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The Meeting

Business not as usual

By Kohl YoungerPublished 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago 10 min read
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The raging bull

He walked up to the jeweler and asked, “Is my piece done yet?” He put his hands on the counter. He had a silver grill in his bottom mouth.

“Few more hours it will be done.” The jeweler said.

“Alright, is there a local coffee shop near by?” He asked.

The jeweler took his eyes off the piece he was working on.

He said, “Ah yes. There is one a couple blocks down, called the Red Arrow coffee.

Gilbert checked what time it was on his black yellow gold Rolex. It was 2:17. He looked at the jeweler.

“Alright you said a few hours, like three more hours?” He asked.

The jeweler was concentrating on his precision and replied, “Yes three to four.”

“Ok. I shall be back.” Gilbert said.

The jeweler: “Ok, thank you.”

He grabbed his iPhone out of his pocket. He started to walk out the store glancing at his phone reading the message his friend sent him.

Text message: Man, bro they want to meet tomorrow. They said they bring their lawyer to help us understand the agreement. What you think?

Gilly replied back: Ok let’s meet….

He deleted and started again:

Ok tell them seven A.M.

He sent the message.

He stopped for a sec to text then he went outside the store. He walked to the coffee shop.

He looked at his phone mid way to the coffee shop and read the text walking slowly.

Text message: Seven A.M.? What if they don’t go for it? Because that is early.

He responded: if they don’t, tell them how about next week? I have other interests wanting to meet as well.

He then put his phone in his pocket. And walked into the coffee shop. He approached the coffee maker.

“Hello.” Said the coffee maker..

“Hello, can I have an americano with a splash of white chocolate and cream no sugar.” Gilly was grabbing his phone to use the Apple Pay.

“Sure can.” Said the coffee maker.

Gilly looked around. And paid for his coffee.

“Where you get the coffee from?” Gilly asked.

“Ah, Imported from Columbia. Brazil. Here is your receipt.” He handed Gilly the receipt.

“Thank you.” Gilly turned around and sat down at a table and looked at his phone.

Text message to Gilly:

Alright man, but man you don’t want to screw this up this is a big one.

Next text to Gilly:

At first they wanted to set the time they said 3 pm. I said seven am or let meet next week have other interests as well. Then they messaged back and said ok seven am. Where at?

Gilly responded:

Red Arrow. On 3rd and 7th Broadway.

He sat there looking around. Thinking about his piece getting done a few blocks down, he grinned. What was the purpose. Oh yeah, to flex. He looked down at the table eyeing his suit and straighten his collar. He then did a jolt type flick with his body to bring his hands up over the table. A gesture appreciating his attire. He clapped and rubbed his hands together, looking around. The coffeemaker brought him his coffee.

“Here you go. Enjoy.”

“Thank you.” Gilly said and touched his cup with the tips of his fingers.

His mind is thinking about what is to be in 16 and half hours. It’s 2:30 pm. What will it be? Do we sell out with the exceptions of fast money, or do we stay local and make it with the people? “If I am to agree I want certain things that will benefit the workers.” He thought.

He thought to himself, “well, why wait let do this now. I want what I want and demand and we doing business my way around if not no go. We walk.

Pulled out his phone and texted Bryan.

Text message:

Hey Bryan, actually tell them let’s meet in five hours. Tell them I am booked up took too long to respond but in five hours we can discuss and see what we come up with. If not then we step. Period.

He put his phone back in his pocket and then took a sip of his coffee.

He thought to himself how he got where he was at in life within the business realm. He reflected on his up bringing and how he changed his life. After taking the time to see the business realm for what it is he vowed to never be a corporate pig. He seen first hand the workplace sexual harassment, the bribery, the fear tactics to keep employees in place, and the toxic work environment within certain industries.

He thinks about all the times he got denied because he wouldn’t agree to the business contracts. He was stubborn. But the people loved him. They supported his efforts. He made a difference. He gave people higher wages. He was influencing a different way of doing business

He also reflected on how he wouldn’t play the victim to a yelling demanding boss and got in a couple fights because of it.

These guys kind of intimidated him due to the monetary wealth they had and maybe the influence in politics, but he was confident because what his company represented was what they wanted within theirs.

His company represented diversity and every step of the way so far his company was gaining potential for international growth. He wanted his store fronts to be owned and operated by said community to benefit from the company. A company owned by the community. The one thing the corporate interest wanted was percentage of ownership. He didn’t want to give up any ownership and wanted it all owned locally. The only reason he is meeting with these guys is to flex and tell them off. This meeting was never to be a formal negotiation. He seen how his father worked and was never appreciated by the owners. He didn’t want to be like that and treat his employee like that.

“How is the coffee?” The coffeemaker asked.

“Good, good. Thank you.” Gilly looked at him and rose his cup to him.

Gilly phone vibrated.

“Your welcome. Let me know if you need anything else.” The maker said.

“Ok will do.” He scooted back to grab his phone.

Gilly then directed his attention to his phone.

Text message: at the coffee shop? They said ok they can do that.

Gilly responded: Good and yes coffee shop 7:30 p.m.

He continued to drink his coffee as he sat there for a bit. Talked with the coffee maker a bit. He checked his watch it was 5:45 p.m. he decided to walk back over to the jeweler.

He checked his phone. His friend messaged him and said he would be there around 6:15. He texted back said he been here about to go to the jeweler.

He entered the jewelry store.

The jeweler said, “ah you made it back. Ok your piece is ready.”

Gilly walked up to the counter. The jeweler went in the back and brought back a black wooden box. He turned it to open toward Gilly. He opened it and brought it out.

“Ahhh hell yeah! That looks nice!!”

It was a raging bull custom made. A gold necklace.

“Yeah it does!” The jeweler said with excitement.

Gilly was ecstatic. “You want to know why I got this piece done?” He started to put it on.

The jeweler asked, “Why?” He started to walk to the til to make a transaction.

“To flex on these corporate pigs. For us, I haven’t been home for some time now. You hear about that new company coming here in a few months. The grocery store idea?” Gilly said as he was pulling out his phone to pay for the raging bull necklace.

“Yeah I did hear about it! Is that you?” He asked as he processed the transaction. He then handed him a receipt.

Gilly put his phone back in his pocket. “Yup. Sure is brotha. And today I have a meeting with a corporation that wants to own a percentage to give me some money to go international. But I am only meeting them to flex and to tell them to fuck off. Hahaha. Wish me luck.”

“Hahaha good luck.” The jeweler smiled.

Gilly turned around and walked out the store. He checked his watch it was 5:52. He crossed the street and sat down on a bench in front of the barber shop. He looked down the road and reminisced about when he was little running and waking down this street. He used to get in trouble with the law. He again thought to himself how he could just sell the company and live off the buy out. But he couldn’t do it. He remembered his dad and what he said.

Bryan pulled up in his bmw. Gilly yelled at him and waved him over. Bryan pulled up between the jeweler and coffee shop. He walked over to Gilly.

Gilly was smiling ear to ear.

“Ready!” Gilly said as he stood up.

“Man you sure you want to do this this way, because that is a lot of money they offering.” Bryan said. Bryan came and shook Gilly hand.

They both sat down on the bench. Gilly looked at his watch and said, “In about an hour we will walk over to that coffee shop, talk to the worker, sit and wait.

“You got this all planned out don’t you?” Bryan said with a bit of mischief.

“Oh yeah. You said they bringing their lawyer?” Gilly asked.

Bryan replied, “I don’t know. We shall see…”

They talked for a bit then eventually went over to the coffee shop and talked to the worker. They stayed standing around the counter by the worker moving when customers came in. The two men they were meeting pulled up and walked in. The men made a wave of a gesture and Gilly got offended. He felt like that was a sign of disrespect. It didn’t matter what it would have been, Gilly was going to do what he was going to do.

Gilly took a sip of his coffee and went straight for the guy on the right. He pushed the guy to the wall.

“I didn’t want this meeting with a bunch of corporate pigs. You guys are coming to me offering me something not the other way!”

He let go of the guy.

“What the hell man you can’t…”

Gilly clipped the other guy. The guy fell to the ground on his back. He straightened his collar. He looked at the coffeemaker and the coffeemaker nodded. Bryan locked the door. The guy got back to his feet ready to fight. Gilly went for his legs picked him up and slammed him on the ground. Got up and punch him in the mouth.

Blood came out when he spoke, “Ok ok. Gilly! I got you.” The coffee worker came and gave the guy a wet rag for his mouth. Gilly went outside.

When he stepped outside he pulled out a joint and lit it. The two guys came out and Bryan followed.

One of them turned to Bryan and Gilly and said, “they don’t call you the raging bull for nothing. Nice piece!”

Gilly hit the joint and passed it to Bryan. He didn’t say a word just watched them walk away. They got in there car and left. Bryan passed him the joint back and Gilly took a hit.

“Calms my nerves.” Gilly blew the smoke out of his nose. Took the raging bull necklace off. He handed the joint to Bryan. “Hold that real quick.” He went into the coffee shop.

“Give this to who you think wants to start a business. Have them go down the street sell it to Frank the jeweler for $50,000. Give them my card.” He handed the bristo his card.

“Tell him pay you five thousand for the message.” Gilly said.

“Ok will do.”

Short Story
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About the Creator

Kohl Younger

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