The Icelandic connection - 01.09.2010, Síða 22

72
ICELANDIC CONNECTION
Vol. 63 #2
“It is not necessary to thank me for
that,” I said.
With that he went to the door, turned
around quickly, looked at me for a few
seconds then went out.
I moved over to one of the office
clerks seated near me and asked him,
“Who was the young man who just went
out?”
“He is the stepson of Mr. Milman,”
answered the clerk. “He has recently
come home from a long trip in the north-
ern regions.”
A short time later Milman came into
the office. He greeted me warmly and
invited me to go into the adjacent room
since he wanted to talk to me. We walked
into the room where he usually greeted
the warehouse customers.
“Now you have been a night watch-
man here for a whole month,” said
Milman when we were seated. “I can tell
you this: I want you to remain here for the
winter. I am going to raise your wages by
one dollar and seventy-five cents a week.
My stepson considers you a trusty watch-
man. He strongly recommended that your
wages be increased.”
“But I can tell you something Mr.
Milman,” I said. “For the last ten minutes
I have come to the conclusion that it is
best for me to quit the night watchman
job at once. I resign this position at this
time and will not take any higher pay for
the last month than what you promised to
give me when I started. Although I have
difficulty expressing myself in English, I
hope you understand that our business has
now ended.”
“How can this happen?” said Milman
who was obviously very surprised. “What
reason do you want to leave this position,
just when you were praised for your
watchfulness, your energy and you were
offered a raise?”
“Your stepson knows the reason,” I
said.
“It is impossible that he knows your
reason for giving up your position,” said
Milman. “He has given testimony that
you are a competent night watchman in
all areas. You do not sleep when you are
on watch, you do not drink alcohol and
you let no one into the warehouse at
night.”
“But how could he know that?” I
asked.
“He has his own ways of finding
out.”
“Yes certainly,” I said. “But he did so
in a way which did not please me.”
“You cannot let that bother you.
though he used unusual methods to dis-
cover your watchman’s ability and com-
petence,” said Milman after a brief
silence.
“You are an outsider,” Milman said.
“You say you are an Icelander. In this area
there is no one who has ever known an
Icelander. I felt it was very important to
be certain that you could do the work I
needed you to do. My stepson offered to
take on the task to decide the matter. He
was well pleased with the success of that
experiment.”
“But all things considered,” I said, “I
am firmly resolved to quit my job and
move from here.”
“Well and good,” said Milman. “I do
not want to keep any workman against his
wishes. But I will tell you one thing and
it is this: you have to be here as watchman
for at least half a month, according to our
rules, so I have time to find another
watchman.”
“I hear and obey,” I said, and bade
Milman goodbye. I went home to my
cabin.
I continued to work as a watchman
for two more weeks. When I came back
to the wholesale office to get my pay and
return the keys and lantern, Milman again
asked if I was determined to leave my
position. I said it was so.
“I am not happy to see you leave,” he
said and took my hand. “I wish with all