Bess is beginning to feel nesting tendencies towards Benni just at the time her dad is eager to start up an affair with the sophisticated scarlet woman, Mrs Lucas. The story crawls onwards, though without too many adulterous affairs, and the hero is given the opportunity to buy stock in the company β daddy's little daughter's idea to give Benni greater incentive to remain close to her side.
THIRTEEN
At lunch Benni said to Kevin Saunders that Marlene was acting suspiciously towards Barron who had to go out of town, so if Marlene happened to ask how was lunch with Barron, could he play along?
"Barron's taking up with someone again, eh," laughed Kevin. "I wish I still had the firepower in my loins to do that. I remember..."
Kevin managed to cram in lurid details of four affairs before the waitress arrived to take their food order, apologizing for the delay and offering them another drink on the house, which was accepted. Smiling, Benni asked the waitress with a wink to make sure it was top shelf wine.
"Now boy, what are these ideas of yours about drumming up more business?"
Benni suggested the wall of the waiting room should be replaced with glass, so that clients in the waiting room could see their vehicles being serviced β how clean everything was, how caring the service people were and they the name workshop should be changed to car nursery."
"That's a daft name."
"A nursery is synonymous with care and most of our clients' vehicles are young and some owners even proudly call their vehicle their baby."
"Hmmmm. Barron should seek professional advice about that. Have you told him your ideas?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because he's not used to me discussing anything but sales with him yet. He doesn't think I know anything about overall marketing, business operations and planning."
"But you do."
"Yes."
"Well that Barron is a fool. He only needs to see the skill you've employed to cover his ass today to realize that. Marlene's at work today, isn't she?"
"Yes."
"Then he would have told her that he was going to golf with me, because what man tells his wife he's off to pull down the knickers of another woman? Then you saw me drive up, realized the implications and had me scuttling off for a free lunch before she saw me."
Benni said that was pretty accurate, but there was more.
"She saw your car, and then Bess saw your car and now they are at the hairdressers yakking on about anything that comes into their heads."
"Oh shit."
"But I told Marlene that there was a rattle above the steering wheel in your car and we were looking for it while you were at golf, and I told Bess who saw you that you were dashing off to golf late, and her dad would be displeased about that."
"Well done! With a tortuous mind like you seem to have, no wonder you were able to milk that mistress of Balfour's to bring him down. Has Barron now latched on to that woman?"
"I wouldn't think so β none of you were told her name, although you were pumping me like crazy, especially you."
"Yeah, right. So who is she?"
"Disclosure would ruin her socially and probably destroy her marriage. Sorry, Kevin, we're becoming good pals in my opinion, but I simply cannot tell you. Sometimes a guy has to remain true."
"Well said, Benni, I admire you for that although it frustrates me, and yes I would agree we are becoming good friends. That fact you have some integrity makes me feel even better about you."
"Only some integrity?" grinned Benni.
"And I rather like your attitude. I hear you're plumbing Barron's daughter?"
"Er, we are going out a bit."
"Plumbing?"
"Er, yes."
"Well, take some advice from an old coot, son. You finish off your degree over the Internet thing as banks and other financiers like fellows to have degrees these days, and encourage that little bunny of yours to accelerate completion of her business administration degree that she's doing part-time. Then your two can gradually take over running the business."
"Bunny?...Running the business?"
"Oh that bunny thing. Apparently Barron asked Bess straight out what was going on between you two and she looked at him in the eye and said you were going at it like bunnies. That really appealed to him."
"She said that to him?"
"Yes, what did you expect her to do β lie?"
"No, of course not. But she could have said..."
"My boy, her father thinks it's the funniest things she'd said to him since in that first year when she was beginning to talk and express herself."
"Really?"
"Yes. I'm getting the impression you think everything between people is black and white; it's anything but. You accept that, don't you?"
"It's taking time, but I seem to becoming more in tune."
"Did you have a hard life as a kid?"
"Um, you could say that."
"Now, you keep you mouth shut about this, but Barron thinks you're the best salesperson he's ever come across β you're become his top performer in less that a year whereas it often takes some years to get into the groove, as he puts in. Then they who stay on only really begin to succeed when they have built up a loyal following to secure repeat business. You haven't had time to secure repeat business."
"I've had thirteen return clients."
"Thirteen!"
"Yep, eight came back to buy another vehicle and five traded in for the latest model after I phoned them."
Kevin grinned and shook his head.
"Barron says you've got a knack of selling people something they didn't know they wanted."
"Oh, they usually know what they want, Kevin, only they haven't been encouraged to focus on it. Incidentally, we're taking advance orders for the facelift model you're driving, can I..."
"Fuck off you, Benni β I'll decide when I want to upgrade, not you."
"Of course, definitely Kevin. I'm only pointing out opportunities. The resale value on your vehicle is beginning to slide, and there's nothing we can do about that. But in order to get a few samples of the new model running around town, we are prepared to offer a little incentive."
"What kind of incentive?"
"In your case Kevin, I'm prepared to upgrade you to all leather trim, the premier paint finish and, oh, toss in a hand crafted white and black calfskin golf bag with your name hand-tooled into the white leather section."
"Black and white leather, not white like the two pros have got, eh?"
"Yes, it looks more distinctive."
"I'll think about it."
"Good, drop in after we've finished here. I'm putting the order in for the golf bags on Monday and Barron wants one, but I'll make sure only yours is black and white."
"I know what's going on here, Benni."
"Of course you do, Kevin. It's your decision entirely. You don't want the improved upgrade model and your old golf bag has many more years of life left in it. Your decision entirely, so what do we do? Come to an agreement now or do you want to give more thought about these opportunities I've presented.
"Who wants a flashier car anyway β the moment you drive it out of the door it's losing value. Of course most people who see you driving about in it don't know that.
"Now, let's get you another drink, Kevin."