SANTA MARIA I meet Carl at Voyager in Santa Maria — along the coastline north of Santa Barbara. Carl lives in Santa Barbara with his wife and two children, but has to commute more than two hours every other day to Santa Maria, driving by the Solvang ostriches, which study his pickup truck as he passes. Why Voyager couldn’t open a clinic in Santa Barbara is beyond his comprehension, but Carl tends to just go with the flow of the universe. He apparently was like this as a teenager, so it had nothing to do with his conversion. Amasa and Voyager needs periodic review of the different clinics from a vampire’s perspective, and based on several successful (noeffort) achievements after Nancy I was promoted to this role. All those missions were flukes the same as Nancy’s: I believe my influence was no better than a good bar room debate. But Amasa was so happy with me they promoted me to this clinic audit and relations role. Others check out the RNs, technicians, machines, and procedures. I just look for any issues associated with the vampires and process for them. The job involves constantly traveling for just a few day visit. A few years earlier and I would have despised this new role: my kids were young, still at home with my wife, and I actually enjoy being with them. But the kids are adults now, my wife works all hours of the day, and I am frequently bored. The last of these statements is a lie: I created it specifically for Dr. A. And Amasa. I am not at all bored: I just need a good excuse to visit as many clinics as possible over the next year. And being on the road has to seem like it is not a problem for me or my family.
Santa Maria is the first — of a five city circle route including San Diego, Palm Springs, Bishop, and Redding. Carl and I have lunch after his morning shift and before my afternoon session. “How are things running at the clinic and for you, Carl?”
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