Tripping Kennedy

Cancelled Trip

KENNEDY

The first full week of the project with the LA football team went well. Not thanks to Lance though. He wasn't helpful at all. He hadn't even apologized for the sudden meeting he decided to throw with the players. I was still frustrated about that, but I hadn't bothered to bring it up because everything that was going on in California was new to me and I didn't want to stir up any trouble so early in the assignment. 

Cory was the one that ended up introducing me to the other employees that were going to be working on the project with us. There were quite a few of them and I was again surprised that Lance hadn't bothered to introduce me - as the team leader - to the actual team, before he introduced me to the football players.

"He's all over the place," Cory had agreed. "I'm not sure what it was that he did to actually earn that position, but I wonder."

I wondered too. Lance seemed nice enough, but clueless. I hadn't been advised who his superiors were, not that it was a surprise. I had barely been informed of the LA assignment. Thank god I had Cory, and if I really needed too I'd reach out to Chuck in New York.

The advertising firm I worked for was in charge of getting the word out to the public about the LA football team and a project that would benefit the inner city kids. In addition to that, we'd been roped into other aspects of the project. We were essentially planning the whole thing from top to bottom, including when, where, and how. It was new to me, and to most of the team as well.

Cory and I spent a lot of time during the second week going over our supplies and our plan. Or as much of it as we knew, which wasn't too much. The football players were to interact with the inner-city youth, teaching them different sports and just being role models. The actual interactive part wasn't going to start until late spring, but we had a lot to get done before then. The advertisement campaign was to begin in a couple of weeks. 

I discovered pretty quickly that I missed Louise's strategic and organized manner. Cory was great in his own way. He got things done and helped me as much as he could, he just wasn't as specific and on top of things as Louise was. Cory was more spontaneous and inventive.

We'd been assigned a couple of the large conference rooms on the second floor. One of them had an elaborate setup of all the items that had been collected or donated from different sports organizations and sports stores so far. They took up most of the space in the back of the room. There were all different kinds of sports equipment. Most of them in large boxes. A few sacks of footballs, soccer balls, and basketballs had been tucked away on top of them. There were some basketball hoops and a smaller version of soccer goals in the front of the room next to a large box full of baseball and softball bats. Had Louise been here every box would have been neatly stacked and labeled.

"Cory," I said to get his attention away from the open laptop that someone had left on the table.

"Huh?" He turned around immediately like I'd caught him doing something bad.

"Can we go over this equipment?"

"Sure." He focused his dark brown eyes on me, back to business.

"We have a lot of balls and bats, but what about protection? Do we have helmets and stuff?"

"Oh," he chuckled. "Balls and bats are good but definitely need protection to go with it."

"Cory" I groaned.

"Sorry boss. I'll follow up."

"Thanks!"

Cory smirked at me and I turned my back to him to try to keep myself together. His facial expressions were just too much and I tried to stay professional.