thank you. I'll see you in August." "You take care, young man." I hung up with the Dean. "So how long do you think this will take Stan?" "A full investigation? There's no way of telling. I expect that you'll be able to retest within the week." "What, if anything, do you think they can charge Adams with?" "That I haven't the foggiest. They can prove anything they'll certainly remove him from the licensing commission. Hell, they might even do it regardless." "No matter how this turns out, I've got this turkey on my back forever now don't I?" "Very probably, but I doubt like hell that anyone of any consequence is going to be listening to him." "I can only hope. Before we got side-tracked, how was the day looking?" "Pretty normal. Oil is still slowly coming down." The intercom line on my phone buzzed. "Harrison Bartlett line 3." "Good afternoon Mr Bartlett, what can I do for you today?" "Good afternoon Dennis. I just wanted to go over my portfolio with you now that you should have your license." "I'm afraid that I am going to have to disappoint you today Mr Bartlett." "You failed the test?" "There has been some type of snafu at the licensing commission. They seem to have lost my test. I've spoken to the Commissioner and he is looking into things now." "They don't just lose tests, Mr Sawyer. What's really going on?" "I can't really say sir, without opening myself up for one hell of a slander suit, especially where I have no proof. But you can certainly ask Gordon about the last month or so of the last term." "I believe I understand. You will keep me informed?" "I certainly shall sir. How's Gordon doing this summer?" "He and Aiden, as you might well suspect, have been inseparable. They've been busy traveling a bit." "Well, when next he checks in, please say hello for Karl and me." "I shall. Good day." I hung up once again. "I'm betting Harrison was none too happy to hear about this?" "He took the news a hell of a lot better than I thought he would. I just hope word of this doesn't get around and affect the business." "You'd better have a response ready for the press if it does." "Yeah, I should. I so love dealing with the media." **************************************************************** Also posted to 721