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Journey To Forever
By Carol Steward Steeple Hill
Copyright © 2005 Carol Steward
All right reserved. ISBN: 0373873115
Colin loosened the knot of his tie and glanced around the elaborately decorated office, pacing the floor as if it were a bad day in the dugout. He couldn't imagine why his new employer wanted to meet him away from the radio station.
Ellis Chapman sauntered through the entrance and extended his hand. "Nice to see you again, Colin. How's the shoulder recovering?"
"I finished therapy last month. It will never be able to take the rigors of baseball again, but it's doing fine, thanks." He had met the staunch icon of the community at several media functions over the years, before the career-ending rotator-cuff surgery forced him off the field. From there, he had moved into a temporary sports-announcing job, where he'd discovered his life's dream -- spreading God's word over the sound waves.
"And the job? Is it what you thought it would be?"
When he became bored with sitting on the sidelines during the off-season of baseball, Colin had accepted Chapman's invitation to host a Christian radio show, where the spiritual and emotional challenges provided unexpected rewards on a daily basis. "I'm not missing sports nearly as much as I feared I might."
His boss grasped Colin's hand and enthusiastically pumped his arm. "Good," he said, motioning for Colin to follow him into his private office. Colin sank into the soft leather chair and waited for the point of the meeting to surface. "I've been meaning to talk to you about one of the topics you discussed on your show. We have a few skeptics in the community who think Christian broadcasting is no place for a retired baseball player. I think you've opened a lot of eyes to the fact that there are Christians everywhere, even in professional sports."
Feeling as if there was more Mr. Chapman had to say, Colin straightened his back, suddenly thankful for the privacy. If he was going to be fired, he didn't want an audience.
Before Colin could cut in Ellis added, "I have an interesting proposition for you."
That didn't sound too promising. Anything that started with interesting had to mean trouble. He was likely being demoted to the minor leagues of radio. Whatever that meant, Colin wasn't interested in another career change.
Mr. Chapman rambled on about needing to boost the ratings for the radio and the readership for the news-paper. Apparently advertising had dipped into the danger zones on both.
"We need to do something to grab the audience, and timing is critical. The board has been tossing about ideas, which brought you to mind."
Colin decided Mr. Chapman must have listened to his talk on "Financial Responsibility for Christians." He supposed he didn't blame him for doing what he had to do in order to keep his acquisitions in the black. Cutbacks were common with the economy in a slump. Three years ago, the Denver Gazette had been on the verge of bankruptcy. Ellis Chapman had bought it and turned it around, adding newspaper publishing to his communications conglomerate. Failure wasn't in Chapman's vocabulary and Colin highly respected him.
Chapman's assistant slipped into the room and quietly filled crystal goblets with sparkling water. "Pardon the interruption, Mr. Chapman. Miss Post's car broke down and she's going to be late. She sent her apologies."
Chapman shook his head, but his expression indicated he truly cared about the misfortune of the woman, whoever she was. "Thank you." He stood, stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets as he paced the room in silence.
Colin watched, his patience tested. How will I fit into Chapman's plan? He realized the world of Christian radio might not appreciate his unconventionality, from his shaved head to his high-profile and highly competitive career. He knew it seemed unlikely that a believer could remain faithful when hit with so many temptations in the limelight. He'd learned long ago that the best way to avoid false accusations was to keep focused on the Lord. He couldn't let doubt throw him a curveball now. "I have to admit, your call piqued my curiosity. Is there a concern with my work?" Colin's question caught Mr. Chapman's attention.
Was that humor Colin saw in Ellis's expression?
"Oh, no. As I mentioned, Colin, your show got me thinking about this younger generation. I listened to your discussion about commitment to giving in the community and took the tape to the board for their opinion. Which is why I've called you here today. I guarantee this is right up your alley." Chapman, who was nearly as round as he was tall, leaned against the giant desk in his office. "I recall your name being tied to several fund-raisers during your baseball career."
Colin tugged at his tie, recalling the antics he had performed to raise money for charity. "Sir, I don't follow you. Do those pose a problem?"
"If there is anyone who can make news out of something so prosaic, it's you, Colin. And what absolutely galls me is the success you have doing it." A smile crinkled his round face.
"Prosaic?" Not exactly a compliment. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Your stunts were absolutely mundane tasks anyone could do, yet you drew the audience right in with you.
Who would have ever thought pushing a peanut down the Sixteenth Street Mall with your nose or sitting in every seat of every professional ballpark in the country would bring in thousands of dollars? It shows that all of us can do something to help those in need."
"Has someone just found out about this? You had to have known my willingness to make a fool of myself for charity's sake before the board agreed to hire me. I happen to find helping others rewarding," he said, unable to keep the anger out of his voice.
"Calm down. You've got it all wrong. What we want to know is if you're ready for another stunt." He explained that the executive board had voted unanimously to ask Colin.
Relief washed over him. "That's what all of this is about?"
Continues...
Excerpted from Journey To Forever by Carol Steward Copyright © 2005 by Carol Steward. Excerpted by permission.
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