Silver Linings Chapter Eleven a change in plans
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Silver Linings - Introduction free porn video
It had been a slow few months since the flurry of work that normally
comes with the New Year. But now, the silence was deafening as I had
descended into the unfortunate routine of the solitary challenge of
deciding which of the two Starbucks to visit on a given day. Even though
the weather was beginning to turn for the better, my mood and state of
mind was headed in the opposite direction. The marriage ended abruptly
but not unexpectedly as it was only a matter of time before she had had
enough of island life and returned to town. Now I found myself alone in
my "dream" house. I felt paralyzed to extricate myself from this
inevitable predicament.
Giving me the slightest chance of maintaining my sanity was embarking and
maintaining a rigorous program at the gym. My weight was down in the low
170's and my size 34 jeans were feeling very loose. This was the one
part of my life that I had control over. It was this success that
sustained me.
When the phone rang early one Monday morning, I figured it was Terminex
still trying to bring me back in the fold on the termite bond. But the I
Phone listed "unknown caller". When I answered it, I heard the distinct
click of an overseas call. I was intrigued.
"Good day," a female voice spoke with a very distinct Scottish accent.
I was even more intrigued.
She continued, "I am looking for Mr. George William Pope. Is this he?"
No telemarketers I knew spoke with a Scottish brogue. "Yes, this is
George Pope."
"Excellent! Mr. Pope, my name is Karen Brookes."
"Yes?"
"I am Vice President of Human Resources for DSS, Limited. We are located
in Edinburgh, Scotland." Karen used the parent company name for Fake
Bake. Recalling her conversation with Sherry, Karen thought it best to
keep the Fake Bake name out of the conversation for now.
Being somewhat flippant, I replied, "I've never heard of it. You're not
trying to sell me anything I hope?"
"Oh no, not at all! I would have preferred a more appropriate
introduction, but time did not allow for that. Hence the phone call."
Now I was becoming curious. I decided to play along. I could always just
hang up. "OK. What can I do for you, Ms. Brookes?"
"Karen, please. And may I call you George?"
My suspicious nature was still engaged. "If you like."
"I'm certain you must be curious about this call. Please allow me to
explain. DSS is a conglomerate that is expanding its services to include
broadcasting; more specifically what you refer to as special event
broadcasting."
Remaining skeptical, I replied, "How did you find me Karen? I assume
that this is a European based venture?"
"Please allow me to explain." Karen was walking on eggshells because the
importance of getting me on board had been made very clear to her. "We
located you through some colleagues in the business. And yes, this is a
European based company, but we plan to offer services worldwide."
"I see. And how is it that you are calling me?"
Karen was a very skilled communicator. She knew that any reasonable
person would be very skeptical of such a call and had to do her best to
garner some manner of credibility. Flattering the subject was always a
good tact, especially with a male.
"You're too modest, Mr. Pope. When we put those three words 'special
event broadcasting', in a Google and LinkedIn search, your name and your
company, "Allied Vision", came up repeatedly. And we followed up with
calls to other people in the industry. You are quite accomplished."
I was starting to feel a little creeped out. Being in a perpetual job
search, I know that I was all over LinkedIn and Facebook, but I had never
ever received a call like this. I tried to figure out what the interest
was.
"Is there a specific event you are planning?"
"No George, not at this time. I can appreciate your position that you
find this call a bit awkward without the benefit of a proper
introduction."
"Thank you, Karen." Since she was calling me George, I thought I would
respond in kind.
"After the success of the London and Rio Olympics, the principles at DSS
began exploring investment opportunities in the broadcasting arena. We
have identified such an opportunity and are now looking for someone to
run it. With your experience in this area, we feel you are well suited
for this position."
That caught me off guard. "Wow! I'm flattered. Is this a staff
position or a contract?" Obviously Karen had correctly read her subject.
Beginning to feel confident that she was getting through to me, "This
would be a staff position."
"Would this job be based in Scotland?"
"No, the parent company is in Scotland, but the offices for this division
will be based in London."
"So this job would be based in London?"
"Yes, indeed."
"So this would require that I move to London?"
"Yes George. Should you accept the position, you would need to relocate
to London."
"Wow. I've always wanted to live in Europe, England especially." I
allowed my excitement to get the better of me, "What is your time frame
for filling this position? When would it begin?"
Working from her plan to meet Sherry's directive to get me in London
immediately, Karen explained, "That is the problem, George. This
acquisition is coming through much more quickly than anticipated. We
need to fill this position immediately. Should you be interested in
taking this position, would that present a problem for you?"
"For me to move to London? Now?"
"Yes. While I will detail the specifics in your offer sheet, I can share
that you will be given a contract guarantee for at least three years and
of course all moving expenses."
"What about my house? I just built a house."
Without hesitation, Karen replied, "DSS, Ltd. would buy your home at fair
market value."
"Really?"
"Yes, George. It is part of the standard moving package for DSS
executives. You will certainly be briefed on all of that when we meet."
Not only was it was starting to sound legitimate, it was sounding like I
had the job. You know what they say when something seems too good to be
true. There had to be a "but" in here someplace.
"If your schedule permits, we would like to bring you to London this week
for a couple of days of meetings."
I finally threw caution to the wind. I was a naturally suspicious person
but I was at a loss as to what kind of scam this could be? Thankfully I
was given the opportunity to step back and take a breath.
Karen suddenly interrupted, "George, please forgive me. I am dreadfully
sorry. I must take this call from Australia. Could I please ring you
back in a few minutes, I am dreadfully sorry."
"No worries Karen. I'll wait for your call."
"Brilliant! I'll ring you right back."
I put the I Phone down on my nightstand and just stared at it. How could
this be legit? I'd never heard of these people. And why me?
I did some quick checking online. Yes, there it was in the London
Guardian: "DSS Ltd. considers acquisition of majority stake in WTN; World
Television News".
While online, I looked at my bank account and today's stock market. It
was all the incentive I needed to take a leap of faith and not be such a
hard ass. Aside from the chance to fulfill a dream to live in Europe,
this might give me the chance to get myself upright again.
It had been almost two months since she left. The thrill of finally
finishing the house had been quickly overshadowed by the failure of my
marriage. To make matters worse, work had been very slow and I was
hoping for a positive change. Perhaps this was it?
Before I had the chance to think the call might have been a very cruel
hoax, the phone rang and it was my new best friend, Karen Brookes. She
fell over herself apologizing and I assured her it was fine and told her
I would be delighted to come to London and meet with the people at DSS,
Ltd...
"I'm very pleased to hear that George. In order to meet with the team
before they head off to Australia, we were hoping you could come
immediately, today. I've taken the liberty of booking you passage on
tonight's British Airways departure from Vancouver to Heathrow. Flight
84 departs this evening at nine-ten. Would that be possible? I assume
that your passport is current?"
"It is current, thank you Karen." And after a quick scan at the clock,
"And yes, that flight will work just fine."
After a brief pause Karen replied, "Brilliant. Your ticket will be at
the British Airways counter. We'll have a driver meet you at Heathrow
and take you to your hotel. I'll plan to arrive in London midday
tomorrow."
"How long should I plan to be in London Karen?"
"Your return is booked for Friday evening. It departs Heathrow at five-
twenty and arrives in Vancouver at seven in the evening. Will that work
for you?"
"Yes, it will. I just needed to know how much to pack."
"Pack something warm. I hear that the weather there has been dreadful."
"Thank you, Karen. I guess I will see you tomorrow."
"Very well, George. Have a good trip!"
The rest of the day was a blur. I made an extended trip to the gym then
went home and packed. A suit, blazer, shirts, and ties - I wanted to be
prepared for any possible contingency. Unsure of this position, I also
collected some DVDs and press material about my Olympics project and
other endeavors. I didn't want to leave anything to chance.
I left home about four-thirty and found my mind wandering. As I headed
to Vancouver to catch a flight to London, I just could not believe this
was real. Out of the blue, I thought about Deana. It pained me to think
about her and what a kick she would have gotten out of this adventure I
was embarking on. I thought about what fun it could have been for her to
come join me in London. But alas, she didn't even know I was single.
Our bridges had been so badly burned.
It had been over a year since our very sudden and even more painful split
following the very brief and very frantic discussion of the Slave
Contract. Making a life changing decision with a gun to your head is
never a good idea, but Deana just hit the off switch as soon as she
sensed that I would once again not follow though.
I had obsessed about that encounter every day since. The pain was as bad
as or worse than anything I had ever felt before. It was worse still
when the marriage dissolved and I found myself unencumbered. But even
with that remarkable turn of events, I felt powerless to reach out to
her, the die had been cast.
As I made my way north, I thought about what this change would mean to
me. I kept going back to Deana. If there was anyone in the world that I
wanted to share this remarkable turn of events with, it was her. But I
had let my pride get in the way, my fragile ego and lashed out at her
when in reality, I was the only one to blame.
As the 747 took off from Vancouver, I felt like I was in a dream. This
came out of nowhere. Yesterday at this time, I was sitting in Toby's
having a beer wondering what I was going to do with my life. Now just 24
hours later, here I was sitting in business class on British Air going to
London to interview for a job that sounded like it was mine.
As I sipped the champagne and nibbled on the canap?s, I realized that I
didn't even tell anyone I was leaving town, no less going to London. Not
that anyone would give a damn what I was doing. I stared out the window
and thought to myself that if I were to drop off the face of the earth,
no one would care.
That was exactly what Sherry was counting on.
Walking out of customs at Heathrow, I picked out the driver holding up
the I Pad emblazoned with "Pope". Within a few minutes, I was seated in
the back seat of the black sedan headed into London.
"First time in London, sir?"
"No. I've been here a few times. I enjoy the city very much."
We continued making small talk the rest of the ride. Fortunately we
avoided most of the rush hour traffic and found ourselves at the Marriott
Grosvenor Square in Mayfair - one of my favorite locations in London.
Fortunately, everything at check in was in order and I was quickly in my
room. There was a note from Karen at the front desk inviting me to
dinner nearby at 8pm tonight. She also left me an IPhone to use while I
was in London. A very nice touch I thought. After a quick shower I was
sound asleep, working off the jet lag.
I woke up late in the afternoon. Looking out on Grosvenor Square, it was
already dark. My body wanted to go back to sleep, but I decided to go
for a walk around the neighborhood to shake out the cobwebs.
Walking around this lovely Square, book-ended by the American and
Canadian embassies, I suddenly became invigorated, excited about this
whole adventure. I let go of my fear and suspicions and decided throw
caution to the wind. I returned to my room and spent the time before
dinner researching DSS, Ltd. I wanted to put my best foot forward in
this initial face-to-face meeting with Karen Brookes.
As I reviewed the company's annual report, I was struck at how odd it
seemed for them to branch out into broadcasting. It was not in any way
related with their other businesses. As I reviewed operations in haute
cuisine, high end women's accessories and then - perfume, a shock went
through me. Something seemed odd here and when I saw that perfume was
among the businesses, it struck a chord with me - but I could not place
it. It didn't make sense.
It was late and I dropped my research and quickly dressed for dinner.
Once again, I made every effort to put forth the best impression; suit,
tie, Rolex, class ring and even cufflinks. It was a short walk to the
restaurant just east of the square. Called "Mista", it was a small
family Italian restaurant; a lovely choice.
Even though I was 10 minutes early, Karen was already seated. The Ma?tre
D walked me to the table and my host rose and extended her hand as I
approached the table.
"Mr. Pope, I am delighted to meet you."
"Likewise Ms. Brookes. Thank you very much."
Karen was older, very attractive; brunette with her hair pulled back
tight in a bun. She had an air of total confidence about her. I was very
cordial talking with her, but always on my guard.
When I pressed her about the company, she was cooperative but vague. She
offered few details of my meetings the following days except to say that
there were principles of both WTN and DSS involved.
When Karen sensed concern, she did her best to put me at ease saying that
my spot at the head of this new venture was all but assured.
With the issues of the week addressed as much as she was permitted, we
both enjoyed a very pleasant dinner speaking about non-work things.
We parted with her giving me an address and time to begin my meetings the
following day.
As I walked back to my hotel, I remained just as puzzled as I was before
dinner. But here I was in London. I was determined to see this through.
Calling from the cab, Karen Brookes checked in with Sherry as she had
been instructed. Her boss was very pleased to hear that I was in London
and things were progressing smoothly.
Sherry again reiterated to Karen the importance of committing me to the
Personal Services Contract before I returned home.
"It will be completed as you wish. Ms. MacDougal, I assure you."
"Excellent Karen; very well done. Thank you. Good night."
If nothing else, my dinner conversation reassured that the position was
legit. Still suffering from jet lag, sleep came easily that night.
I was jarred awake the next morning with a phone call.
"Mr. Pope? Oh please forgive me; I hope I didn't wake you."
"No that's fine." Not recognizing the voice, I asked, "Who is this
please?"
"Mr. Pope, my name is Sandra Burns. I am Ms. Brookes' assistant at DSS,
Ltd."
"Well then, good morning. What can I do for you? Are the meetings still
on?"
"That is why I am calling Mr. Pope."
I knew it. All this was a charade, a very expensive and humiliating
charade.
"What has happened? Has there been a change?" This was my depression
talking now. "Should I plan to return home today?"
"Oh no! Not at all Mr. Pope! I am terribly embarrassed. The men who
you were supposed to meet with were called to Australia early to deal
with an immediate crisis."
"And?" My defenses had suddenly reappeared.
"I know this appears dreadful Mr. Pope. But please allow me to explain."
"Very well, Ms. Burns." I was feeling used.
"Thank you for your indulgence, Mr. Pope. In actuality, your meeting
with Mr. Thomas and Mr. Sweeny was merely a formality. Your contract has
already been approved and signed by our Board of Directors. All it needs
is your signature to be consummated."
"A contract? Signed?"
"Yes Mr. Pope. Ms. Brookes would be delighted if you could come by the
office as planned today, meet some of the staff and review the contract
with her and the company Barrister."
Somewhat mollified, I decided to take Ms. Burns at her word and go with
the flow. "That's very kind of you, Ms. Burns. I was hoping to get more
details about my position, but if this path is acceptable with DSS; that
would be fine with me."
"Indeed it is, Mr. Pope. You can return home today if you like or make
use of the rest of the week to start home shopping."
The mention of looking for a place to live in London suddenly brought
this whole adventure back into reality. My hurt subsided, replaced with
the excitement I had been feeling since my initial conversation with
Karen Brookes on Monday.
"Thank you very much, Ms. Burns. I'd be delighted to meet with the
staff. Please let me know when I am expected. I'll ponder when it would
be best for me to return home."
"Thank you very much Mr. Pope. You have been most patient and indulgent.
If it is convenient, can you be here at 10am?"
"10am? Sure. I'll see you then."
"Brilliant! I look forward to meeting you."
"Likewise, Ms. Burns. Goodbye."
I cursed myself for being such an easy mark. How could I fall for such
nonsense?
But as I scanned the suite in the 5-Star hotel and pondered my Business-
class transit, it was very difficult for me to accept that this was a
ruse. Who would go to such expense and trouble simply to humiliate me?
Lots of people had accomplished this with none of the expense or effort
that these people had expended.
Following her call, Sandra Burns reported to her boss, Karen Brookes.
She stepped into her boss's office and tapped gently on the door.
Karen immediately looked up from the file she was reviewing. "Well, how
did it go?"
"Very well, Ms. Brookes. Mr. Pope was initially quite put off, but he
quickly calmed down and agreed to come by as scheduled this morning."
Karen stood up from her desk and looked out the window at a typically
bleak winter day in London. "You've done well Sandra. Thank you."
"Ms. Brookes, may I ask a question?"
"Certainly dear."
"What exactly is it that Mr. Pope will be doing here? Who are those two
men who were supposed to meet with him that allegedly went off to
Australia? They don't work here, do they?"
"This is something to do with the new General Manager. Our new owner
decided that she should have an assistant when she starts here and it was
made very clear to me that Mr. Pope was to be brought on board and it was
non-negotiable. So best to make sure this happens and they we can both
get on with our jobs. OK?"
"Very well Ms. Brookes. I will make certain that everything is ready
when Mr. Pope arrives this morning."
"Thank you Sandra. Once Mr. Pope moves to London, I am assigning you to
oversee his transition; help with a place to live, where to shop,
doctors; all those details."
"I appreciate your confidence in me, Ms. Brookes. I won't let you down."
Turning to look directly at her charge, Karen made her point very clear,
"Make certain that everything goes as planned Sandra. It would not be an
overstatement to say that your job; and mine; depend on it."
"Of course, Ms. Brookes. Thank you."
Louise
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