CHAPTER 7
Three days after his severance from Silver Foods Corporation, Andy received the second call from someone wishing to speak to him about a possible job offer. The first call had involved a position as operations manager for a food supply business that serviced a network of restaurants.
Andy said he could be interested subject to a salary and conditions.
When he said the offer was peanuts, the woman from a recruitment agency asked could he afford to say he wasn't interested in a salary of around $75,000 after being dumped from a premium company in the food supply chain? He switched off his phone without replying. What an unprofessional bitch.
The second call, four hours later, sounded far more interesting.
"Hi Mr Ash, it's Rebecca Marsh. I represent a company that is a competitor to the company you have just finished with and would like to talk to you generally about employment prospects. We have three vacancies, two existing and one coming available at the due of the month with the retirement of the incumbent because of ill health.
"Was the job toxic?"
"No of course not and... oh Mr Ash, I really hadn't expected humor from you."
"Why not?"
There was a pause, and she said, "I require this to be confidential."
"Very well, agreed."
"Our chairman was at a meeting last night and was chatting to the deputy-chairman of Silver Foods who during general chat told our chairman that you had a brilliant career severed by their chairman's inexplicable behavior. Your name wasn't mentioned but your title was stated. So when I was told about this I looked up Silver's web site, found the company executives list, got your name from there and went to your webpage and go your phone number from the page that hasn't been removed yet."
"Well done. You deserve to be talking to me."
"In that case would you be willing to meet me at 4:00 this afternoon as a bar to talk further?"
"Are you attractive?"
"Mr Ash!"
"I apologize. That reaction tells me you a sensitive."
"Yes indeed and that means sensitive to sexist comment."
"Well that's it Rebecca I guess. I have offended you and..."
Rebecca cut in. "The company comes before my personal feelings Mr Ash."
Andy was invited to nominate the bar and he chose one within walking distance of where he lived. He called Linda and she sounded pleased he'd received two calls already and said anyway she would not have called that evening because she had an appointment to get her hair colored.
"But you are a natural blonde. You should stay blonde."
"Perhaps I should have said highlighted. Blonde hair fades and loses luster."
"Gee and I obviously don't know everything."
"No you don't you conceited brat," she laughed.
Andy entered the bar and looked for a female in a dark business suit with auburn hair.
She was pretty, a bit over-weight and aged about fifty.
"You are damn attractive," he smiled.
She frowned and said Mr Ash?"
"Yes and I'll have a dry white wine please."
She hesitated and then ordered.
"The company I work for is North-West Food Packers and Distributors Ltd. The company executive chairman is Wallace Marsh and I'm his wife and personal assistant."
"In that case why aren't I appearing before the manager of HR?"
"My husband hires senior executives after I submit my recommendations. Eight years ago when Mr Marsh married me I resigned as head of the company's HR department.
"Okay, here's my drink and thanks. Let's talk business provided the position you have in mind comes with a salary of $175,000 minimum."
"It does."
They talked for more than an hour, Rebecca making notes.
"Well that's enough background and fills in the gaps from your CV that I downloaded from Silver's website but I have three areas of concern. The first is your academic qualifications. They are scarcely impressive, not even when you complete your masters shortly."
He remained silent.
"Aren't you going to argue that?"
"No because I have to agree with you but I am more than adequately equipped to perform in my chosen area of communications and promotions for agricultural-based industry."
Rebecca said, "The second concern is your relative lack of coalface experience as an executive."
Andy said, "The facts on that cannot be rebutted but I was promoted to create and head a new department based on my performance to date and because of their perception of my developing potential."
Rebecca said, "Well yes, I wouldn't expect senior management at Silver to be incompetent at selecting the right people for particular tasks."
"Your third concern?"
"Well please don't be offended. This is purely my gut feeling. On the phone I had this feeling you could be a compulsive womanizer."
"Well how could I be offended? You are engaged in assessing me for a senior position involving the ability to perform and to display leadership qualities and to be a person of charm and upstanding in character, etcetera. You have every right to make such an enquiry as being relative to this situation. Look do you know Linda Hoffman, director of communications, over at Silver?"
"Yes I do. I've met her several times at industry conventions and social functions."
"Well I began at Silver in her department and she will be a good referee for you. You have my permission to question her about my moral behavior insofar as she has observed and heard about me. Little happens at Silver without Linda knowing about it. She also accepted my request to act as my adviser in exit negotiations when I left Silver last week."
"So you weren't fired?"
"No not in the sense of committing any wrongdoing. I was caught in a palace revolution concerning our chairman. The acting chairman Bruce Allen had been unable to get his mitts on the chairman who apparently failed to return from Italy where I'd been with him on business. The chairman had pushed to get my department established because he believes in branding and the acting chairman, with the chairman AWOL, and claiming he had the backing of the board ordered my fledging department be abandoned and ordered that I had to be let go. Under the terms of my severance agreement, I'm unable to be specific about the reasons for my severance. I was upset at being cast aside but happy with the payout that included hefty compensation. Perhaps Mrs Hoffman can tell you more."
"Well it would be useful to talk to her. The position on offer with our company is director of communications and product branding."
"Wow Rebecca, that's really up my alley. I notice your glass is also empty."
Rebecca laughed and ordered two more drinks.
Linda called Andy next morning to say Rebecca Marsh had just called.
"So you are lining up to join the enemy?"
"Yeah and that's a laugh if I get the job."
"What does your agreement say about working for any rival company within 200 miles or whatever?"
"It doesn't. I checked for that before I went off to talk to Rebecca to avoid wasting time. I thought that was a standard clause in severance agreements."
"So did I. God I was almost killing myself giving Rebecca an assurance you were of sound moral character."
"Well aren't I?" Andy said indignantly and he to wait until Linda stopped hee-hawing.
"Oh you can be so funny," she said, and listened to Andy thank her for being so supportive.
"What kind of job are they talking about?"
"Director of communications and product marketing."
Suddenly Linda had lost her humor.
"Jesus that company is almost as big as we are and that's my position here and you are only a kid?"
"Now don't get bitchy. You did promise something good would come my way."
"Yes I did," she sighed. "I'll call in soon after 5:30 and will want to be told how good I've been to you. I waxed on to Rebecca about you no end and said they were fools here at Silver to have let you go."
"Wow and for that I'll try to get your off on multiple orgasms."
She cut the call giggling.
Two days later, Andy went to the company headquarters of North-West Food Packers. Wallace Marsh greeted him warmly and outlined how the company operated and its aims and objectives.
"We've done some intense enquires and are satisfied you really were the victim of a palace revolution. Carlos Rizzo told me someone had to be the fall guy because the acting chairman was out for blood. Now this is very confidential. Carlos filled me in completely. From the comments Carlos made, I think old Joseph will get away with this. He's been smart enough to more or less out-fox them, to ride on the criminal edge but not wallowing in it. One has to ask, with all the expense to get him back here and to take him to trial, would it be worth it, particularly when there was a chance a judge could rule that old Joseph had been naughty but his actions just failed to reach the test of criminal actions?"
"Well I did like him because he was quite a character and in my opinion had excellent business vision. But now he's had me kicked in the guts."
"Would you shoot him for what he's done to you?"
"No I guess not. It was the acting-chairman flexing his muscles who was really to blame for me being let go."
Wallace grinned. "I'm glad you said that. Joseph and I were good friends. Right let's talk salary and conditions. Rebecca and I agree we want you on our team."
* * *
Andy left the Gillette Campbell County Airport after flying in via Denver and, renting a Dodge Charger, heading for the ranch. At Rebecca's suggestion he was taking a 10-day break before starting his new job two days before the guy retiring finished up, so he could brief Andy about what they did and where they were at with uncompleted assignments.
As the miles peeled off Andy grinned thinking about the previous night. Linda had arrived, having phoned earlier saying she could stay the night.
She used her own key and as she entered he uncorked at bottle of champagne and said, "Celebration."
"Omigod you have been hired," she said, and kicking off her shoes, ran to him.
They kissed and she grabbed her butt and pulled her in hard against him and she began grinding.
"No let's have some drinks and go out to dinner," he said. "I've booked in at a new restaurant called Celebration for Lovers."
"Oh is that what you think of me?" she smiled.
"Well just for tonight. Remember you are married."
"Yes and will you come to my forty-seventh birthday party in three weeks? Some of my very close girlfriends want to see what you are like."
"Is that wise, um your husband...?"
"He can't be there as he'll be in Canada and I'll require a partner at the table. You will be introduced as my contemporary working at our rival company."
"Yeah I'd love to come. So you'll be forty-seven."
"Oh did I say that?"
"Yes."
"How old did you think I was?"
Andy had to think fast, older or younger?
"Forty-five."
