After Roger walked through the back door, Buddy followed him outside. There waiting for them was Hammer, and the three members he had not yet met. They had just returned from a ride upstate on club business. Buddy Tanner introduced roger to them. They were, Lee, the club's VP, and two full patch members, Billy the Kid Bennit, and Jt. Buddy Tanner announced, “OK gentlemen, let's start the meeting”, and the men walked through the garage and into a hallway with several rooms off of it into a large open room with no windows. In the room was a long wooden table, JT, was the last man to enter the room and he paused to shut the large steel double doors that separated the room from the hallway.
They all took seats at the table and Buddy called the meeting to order. “Our first piece of new business is voting on adding Roger as a prospect to the Tunnel Rats MC”. Buddy looked over at Roger and said, “R, we already had our discussion and our vote prior to calling you in. There was a lengthy discussion period, and you were subsequently voted in unanimously”. The members clapped and congratulated Roger on becoming a club prospect. Then Buddy continued, “Because of the circumstances that brought you into the clubs confidence, with you taking part in the run upstate a couple weeks back we have a pretty unique situation”.
The men seated at the table were dead silent as Buddy spoke. “You see R, we have a pretty clearly defined set of rules that spell out process for allowing in a new prospect to the club. Now, because we are in our infancy as a club, and given the emergency nature of that run upstate, I found myself in a desperate spot. Because of that I was left with no real option but to bring you in on the spot, which goes completely against the rules”. Then Buddy paused and rubbed his temples. “Look R, normally things would not have, could not have happened that way. I made a decision on the fly based on a gut feeling, an instinct. Sometimes that is all we have to work with. As it turns out, that instinct was valid. You really came through when we needed you. As a result you have seen and done things with us that a potential prospect might take months or even years to be exposed to.
So with that being true ,it's hard to categorize you as a prospect. Normally a prospect will serve in that capacity for minimum one year. During that time the prospects sponsor, me in your case ,would meet with and give reports to the membership regarding the prospects progress. After that initial years time, if the sponsor and the membership agree that the prospect is ready, we move forward to vote on him. The vote to patch in must always be unanimous. If it is then we invite him to join. If they feel the prospect is not ready or the vote is not unanimous, then the prospect period continues until such time comes when those conditions can be met”. Roger looked around the table at the men seated there. “OK”, he said. Then he nodded, “I understand, thanks”.
Then Lee, the vice president spoke. “Roger because of the unique situation we find ourselves in with you. With what you have already seen and done. And with the commitment you exhibited towards this organization, it's a little unrealistic to status you as a prospect. At the same time our bylaws prohibit us from voting on your membership without the prospect period”. Again, Roger just answered, “OK”. But he was clearly confused as to what they were telling him. Buddy said, “Roger, I won't blow smoke at you Brother. We , I broke rules involving you when and as I did. I can't go back from where we are now. At the same time , I can not completely disregard the rules and safeguards that were put in place mainly for the clubs protection. Rules and safeguards which I personally had a majority hand in writing. And while I completely trust my instincts, heck I would be dead a dozen times over if I didn't, the rest of the men seated at this table have just now met you for the first time. And they trust my judgment and my instincts but at the same time they need to get to know you themselves before they can be asked to move forward with you”.
Lee spoke again. “Roger what we decided to do is put you in kind of a probationary membership status. Not a prospect, but at the same time not a patched in member. The probationary period is going to be three months. If at the end of that time, there are no incidents, and everyone feels comfortable with you, as Buddy believes we all will, then we will vote on your patch at that time”. Roger nodded and said, “Whatever you all think is right, I accept”.
“OK”, Buddy said. “Moving on we have a pending piece of business based on intel discovered on the recent trip upstate by Lee, Billy, and JT. Lee, you have the floor. Tell us what you learned”. Lee laid out the events of the trip they just returned from and it was decided that they must act immediately. Buddy said, “OK then. We leave at 0600 tomorrow. Ride attendance is mandatory for everyone. Pack for several days. That's all gentlemen”. And with that Buddy slammed his fist down in such a way that his Marine corp ring hit loudly against the wooden table, and he declared, “Meeting adjourned”
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