Spotlights Ch. 04

Author's Note:

This story is complete fantasy. Any resemblance to people, living or dead, companies or inventions is purely accidental.

The story will make more sense if chapters 1 to 3 are read first.

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Chapter 4 - A compromise is proposed

Jenny had fun dressing up for the dinner party in a white corduroy shirt with gold buttons, a grey tartan mini-skirt, thick red woollen stockings, black patent leather shoes and giant gold hoop earrings. She ought to have looked like a teenage fashion victim but she looked fabulous.

Samantha and David arrived promptly, bearing flowers and wine. Jenny and Peter met them formally at the door, where Jenny introduced Samantha and David to Peter. He shook their hands and offered to take their coats while Samantha gave Jenny her flowers and David presented a bottle of Sancerre.

Samantha was taller and older than Jenny and just as beautiful as Jenny had said. She wore a slinky black dress, tight about her slim waist to emphasise her curves and generous cleavage: the word 'voluptuous' might have been invented for her. In her spiky high heels, she exuded power and confidence. Jenny glanced at Peter to check he wasn't drooling but he kept himself under control. David was shorter, stouter and older than Peter: the sparkle in his eye seemed to defy the conventionality of his grey suit. With an approving smile at Jenny, Peter took their coats to the cloakroom.

The four made small talk about village matters while Peter opened David's bottle and filled their glasses; but it was clear that Jenny and Samantha were eager to discuss their project, so they huddled together on the sofa while David and Peter got to know each other. David lectured on art-history at the local university and had only a philosophical interest in business, which suited Peter fine at the moment. They discussed painting, music, poetry and the state of the nation and were quickly becoming good friends when a timer in the kitchen alerted Jenny and Peter to the imminence of dinner.

During dinner, Jenny fidgeted a good deal and could not sit still. The injury to her bottom was bothering her. Occasionally, when she sat down abruptly, she tried to cover moans of discomfort by coughing or jumping back up to fetch something or other, which greatly amused the sadistic Peter.

The dinner and wines were lovely and promoted conversation. Samantha and Jenny wanted to know what their husbands had discussed and, when told, made their own contributions to the topics of the Flemish Primitives and the cantatas of Bach.

The main course over, Peter asked Samantha and Jenny if they were ready to say what they had been concocting.

"Not quite yet, Peter," Jenny answered, "but if David and you don't mind us continuing to discuss it now, we think you may be able to contribute."

"I doubt it in my case," said David, "though I would be pleased to listen. Sam hasn't told me anything yet."

For David's sake, Jenny began with a short description of Lumenite; then Samantha took over, telling them about the business partnership they had been discussing and the possible conference centre contract. If they won the contract, they would have about six months to get Lumenite into production. Sam's plan was to buy an existing business and convert it. She had a company in mind, in fact, in the local town. She thought they could acquire and retool it for about a million pounds.

"Is that a lot or a little for a manufacturing business?" asked David.

"A little, in this case," answered Samantha.

"What's wrong with the business, then?"

"You cynic, David; but actually you are right. Like many businesses that are suffering from the recession, it's headed for receivership. It's a small firm but it will do for a start and we can expand later. This part of the deal is new to Jenny, so I'll tell you as much as I can."

"This should be interesting. I don't think Sam's ever lost in a business deal;" said David, "not that I always approve her methods" he added in a stage whisper to Peter.

Samantha ignored his comment and continued:

"The company I am thinking of buying has got itself in debt during the recession and will close soon if someone doesn't come up with a large loan. What I plan to do is wait for it to fail and make an offer to the receivers."

"Won't that take a long time?" Peter asked. "Aren't receivers slow to dispose of assets?"

"That would have been an objection but now Jenny has proposed a solution. I didn't realise, Peter, that you run a manufacturing firm: I thought Jenny told me you are an engineer."

"I still do some engineering design but I have been promoted into management. I don't actually run the business: I report to the owner."

"I see. Well, Jenny said your company makes the prototype Lumenite but you are not geared up for mass production; so what I thought was that we should use your company to fulfil orders until our own factory gets going. You see, my original plan was to step in with a last-minute loan for this failing company in exchange for a controlling interest; but with your help I won't need to and Jenny and I can wait a while and buy it outright for a song."

"Sam, I am not sure I agree with this plan." Jenny cautioned: "I would rather Peter's company did all the manufacturing."

"You said they don't have the capacity," Samantha rejoined, "and, besides, buying the failing business is an opportunity we cannot pass up. Not only do we get the plant and premises cheaper, we don't have to pay off the staff or the previous owner; and we can hire the staff back at reduced wages."

"Sam, Dear, you are quite immoral," said David.

"Why is it immoral to buy something for the best price one can get? You didn't pay over the odds for your new car, David: you shopped around to find the best value for money. This company has little value under its present owner and will be good value when he is gone and Jenny and I invest on new plant. As for the staff: they have no prospects at the moment but will have real prospects under Jenny and me, so why should we pay them more than the market rate, which happens to be lower at the moment?"

Jenny and David were both about to make objections but Peter, who had gone red in the face as she was speaking, stalled them, shooting a question at Sam:

"How do you know the business will fail and not be saved by a last-minute loan from someone else?"

"Because I am advising the bank which is the company's main creditor" she replied, not noticing the aggression in his voice.

"And this company: is it Culpepper Electronics?"

"How do you know that?" Samantha asked.

"Because I work for Culpepper Electronics. You're Sam Johnson." Peter stood, accusing her: "You're the bitch who's ruining my company!"

They were all shocked by this angry insult.

David got up to put a protective hand on Samantha's shoulder, saying to Jenny "I am afraid we have to be going now. It was a lovely dinner, thank you...." Samantha was stupefied. Jenny also stood up briskly and exclaimed: "David, you and Sam have to stay" and, turning to Peter, she took his arm in her hands and said: "Peter, Sam is our guest!"

Peter collected himself for a minute, then put his hand over Jenny's to reassure her and turned to Samantha saying:

"I apologise, Samantha. Please will you forgive my outrageous language? I had no right to insult you and I deeply regret it. I hope that for Jenny's sake you will excuse my rudeness and not leave early. Jenny, David, I am sincerely sorry for my outburst."

"Yes, Sam, you must stay, please?" Jenny implored.

David then said to his wife, "Sam, I call that a handsome apology. What do you say?"

"I don't accept it," she answered, sternly: "We should leave."

"But I want to stay, Sam, so I accept Peter's apology on your behalf."

Peter and Jenny shared a look but said nothing.

"You can't do that, David" Samantha protested.

"I can and I do," he insisted "for two reasons: first, according to a prerogative you cannot dispute; and, second, because Peter is quite right: you are a bitch."

"David, really!"

"Don't deny it, Sam, considering the stories you have told me of how you take over companies, push people out of your way and take advantage of every trick of the law to crush your rivals. The word 'bitch' sums it up nicely. You revel in your power over people and never stint yourself in employing it."

"You've never complained of my business methods before, David."

"No, God forgive me, I have always admired your cunning; but you were ruining people I didn't know, or who stupidly thought they were ruining you. In the present case, it is personal and I take Peter's side: you should leave his company alone."

"You are naïve, David. This is how business works. If I were a man, you would not call me a 'bitch': you would admire my drive, my energy, my hard-headed determination."

David sat down to consider this seriously.

"Is it true?" he asked Jenny and Peter. "Am I being naïve?"

Peter let Jenny answer first.

"If so, David, then I am also naïve. I believe business is about trust and decency as well as profit and I don't see how putting one over on the other fellow fits in. Sorry, Sam, but a businessman's credo is 'my word is my bond' and Bob Martins gave his word about that loan. ... As for expecting Sam to act differently from a man in the same circumstances: Sam, I assume you are not one of those idiot feminists who says men and women are equal and then demands special privileges for women to make them so?"

"Of course not," said Samantha. "God, no!" corroborated David.

"Then I agree it is unfair to call Sam a 'bitch' when we would admire the forthrightness of a man; but, you see, I do not admire forthrightness if it is dishonourable."

"And you, Peter?" David asked.

"It is hard for me to answer because it is my company involved; but actually I think you and Jenny are somewhat naïve, David. There is honour and decency in business but also contest and rivalry, which I have learned to approve since I took on more managerial tasks. Sometimes bad businessmen should be taken advantage of because they otherwise spread incompetence: they use up resources or staff that might be better employed elsewhere. In my case, I objected to Sam's actions because I could see no reason for her to ruin Culpepper's. Now that I know what her plan is, my objection is purely personal, not commercial."

Samantha granted Peter an appreciative look at the end of his speech.

"So what are we to do in this case?" David asked.

"Nothing," said Samantha. "Jenny may disapprove my methods but she cannot suggest a better plan. And now we know that the company I wanted to use to ease my takeover of Culpepper Electronics is Culpepper's itself, the revised plan is moot and the original one stands: Jenny and I will take over Culpepper's in lieu of its bank debt and Lumenite will become a great success. Don't you agree, Jenny?"

"No, Sam, I don't. I don't want to profit from Horace's bad luck."

"If we don't, Jenny, then someone else will," Samantha said gently "and the jobs of Peter and his staff will be lost anyway."

"That need not be the case, however," said David: "I can see a way to resolve the problem. Sam must compromise. Sam, you can grant Culpepper's an extension of the loan and offer a new loan, can't you, so that Culpepper's can buy new plant to put Lumenite into production?"

"That's not a compromise, David," Samantha protested, "That's a surrender."

"It may not be a business compromise but it is a compromise between your business principles and your social principles."

"Which social principles?" Samantha asked.

"Your friendship with Jenny. I don't want Jenny to break with you, which will surely happen when you make her husband jobless."

"I don't think that's likely to happen. Jenny and I will be business partners because no one can be as useful for Lumenite at the moment as me. Assuming Jenny could bid for the conference centre contract, she needs to solve the technical problems of Lumenite first, but Culpepper's has no cash for research, nor can it invest in the new plant necessary for large-scale production. What assets can Jenny borrow against? Culpepper's will never survive long enough to produce Lumenite commercially. Jenny's only hope is in partnership with me."

"That's all true, Jenny" said Peter.

"However, for Jenny's sake, I am prepared to offer this compromise: we offer Culpepper's a last-minute loan, as I intended, to make Jenny and me co-owners and we re-open as Lumenite Limited with Peter as general manager and we keep those members of staff who want to stay on renegotiated contracts. What do you say?"

"Brilliant," said David, with genuine admiration. "No," said Jenny, firmly.

"Think about it first, Darling," advised Peter. "It's a good offer, even if it leaves Horace with nothing."

"I wasn't thinking about Horace, Peter, I was thinking about us."

"If you mean that I will be taking orders from you and Sam, then you know it would not bother me in the slightest."

"It would bother me, though" Jenny insisted.

During this exchange, Samantha had granted Peter a respectful look and now addressed herself to him, saying:

"Peter, I am sorry I was ungracious before. I do accept your apology."

"I am glad," he replied. "Thank you."

"Incidentally, Peter, Johnson was my maiden name: I kept it for business purposes."

"Now that we are all friends again," said David, relishing his assumed role as adjudicator, "surely we can reach a compromise. I proposed one idea. Sam proposed another, which Peter seems to approve. Do you have an alternative idea, Jenny?"

"I do, David, but I am still thinking it over. I need to do some working out."

Jenny then fetched a notepad and a pencil and began jotting down ideas as the others continued the argument. Peter was saying:

"I approve Sam's second plan but with a minor amendment so that Horace gets his pension, the staff who stay keep their current wages and those staff who want to leave are treated generously."

David was impressed with this idea as well but Samantha quickly rejected it saying that it could cost their partnership half-a-million pounds. Jenny had stopped writing to pay attention while Peter spoke, then she returned to her sums and (a sure sign of her deep thinking) began tapping the pad with her pencil.

The discussion, accompanied in the background by Jenny's scribbling and tapping, ebbed and flowed without progress, despite solid interjections by Peter and requests for clarification by David. Some time later, Jenny stabbed an emphatic full stop on her notepad and underlined her final entry. She raised her head to see everyone looking expectantly at her.

"Sorry," she said, "I've not been following all the discussion. What happened after Peter's proposal was rejected?"

"It's been an impasse ever since, I am afraid." David answered: "My compromise is utterly rejected by Sam. You still reject Sam's second proposal, I suppose?"

"If it is the same, then I do so, emphatically."

"And because Peter's idea might cost you and Sam more (or because it is kind to Horace Culpepper, I am not sure which), Sam rejects it just as emphatically; though it seems reasonable to me and satisfies your requirements of honour and decency. Are you ready to tell us your idea, Jenny?"

She was. Jenny's idea was that Sam should retire Horace honourably and get the bank to make Peter a loan so that he could become part-owner as well as manager of Culpepper's. Meanwhile, Samantha and Jenny would start Lumenite Limited; the two companies to remain separate.

She had figures and projections to support her case, the main advantage of which was that it kept the engineering laboratory open and staffed, so that Peter could also work on the only serious technical problem she still had to solve for Lumenite, the problem of the limited range of communications signals in the material.

"Surely you have an answer for that, already," said Samantha to Jenny.

"Yes, but it is expensive and unwieldy. I would like to improve it, and Culpepper's would help."

"So would any other electrical engineering firm;" Samantha insisted. "Or you may solve it yourself any day: you've only been thinking deeply about the problem for a day or so."

This got the argument going again but soon reached the same impasse. Samantha simply would not accept anything that was less profitable than her own proposal or left her with less power. If Culpepper's were to be saved, and Peter its manager, then he would have to work for Samantha and Jenny. Peter had meanwhile become very thoughtful and quiet; whereas Jenny was now an animated advocate of her own idea. David also settled back to observe, so the argument became a contest between the two women.

After about fifteen more minutes of fruitless discussion, a lull gave Peter an opportunity to offer everyone brandies. They all accepted and as he got up to pour them, David said he would come and help. At the drinks cabinet, David said quietly to Peter:

"I have noticed that Jenny cannot sit down for long comfortably. Tell me to shut up and mind my own business but I wonder if you were not being entirely figurative yesterday when you said Jenny would be 'tied up all evening'?"

"Shut up and mind your own business," Peter said with a conspiratorial smile. When David smiled in response, it was like a Masonic handshake between the men. Satisfied with each other, they returned to the table with the drinks, where Samantha and Jenny were no nearer agreement.

Another half-hour of argument produced no resolution. The women had locked horns and neither would give ground. Samantha objected that Peter was bringing no capital into the company and there was no collateral for Culpepper's loan. Jenny, meanwhile, utterly refused to consider owning the company Peter worked for.

To the men, both women seemed to hold unreasonable positions and so, looking for a way out of the impasse, David thought it might help if he had a private word with Samantha. This suited Jenny, who wanted to speak privately to Peter, so the couples retired to opposite ends of the house.

In the lounge, David asked Samantha if she would accept Jenny's compromise for his sake.

"Why for your sake, David?"

"Because I like Peter and Jenny. We have some regular friends: I have University colleagues, drinking friends, friends in the rugby club; and you have business associates and fellow patrons of the Opera; but we have no friends like Peter and Jenny: intellectual and passionate, with whom we have other interests in common."

"You know you can command me to agree, David."

"I want this to come from you, Sam."

"Then, no."

David looked thoughtfully at his wife and nodded his acceptance of her decision.

In the kitchen, Jenny said to Peter:

"I think I understand the key to Sam's motivation but I need to ask her some questions to be sure; and, for her to understand why I have proposed my compromise, I will need to tell them about our relationship. May I have your permission to do so?"

"Yes, Jenny, you may."

"Will you back me up in the compromise I propose, even though it is different from your own?"

"Yes, I will, Jenny."

"Thank you, Peter."

Back at the table, Jenny began by saying she needed to ask some questions of Samantha.

"Sam: Peter told me that three Culpepper employees tried to negotiate the loan extension with you. First was Helen, who came back in tears; then Malcolm, the accountant, who was apparently humiliated; and then you rebuffed Horace."

"Helen was that pretty but vacant blond girl?" Samantha asked. "She was completely unprepared and surprised to find I was a woman. It was a joke sending her. She couldn't even find a spreadsheet she created herself. Malcolm had the data in the right order but he was a long streak of piss. As for Horace, old-world charm may work at the gentleman's club, but I am no gentleman."