A Loser Rebounds Ch. 12

"Ah I get it. The delivery driver comes in, zaps a box with his barcode reader and gets confirmation the order packed is 100% correct and packs that and then other packed orders and then drives off to make deliveries, saving a huge amount of time by not having to return to base. What's more, and the eight articulated trucks are a lot cheaper to buy and run that eight outlying warehouses with all the necessary duplication of support services."

Rex said in surprise, "Have you seen this system in operation elsewhere?"

"When I worked at Silver Foods they had much more basic system operating to link separate plants on the same site and at corporate HQ, the stationery department had service storage areas on every second floor linked by computer to record stocks held in those self-service mini stores and draw-offs and who had taken what, but nothing remotely elaborate as this. No what I said was the logical outcome after I had understood how the front end of the system operated."

"That's impressive Andy. So I suppose you will show VIPs this system?"

"No, it's your baby. I would prefer you did the honors. You have done brilliantly with this system. It must have significantly reduced staff numbers and increased efficiency hugely."

Andy was left with the impression that comment went down well.

Rex said yeah, quite right.

"Andy our daughter will be home this weekend for the first time in four years. Would you like to take her to a movie?"

Andy was about to say no thanks but he had nothing arranged and here was Rex apparently making a peace offer.

"Yes I could do that. Please have her call me," Andy said, passing across his cell phone number.

"Gee I expected you to say no and would have lost a hundred bucks betting on that."

"I'm just back in Chicago after almost four years Rex. Right now it would be stupid for me to act as if I have dates on tap."

Linda phoned Andy to say she'd been appointed the CEO-designate of Silver Foods and the appointment would be announced and become official on Friday as the funeral would be on Thursday afternoon."

"I have to go, people are lined up waiting for me.

"Thanks. Everything is ok here I think."

He was not thanked for having everything under control to give Linda one thing less to worry about. Ah well, he was only doing what he was being paid to do.

Rex called Andy on Friday night apologetic, saying his daughter had been angry with him attempting to arrange a blind date and so it was off. He apologized and Andy said it was okay.

Andy went looking at apartments to rent with a real estate salesperson on Saturday afternoon and learned her husband had gone up north for the weekend hunting. She accepted his invitation to go to a movie and then took him home and banged him. He'd signed up for an apartment late that afternoon and so, all in all and especially being all in Kath deeply, it had been a very satisfying Saturday.

Linda called Andy at 10:30 Monday to find how the Monday morning executive conference had gone.

"Very well I think. I guys appeared bending over backwards to support me."

"I knew your charm would lead to that. I'd picked Rex would confront you, you'd handle him well in front of everyone and that would have impressed them and left Rex thinking he'd behaved badly."

"You should be a CEO, you have excellent foresight."

"Yeah and it helped that Rex called me to confess."

They laughed.

"Oh man, is Rex impressed by you. I think he say you as a kid and expected you to be like a kid and found he'd got that very wrong."

Andy thought a reply was unnecessary.

Linda cleared her throat.

"Andy I regret this but I have to do it. I will be sending a letter to all your people tonight announcing their jobs are confirmed secure and their terms and conditions will remain unaltered and that the company will be absorbed into Silver Foods as a division and headed by a divisional manager. The only job to go is yours and I won't be replaced."

"Yeah well I'd worked out you'd have no choice but to follow that model for a divisional structure. So what's the deal?

"The package is two months' salary and a letter saying we are sorry and either $10,000 in compensation or a position here at Silver Foods."

"What as your deputy?"

"Yes. The deputy doesn't wish to work for a woman and he's requested to take early retirement. He is prepared to accept his entitlements and to take an early retirement payment of $10,000. Neat arrangement, don't you think?"

"Nothing less than what I would have expected."

"Right, now for the terms and conditions..."

"Don't bother. I'll catch up on that stuff later. I expect you to treat me fairly. Oh what is the salary?"

Linda said $210,000."

"See what I mean? Will Rex be appointed divisional manager here?"

"Yes and I'll call him now. It wouldn't hurt if I were to say to him I conferred with you and you recommended the appointment?"

"No go ahead."

Rex and four other executives rushed into Andy's office with commiserations.

"We are shocked you are being made redundant," said the marketing manager.

"Yeah well jobs don't last long these days," he smiled. "Let's meet in the boardroom for drinks at 4:30. Rex really has something to celebrate. Congratulations pal," Andy said, stretching across to offer a handshake.

Rex shook hands and said, "Thanks, Linda said you endorsed her plan to offer me the job of divisional manager. I wish I could have done something for you."

"That's fine. Well you have Gail as your PA?"

""Yes for sure. She's very efficient."

"Then invited her to the boardroom at 4:00 and asked to get some food in. We may as well party, with hot food arriving at 5:30 and we terminate at 6:00."

Someone asked when the merger would occur and Andy said knowing Linda she wouldn't mess around. "She'll have new stationary printed within the next couple of days and signs changed during the weekend so you guys will be trading as the division from daylight Monday. Customers will have to be advised this week and signs on vans will be changed progressively."

When everyone had arrived in the boardroom and was holding a drink, Andy thanked everyone for not being unduly concerned to have substantial change hovering over them. Luckily for this company, Linda had taken over the helm of the purchaser.

"Well success in your new role Rex and don't rush to change things. As an old boss of mine in CA told me, don't try to fix it if it ain't broken. Well here's a toast": We wish you success Rex." "Thanks guys," Rex said. "I need you all to back me because I have no intention of letting Linda down."

"What will you do Andy?" asked the company secretary."

"Oh I shall leave here Friday evening and start Monday over at Silver Foods as Linda's deputy. The current deputy CEO has decided to take early retirement. Linda, being mindful of a making me her protégé seven years ago when we were both at Silver Foods took that information to the board and the board endorsed her recommendation that I be the new deputy."

People boggled before they began kissing him (the women) and shaking his hand.

"Were you offered compensation for losing this job?" someone asked.

"Yes a fat wad of money. But you guys probably don't realize what Silver Foods is... it's a huge corporation that operates throughout the Americans with smaller markets elsewhere. Our operation here is just a minnow to the big fish but my bet is Linda will want this company operating in Illinois' next four largest centers. As you know there has been talk about that for some time now."

* * *

Linda introduced Andy to the seven senior executives who shared her floor and to their support staff. He greeted the two executives who'd been there when he was 'let go' by the corporation several years earlier, Barry Black, executive officer, offshore marketing, and chief financial officer Rosemary Hull. Linda and Andy went down to other floors where he met section managers who included the obviously pregnant Glenys Fryer, or Glenys Olsen as she was now, and they kissed indifferently.

Andy was somewhat embarrassed when in the elevator back to the senior executive floor Linda asked him, "Didn't you bang Glenys in Italy, and banged her in London and in France before you both returned to find your department had been closed down and you were let go?"

"You could be confused."

"Liar," she laughed. "God Andy you can do much better than that."

"Oh yeah, then introduce me to this crème de la crème of womanhood."

"Oh I say, you've gained a more polished education have you?"

Andy ignored that.

"Well?"

"I might soon," Linda replied.

Andy's first assignment was to investigate expanding its newly integrated fresh and frozen food distribution business into the large Illinois cities of Aurora, Rockford, Joliet and Naperville and have his report to Linda within ninety days. He engaged a consultancy company to present him with profiles of the fresh and frozen food supply and distribution business in those cities, how many hotels, restaurants, catering firms, cafes and the like were in those cities plus public and private hospitals and other institutions or organizations with a monthly spend of $15,000-plus in buying in food. The survey was also required to list the companies supplying/delivering food and their approximate market share.

The consultancy's executive director said hmmm and then, "This will be an expensive survey and will take many, many hours involving many people."

"Well I await your quotation," Andy said. "It would not surprise me if your competitors in this field are aware that councils have most of these statistics because commercial and other non-domestic kitchens have to be registered and inspected, the Chambers of Commerce carries out business surveys and there are other rapid ways of collecting the information we require for you to collate and analyze."

The red-faced woman said yes of course and to Andy's surprise that firm came in with the lowest quote and the best statement of methodology. It got the contract. Obviously someone in that business knew more than the boss did about such surveying.

Returning from lunch that day at a nearby café, Linda said, "Would you like to go to the opening of an art show with me near my home on Thursday? A bit of culture would do you some good."

"Yeah, yeah. Okay. Is your husband away?"

"Yes but you will be returning to your home after the show ends or perhaps after supper."

Andy conversed with to a panel of three advisers at another consultancy firm, who charged out on an hourly rate, on the best methods to break into the food supply and delivery service in regional cities from scratch. He wasn't asked to be specific about what cities he had in mind. The consulting was over within an hour and Andy was handed a video of that discussion after he paid for the consultancy. The message was unanimous: Don't attempt to start from scratch as the possibility of failure would be high. The recommended way to penetrate new territory was to buy one or more competitors. From there it ought to be possible to expand aggressively.

The woman made a useful suggestion at the end of the session that the aggressor should think twice about buying the weakest and probably the cheapest company because time would be wasted in getting that company up to strength. The strategy had to be to launch a well-planned preemptive strike and strike heavily.

* * *

Andy drove in his company car, a Lexus, to Lincoln Park and found the art show was at an expensive looking gallery. The collection was small with very big prices.

Linda was talking to two women and Andy walked over to look as a painting of three young business women with their shoes off and feet in the water of a fountain with a high-rise cityscape behind them; and around them appeared distressed by a heat wave.

"What do you think?" asked a woman, coming up beside him.

"I like the look of the female on the left, she has the nicest smile."

"So you like women with nice smiles?"

"I feel attracted to them, yes."

"What about the merit of this painting and comment on the price?"

Andy looked at the short-haired platinum blonde with incredibly light blue eyes, baby eyes actually, and her smile with wide and lovely.

"Are you the artist?"

"No," she laughed.

"Well I could buy a quality car for that amount of money."

"Ah yes, but in five years' time what would be the relative value of the two?"

"I've seen figures on average a car will have lost 65% of its value by the end of year five. This painting may have held its value, increased its value or left the buyer holding a rip-off as much depends on its true value when it was purchased. Also if the reputation of the artist climbs then that artist's best paintings will rise in value according, depending on demand of course."

"Oooh, an intelligent and I feel very informative reply. I'm Addison Ryan. Linda is my mom's best friend. I'm supposed to talk to you over art and make such a big impression on you that you will date me. That will make Linda happy but my mom will be angry because she's hoping I'll get back with Roger Davy but he sucks."

"I see. Well you have lovely hair, great eyes and smile but how great are your breasts."

She replied daringly, "Don't reply on my biased opinion, fondle them and come to your own conclusion."

Andy smiled and said, "That comment was supposed to send you running off to mommy and then Linda would kick my butt."

"Well at least you don't sound predictable and for a guy you do have a lovely smile, almost boyish."

"Alas one day I hope I'll grow out of that."

She laughed.

He said, "Linda threatened to introduce me to the crème de la crème of womanhood. Is that you?"

"Linda used that term when speaking to me. She said although she didn't actually know any young women of that would reach that exalted level, I would be a few notches above the sluts you probably run with."

"Yes well Linda would say that."

Addison giggled. "Linda told me she'd known you for some years, in fact helped you start your career, and now you are her 2-I-C. I can see you two would get along very well."

"Yes we do and always have."

"You are very young to hold down that position in such a large company."

"Well I do have talent."

"Oooh, and you fearlessly admit that and yet you were afraid to grope my boobies in public?"

Andy was getting a little tired of chatter going nowhere. "Are you that desperate to attract a new guy?"

"Oooh, there you go again. Linda did say you could be challenging."

Andy glanced at her reasonably prominent breasts and said, "Perhaps we should date. You have spirit as well as looks and certainly you do sound interesting. What about my place this Saturday night and bring a toothbrush?"

Addison's mood appeared to change and she asked was he attempting to make her dislike him?

"No and you know what I said could not be called revolting. I could throw in a meal as well and I do have a couch."

"Very well, I will date you this Saturday. Just a movie and dinner, nothing else."

"Okay. Do I have to come up here or will you come down to the city?"

"I live and work not far from your offices. I'm the junior partner in Thompson and Ryan, Public Relations Consultants Ltd. Alf Thompson is mom's brother. We do project presentation for real estate companies, law firms and accountancy practices."

"How old are you Addison?"

She said without hesitation thirty-five.

"Would you consider contracting to do a two-stage project presentation for me once Linda approves my project report? The first would be to our board and if that wins approval, then I'd need you to present the project concept to the senior personnel plus some key staff of the division that is to have its role expanded."

"I would be interested Andy. You'll need to visit the office and see examples of my presentation on screen."

"Yes of course."

"Did Linda suggest you ask me this?"

"I had no idea of who, when or where she'd introduce me to the woman she had in mind for me to meet, although being invited to accompany her to this function I was suspicious that this might be the occasion."

"I don't understand why she decided to set up this meeting?"

"Well think of it this way, Linda manages present situations, I think concepts and she thinks I date women who won't impress her and she has met one or two of them."

"Ah I see and I guess because you think concepts you already visualize me being in bed with you and with that project she gave you to develop, already you see it through to the stage of presenting it to win approval?"

"You are very intelligent for a woman."

Linda smiled and said, "You asshole."

A woman coming up beside her said, "Has this man insulted you?"

"Not particularly mom. He said I appeared very intelligent for a woman."

"Young man you are very rude."

Andy smiled and said, "In this instance I guess I deserve that rebuke Mrs Ryan."

"Mother this is Andy Ash, Linda's pick for me to possibly fill the dating vacuum following my dumping of Roger Davy."

"Is that so?" Mrs Ryan said disapprovingly. "I don't like her choice and I don't like her interfering."

"Andy will accompany us to supper mother. That will give you the opportunity to assess him."

"Well I don't know about that," Mrs Ryan said vaguely, walking off.

And said somewhat puzzled, "You are thirty-five and your mother still attempts to manage who you date?"

Addison smiled and said the problem was her mother was not trainable but he had nothing to worry about.

"Why because you don't intend dating me?"

"Actually I was about to say my mother has no influence on whom I date and I live Downtown, not up here."

Andy laughed and said they appeared to have interesting conversations and Addison said she agreed. Andy she he'd not stay to go out for supper and would call on her early in the morning at her office.

Addison handed him her card and said, "You would feel awkward having Linda attempting to orchestrate two women attempting to assess you over supper."

"Again you exhibit intelligence and have lovely boobies and a gorgeous smile. Good night Addison."

She appeared about to say no please stay, but bit her lip and then smiled and said, "Until tomorrow then."

In the morning Addison was about to unlock the door to the offices on the second floor when a guy appeared from nowhere on her right and said, "Good morning."

She jumped about six inches and identified the threat, er the person.

"Oh it's you."

"I carry two coffees and a bacon and cheese bagel for me and a scrambled egg bagel for you."

"Oh I'm holding a cottage cheese and tomato bagel. May I swap for your egg bagel?"

"Yes sure. Should I smash our way in or can you handle that key?"

She ignored that, unlocked the door and led him in, switching on the lights and told him to leave the door unlocked.

"For your safety?"

"Because we sometimes have early-calling clients."

They sat having breakfast watching a DVD of some of her presentations.

"Yep you are fully professional and appear very effective. I shall hire you when the time nears. Bye."

"Don't you wish to wait and meet Uncle Ben?"

"What to secure his approval as a suitable date for you?"

"Actually I was thinking of allowing you to convince him I should do your presentation. We usually work only with professional and institutional groups."

"Whoops, and my apologies for jumping the gun. No you just tell him you're doing it for a pal. How could he reject you and your pal?"

She smiled and said to call her sometime Friday about the movie. She would try to select a movie showing plenty of legs and breasts."

"Oh you think that would satisfy my movie expectations?"

"Yes."

"Good girl," and he tensed slight as if expected to be kissed but wasn't. Andy joined the tits and legs on the crowded sidewalk as predominately females rushed to offices to begin their work day. Carried along by the mass he thought he was developing more than a passing interest in a leggy platinum blonde called Addison Ryan.