Bullshit!

"Exactly and do you think the prospect of being hired or having someone to hire will make them disappointed we don't have swanky street level premises?"

"I suppose not."

"And the rental will be at least 400% less than ground floor rental even in this building."

"Oh I see. Well I'm computer-focused aren't I? You are the business side. I treasure your sound business judgment."

"Oh thank you darling."

The renting agent arrived and they inspected the premises. Willow looked at Harrison and he nodded.

"Trish the asking rental is rather high but the location will do us." Willow smiled. "We'll sign for the space on a three-year term with right of renewal on a 20% discount on the asking rental till the start of year three by which time we will be established."

"I really don't think..."

"Trish I have a high business education with business experience. It is quite common for landlords to agree to a twenty-percent rental discount to new-start businesses."

"Well please excuse me for a moment while I call the Konstantaras Trust."

Trish returned from making the call in the adjoining office.

"Yes that is accepted."

"Good, I'll come back to your office with you and finalize. Harrison, that is your office next door and the next bigger office we need cubicles and desks for eight soliciting operators so also buy eight cell phones and eight computers and network those computers to your computer and include my laptop on that network. Buy lower-end phones because they could be dropped, drowned in coffee or be stolen. Likewise with the computers. Chose either new or reconditioned ones. You are the expert. Oh here's your company card."

Slightly dazed Harrison took the card. "Hire an Expert Ltd? But I didn't like that name."

"True but I said come up with your recommendation and you didn't I had to get the company formed."

"Oh."

"Thank you for your implied consent Harrison. Call me if you can't make decisions."

As the two women walked off Trish said, "I have the feeling this business will take off like a rocket."

"Thank you Trish. Look we need eight students aged at least eighteen to work from 4:00 to 8:00 soliciting households for contact details of unemployed graduates and filling out questionnaire responses on the phone when contacting interested unemployed graduates in having short-term work opportunities offered them. Are you able to help?"

"Well I'll ask. One of my daughters is looking for part-time work and my son is an unemployed graduate who will be sympathetic. Both of them have heaps of friends."

"It will be intense work with a 10-minute break every hour and I'll pay $25 and hour."

"God that's generous."

"I'm forced to be generous to get results."

Trish's daughter Fiona called Willow an hour later and said she had ten students beside herself who would do the job short-term."

"Fine, come to the office tomorrow at 4:00 and find out what's involved. People can double up at the desks."

"This work will count as credits for us."

"Yes I know that Fiona. This is why I thought the scheme would work."

"Here is my brother Kevin to talk to you."

"Hi Kevin, call me Willow."

"I have a list of seventeen guys who could be interested in your scheme."

"Good, they must be genuine and skilled in some form likely to appeal fairly widely to householders and business people. For example finance rather than aviation and computers rather than primitive art but in saying that who knows what people want? Do you have your own computer?"

"Yes um Willow. Mom says you are a ball of fire and look great."

"Perhaps Kevin but my manager is my lover in case you were thinking beyond the square. Come in tomorrow and we'll discuss terms. You could work from home and earn a fee for every genuine unemployed graduate you register."

"Willow how can I guarantee they are genuine?"

"I can go through with you the reasonably reliable techniques to use Kevin including using your own instinct. We have a fortnight to set this up before we begin advertising for people willing to hire an unemployed graduate, hopefully for a minimum of one month. For that they pay us a fee of $520. If it doesn't work out within 72 hours we keep the fee but they can chose a replacement from four applicants we'll send them with no further fee unless they engage more than one of those back-up applicants. You and I will talk about a fee for each person whom you introduce to us and we register."

"Oh great, I have my bachelor's in finance. It's possible I can find time to perform relief work."

"Good, my manager and I will work to set that up for you Kevin."

Meanwhile Willow continued to fulfill compliance requirements at local and federal level and Harrison continued testing the company's website in preparation for launching it on the Internet.

* * *

The business was finally up and running and as expected most people to respond conducted their business with the company via the website. As expected it was a slow start but then there was a flurry of interest after an article about the company and its service appeared in the business section of the city's morning newspaper and then a five-minute segment on TV with Willow being interviewed produced a big wave of telephone enquiries and hits on the company's website.

Also as planned, Harrison was engaged by some companies requiring his services including speeding up company web pages and debugging websites and computer systems. Those were mostly companies without an IT department but also companies short on trouble-shooters in their own IT department. Because of that engagement the bottom line was looking very healthy. Only a deep examination of accounts would indicate Harrison's considerable contribution to fees.

A magazine article about Willow's initiative in matching successfully unemployed graduates to prospective employers unable to attract people with the skills/knowledge they required, drew increased attention to the success of the partnership and then Willow was shown on TV going up to the rostrum to accept the Chamber of Commerce's annual award for the most innovative business of the year.

In bed that night, drunk and unable to complete, Willow and Harrison uncoupled and giggled. Yes, Harrison also.

"The time has arrived to sell out business," Willow yawned.

"You have to be kidding."

"No Harrison, we are reaching near saturation point of our small market. We will continue received repeat business but new business is about to dwindle. However a well-established job search organization would see benefit in acquiring our business if it appears set to keep ticking over."

"Are you sure?" he said, doubtfully.

"Absolutely."

"Then we should sell at the first opportunity."

"Agreed. So we spread the word, um, delicately. What say the word is you and I are at loggerheads and have decided to think about splitting?"

"That's not completely true, is it?"

"Of course not Harrison. You know you are the man for me."

"You are sure that's not bullshit?"

She smiled. "Absolutely darling."

Almost two weeks later Willow received a call to lunch with the chairman and chief executive of United Job Search Inc.

Chairman Max Rook said, "We hear you company is in strife."

"Are you talking our business vitality or my relationship with my business partner?"

Clive Reynolds, the CEO, said smoothly, "Why don't you tell us what you think?"

"Well frankly see this is a setup. You two are wanting to bid for our company."

"That's bullshit," said Clive. But his chairman ignored him and said, "How much?"

Willow countered by saying they were not for sale.

"Would you consider a big offer?" the chairman said, baring his teeth.

Willow poked at her chicken.

"Listen you two, Harrison and I are not thinking of splitting up. We've hear the rumors and laughed ourselves..."

"Would $850,000 be sufficient to allow you and Harrison to make a quick exit?"

"No way, our future is tied to this enterprise."

The chairman's face screwed up and he said, "$900,000 take it or leave it."

"That is tempting but I'll have to call Harrison and he may well have his phone switched off."

"We can go to our attorney now."

"But what about due diligence?"

"What and allow some other company to come in and make a tempting counter offer? You have given us the basic data."

"Well please yourself. Okay but I'll want it recorded in the agreement that I suggested you guys wait until due diligence is completed."

"Why?"

"Because Clive it you can't run the business successfully you'll make accusations against us and perhaps even seek legal redress."

"Okay, okay," Clive said looking irritated. "That clause will be included in the preamble of the agreement. We have the right people to do what you two and your office girl do but also do it better. Come on, let's go and sign a heads of agreement to cover the situation until we have an agreement for the sale and purchase drafted to mutual satisfaction. We will also require within the next two days your last audited six-monthly accounts to pursue and a copy of unaudited accounts up to last Friday. We can then expect to complete on the following Monday."

"I'll meet you two outside. I want to call my business partner. Give me the address of where he needs to come to co-sign."

Willow made the call. "Hi Harrison, where are you?"

"Um with a client."

A woman laughed and Willow heard her say distinctly, "So women you have sex with you call clients?"

"Shut up Debra."

Willow was shocked and held back tears. "I've sold the business."

"Oh great."

"Come to this address within the next thirty minutes," she said, her voice a little shaky as she gave him details.

"How much?"

"I'll tell you when I see you."

"Um Willow. You may have heard something. Debra likes her little jokes."

Willow snarled, "That's bullshit" and cut the call.

The following Monday the final deal was signed and $900,000 transferred into Willow and Harrison's bank account that required both their signatures for withdrawals. She had already cancelled their business credit cards, informed everyone involved with the company what was happening and had negotiated release from their office lease but had to agree to a penalty payment.

They returned to the offices after the transactions were complete and they both looked at the computer screen of their bank account to confirm the money had transferred.

"Well this is it," she said hollowly.

"Willow, please take me back."

"Stop asking Harrison; I've told you we are finished. Now please pour coffee and let's run through these processes for our final exit from business. It will be a while before we achieve a final windup, including deregistering the company and getting a final IRS clearance. So initially we should each take a equal slice of money, leaving plenty for final payments including repayment of loans. How much do you want?"

"Whatever you think," he said dully, putting down the coffee cups and sitting to face Willow. "What will you do now."

"My mother is taking me to Italy and Spain."

"What to look at culture?"

"To look at men actually; she never was sophisticated."

"Huh?"

"It doesn't matter. Drink you coffee and we'll withdraw two hundred grand each, unless you want more."

"No that's enough for the time being. But what can I do with it? Debra won't have anything to do with me now that I admitted being involved with another woman."

"The answer will come to you Harrison. It always does because life goes on. You've had the taste of success and will be driven to attain new heights of success."

"That's bullshit."

THE END