Little White Lies Read Online Free PDF Page A

would be responsible for the people watching your family. You spend a great deal of time here and that would mean certain security people would report to me and others would not. If I needed someone to cover another member of your family, I would have to go through you. If you weren’t around, it could be a problem. It would get complicated. Anything you want, you come to me. Everyone has just one boss.”
    “This is getting confusing.”
    “No, it gets complicated when people do not know who directs them. when we have people here who work for you, but not your family. Keep the organization simple. If you are going to have a manager on your staff, then that person has to have real authority to do the job. Do you have a problem with giving adequate authority to do the job right?”
    He ponders my question briefly and then replies, “No, I guess not.”
    I nod my head accepting his answer and continue, “Okay, if we have general agreement on all that, let’s move on to more mundane matters. How much does the job pay?”
    “Thirty thousand a year with two weeks vacation. room and board.”
    I could tell him that I would be willing to work for nothing just to get involved with something, but at this point it most likely wouldn’t be very good strategy. Probably better if I take a different tack.
    “I’m afraid that’s unacceptable… at least for me. I would want fifty thousand a year.”
    My reply bounces A.J. right out of his chair.
    “Are you crazy? I don’t pay anybody fifty grand.”
    “Look at it this way,” I counter looking up at him, “if I am not worth it, you can fire me after thirty days. Hell, you can fire me after thirty minutes. If you cannot afford it, fine. But if it’s simply a matter of not knowing what you are going to have to pay to have the job done right, then why not do it on a trial basis? In the meantime, if you wish, you can keep looking for my replacement.”
    The silence is palpable, but I’m a patient man. He’s really grinding this one.
    After what seems like a long time, but is probably no more than a few moments, he finally nods his head and says, “All right. If your references check out, you’ve got a job. When can you start?”
    “I will need a few days to get my things in order. I can be here next Monday if you wish.”
    His reply is immediate, almost as if he were going to say it no matter what.
    “What I wish is for you to get your ass in here by Saturday. Take it or leave it.”
    I think if I said tomorrow, he would have said, today. this afternoon, he’d say, now. If I had said I’m ready to go now, he would have said, too bad you weren’t here yesterday. Since he doesn’t want to do it at all, at least he’s going to do it on his terms.
    “Fine,” I reply, “I’ll be here Saturday.”
    No sense staying past the sale… he might change his mind. I get up and extend my hand.
    “Thank you for the opportunity. If you don’t mind, I will put off meeting anyone else until Saturday. I would like to get back and wrap up my affairs.”
    A.J. again nods his agreement and shakes my hand, this time with a bit more authority and enthusiasm. He even gets up out of his chair. I don’t think he’s as happy as he’s ever been, but he appears to be comfortable with it. Still, I can’t help but wonder why he did it at all considering the circumstances. I really don’t think he likes my whiteness one little bit. Hell, I know he doesn’t. On the other hand, I have to give him his due… regardless of whatever he feels in that regard, he kept an open mind.
    “I’ll have my attorney draw up the papers for our agreement… assuming things check out.”
    “An agreement won’t be necessary,” I say with a shake of my head. “If we cannot trust each other, a piece of paper isn’t going to make any difference. I give you my word, and I will repeat it on command, I will not sue you and I will not write a book about my experiences here. If you want me to leave, a one hour