Speak to the Man Called Hope. Lawrence Hall
the risk and compliance committee meeting minutes.’ Ro responds nervously.
‘Ok’, says Sam, clearly looking annoyed. Has Ro just ruined months of work for Sam?
‘They said they’ve had a “couple” of issues’, Sam adds, raising his fingers to show inverted commas when saying the word couple, ‘but they said it was a nice problem to have and that it was rare being due to massive market volume days; you know like everyone has that problem so its not really a problem.’
‘Its not really a trading volume issue though Sam’, Ro replies, still very nervous, ‘its because too many people are trying to access the website at the same time and the site cannot handle it. People cannot login to trade. What will that be like if we add our client base to it? That’s why I copied Jarryd so he could look at the architecture and infrastructure.’
‘Not ideal is it?’ Sam says disappointingly. ‘Good pick up. Maybe make a start on your report if you haven’t already. Outline what you have investigated, what you found, present the facts where you can, draw some insights but no opinion. Add what you would have looked at further but had no time, we can follow that up when we are back here next week with Jarryd and Tina from compliance, she is on the deal team as well.
I’ve got a meeting with Alfie and Jonathan over lunch, it will probably extend into the afternoon so I may not see you before you leave. Have a good flight. The hydraulics start pulling the door closed before Sam finishes talking. Ro looks at the laptops, both his and the one supplied by Everton Marks, he looks around the office and glances out the window. He doesn’t know whether to feel relief that he was able to find something and add some value or whether he has just upset the whole deal. Ro ponders why Sam would continue with discussions over lunch and into the afternoon. Clearly he is over-thinking the whole thing. Head down and start the report. ‘Where do I start’, he thinks to himself. ‘Nobody will probably get past the summary section anyway.’ He starts by opening his mind mapping tool and makes some notes.
It's a pretty lonely afternoon. He doesn’t see Sam nor Clint again for the rest of the day. Clara from Everton Marks knocks and enters just before five o’clock to advise Ro she will be taking the black box, that is, the laptop away and Ro needs to exit as soon as possible. Ro has read copious ‘Officer in Charge’ reports which provide an attestation each month of the business’ activities, the supervision and monitoring conducted, the reports signed off and any conclusion and actions made as result. There was nothing scintillating in any of them. A draft of his findings report is almost complete and Ro will finish this on the plane home with a glass of red wine in hand, preferably Syrah.
No sooner had the ink dried on the final report lodged with Sam and Clint that Ro was back on the plane again. This time it was an ‘up-back’ trip; that is, back home the same day. It was a one day workshop to get some strategic intent agreed with the Jonathan Forest executives. Ro was still half asleep after a Sunday race meeting spent with Brick, Stu and the boys. Stu had a big win. He picked 4 winners in a row and won several thousand dollars; although when he had 3 winners out of 3 with 1 more to get the grand prize he would bet against his final pick in case it didn’t come in and that cost about 25% of his eventual winnings. Stu wasn’t fussed. He has won these pick 4 bets before but has got only the first 3 more times, so now he hedges his bets. The boys had been on the booze all afternoon and now it was time to head out. Ro was passed the point of no return and although he knew he was going to regret it, he was having too much fun and was in no mood to miss a night on the town. The lads were all dressed in their finest suits, quality shirts with French cuffs, the latest tie fashion and shiny blacks shoes. Ro was somewhat a traditionalist. He loved using the opportunity to wear his single breasted suit which he had custom fitted from Jermyn Street, a thick cut white shirt with burgundy and silver diagonal striped tie, Michael Carter cuff links of the English flag, his favourite braces and freshly polished shoes. Yes, he was ready for a night out. The handkerchief in his top pocket was replaced with his favourite cigar, a Monte Cristo No.32. The boys were headed for the casino for a bit more gambling, much more drinking and maybe some dancing later on. With a bit of luck they’ll get some food in. Maybe some chinese - very famous at the casino with the best dumplings in town. The boys share two cabs for the ride from the racecourse to the casino. Ro would almost prefer to head straight to Castros, a popular cigar bar at the casino, for a cognac and a cigar.; but that occurs much later. Its only six o’clock and the tables are beckoning. Stu, Brick and four others take the stools at the blackjack table. The rest stand behind waiting for their turn. Kelly, the waitress who works weekends at the sports bar in the casino recognises the group immediately. She wanders over to say hello to take the first orders of drinks and hopefully some tips. Her hair is blonde, straight and in a bob style. She wears a black headband to keep it back, house rules. The casino waitress outfit is superb. Nicely cut from the shoulders to show some but little cleavage, enough to look seductive, elegant but not sexy or saucy. The dress is black, straight, past the knee, almost to the ankle with a slit over the right leg all the way up to the thigh. She captures all the guys’ attention, how could she not. For some reason she knows Stu’s name, maybe because he is more of a regular than others or probably because he pays bigger tips. He is clearly distracted, Ronnie calls upon him for his bet.
‘A double scotch’, he says with a grin, clearly very happy to see Kelly.
‘Sure, Stu. ‘, she says with a soft voice, her deep red lipstick glistening in the room light, ‘ do you want me to ask the guys in the kitchen to get you anything?’ She asks.
‘Not yet, thanks. Kelly. Definitely some tapas later’.
Kelly says nothing. She smiles at Stu and holds her look for long enough to increase his heart rate further. He’s going to spend up big tonight and ask Kelly out on a date.
‘Picture’, Brick yells. It's the jack of clubs. Blackjack! Brick has just won big. He continued to up his bets and continued to win the hands. Now he has as much as his brother. Ro has collected somewhat handsomely as well, just by back-betting on Brick. He knows he’s not as good at blackjack so he just stands behind Brick at the table and bets alongside Brick's hand. He’s won enough to cover his night.
After some more blackjack and many, many tapas plates washed down with more beers, the guys decide it's time to move on. Stu musters the courage to ask Kelly out. She doesn’t finish until midnight, in just over an hour. Before Stu has a chance to feel deflated Kelly suggests that she is happy to meet them if they are continuing on in the casino.
‘We were thinking of going to Mo Browns’, the bar upstairs, ‘but I think we’ll get a cognac and cigar at Castro’s first. Maybe you could meet us there and then we can head up to Mo’s?’ he offers.
‘Sure, that sounds nice. I might bring a couple of friends with me if thats ok?’
All the others guys grin.
‘Sure’, Stu smiles,’ the more the better. See you soon’.
Kelly gives Stu a quick peck on the cheek and walks off.
Stu claps his hands, ‘who’s for a cigar?’ he says commencing a brisk walk toward Castro’s cigar bar.
Ro cannot recall if he was the first to notice her but it wasn't long before all the guys did. The tuck end of their cigars dropping off unnoticed. If she looked great in her work outfit she looked simply gorgeous now. Her classic little black dress was backless, closed around the neck, sleeveless but covering the chest and short leaving her long legs, pin-like complete with black four-inch open toe heels. Her hair was free draping slightly to the front right with large round ear-rings and seductive eyes. She smiles at all the boys but greets Stu specifically with a kiss on the cheek planting her right hand on his large, solid pecks. Stu works out frequently at the gym with intensity, he’s trim and sharp with his shirt tight but not bulging.
Chapter 7 Fit For Purpose
There is nothing worse than sitting on a plane on the tarmac waiting for it to take off. Especially when it sat at the gate for ten minutes, then taxied for fifteen minutes all the way down the other end of the runway, then sat for another ten minutes waiting its turn to take off and then ten minutes in the air