recognized him. I knew he was in his late forties but he looked older.
Arrow got his attention and he came over to our table. She said, 'Nice you could get here before the food was all gone.'
I didn't know one spoke to a company president like that. I suspected Arrow didn't speak to my father like that. Or maybe she did. She introduced me as Richard's son and told him that I was thinking of joining Rotary.
'It's a good organization,' Ned said, giving me a numbing handshake. 'You look a lot like your old man. Or at least what he looked like at your age.' He had a husky voice that could have come from smoking; Arrow had told me he had stopped several years ago. He sat down between us.
'I met you once at a company picnic when I was 15 or 16,' I said.
Ned grunted, but didn't act as if he remembered. He was more interested in food than talk and for the next ten minutes he worked at catching up to the rest of us. I surreptitiously watched him. He dressed well, like my father, in a conservative suit, but aside from that they presented a contrast in appearance.
Whatever his problem was, it hadn't affected his appetite. He put away everything that was offered to him, including the usual, sugar-rich dessert and several glasses of iced tea. Then the speaker of the day, who addressed the importance of proper estate planning, made talk impossible. Since I didn't have an estate I daydreamed about owning the Honus Wagner baseball card that had recently sold for close to a million dollars.
When the meeting ended I was worried that Ned would rush off and I wouldn't get a chance to talk to him at all. If this happened it would reinforce my father's image of me as a failure. Arrow and I walked with him to the elevator and rode down to the lobby.
He walked rapidly as we headed toward the parking lot. I said, 'I feel I know you because of all the great things my father has said about you.'
He turned to me with a crooked smile and said, 'Don't believe everything you hear. But Richard and I have worked together for a long time and we get along pretty well.'
'I'd like to get your advice. I'm in the process of starting a business-selling old baseball cards on the Internet. I could use some help from someone who's been through starting a business.' I knew that Ned had helped start several businesses in his career.
'Starting your own Dot. com, eh? Build up the volume for a couple of years, do an IPO while retaining the majority of stock for yourself. Instant billionaire. You'll be worth more than your dad.'
'I'm afraid there isn't much chance of that. But I do think it has some potential.'
'Have you talked to your dad about it?'
'He…I can't really talk to him about it.'
'I'm not surprised. Well, anyway, you're a flake off the old granite.'
We reached Ned's car, a new Lexus. He stopped at the door and said, 'New ventures are always exciting. If I weren't so busy right now I'd spend some time with you. Go over your business plan. You do have a business plan, don't you?'
I nodded without thinking.
'Maybe in a few weeks we'll get together. But right now…' He shook his head. 'My feet don't touch the ground anymore.'
He opened the door and got into the car. Desperation time. 'Look…Ned, Arrow said you were flying to San Francisco this afternoon. Maybe I could fly up to San Francisco with you, talk to you about my business on the plane.' I was shocked at my chutzpah. 'Unless you have to work on the plane.'
Ned considered me for a few seconds and I thought he was going to turn me down. Then he grinned his lopsided grin, as if the two sides of his face weren't quite in synch. 'Damn it, if you're willing to do it, I am. I'm on a United flight leaving at four. If you can make that I'll see you then.' He started the car and drove away.
Arrow was looking at me with what I interpreted as admiration. She said, 'That was quick thinking.'
'Desperate thinking.'
'I wouldn't have thought of it. I'll ask Richard's admin to get you an electronic ticket and a seat beside Ned. Do you want to stay overnight?'
'Since I just came up with the idea two minutes ago, my planning hasn't reached that far.'
Arrow chuckled. 'Once you're up there it doesn't make much sense just to jump on the next plane and come back. Ned's returning on the 10 a.m. flight tomorrow morning. If you take that one it'll give you another chance to talk to him. I'll get you booked into a hotel, too, but not the one Ned's in. It's got to look like you're on your own nickel.'
'Why, is Ned staying at the Mark Hopkins?'
'You know your father better than that. And Ned's the same way when it comes to company expenses. They even fly coach on short flights like this one. By the way, do you know how to write a business plan?'
We looked at each other. I had already forgotten about that.
Arrow continued, 'I don't want to intrude, but Richard told me Ned is top priority and to assist you all I can. I'd be willing to help you put one together. After all, you don't want to blow your cover yet.' Arrow looked at her watch. 'I figure we've got less than two hours.'
I was embarrassed and somewhat miffed that I had to have Arrow's help, but she was the one with the MBA. All I had was a degree in Psychology. I said, 'Where would we do it? We can't go to your office.'
'You have a computer at home, right? And you've got to pack, anyway. I'll follow you.'
I drove the Toyota through the electronic gate and into the garage. Arrow parked on the street. I came out of the garage and guided her around the outside of the castle. I didn't want to take the chance of running into Jacie because I would have to introduce Arrow to her as Richard's executive assistant, and I knew that Jacie was the jealous type.
'Nice pool,' Arrow said as we walked by it. 'Too bad we don't have time for a swim.'
'Maybe if we work fast…'
'I don't have a suit.'
'No problem. We're swimsuit optional here. Just ask Jacie. She's Richard's wife.'
'I know who Jacie is. And I've heard stories about her. Wasn't she on the pro tennis tour for a while?'
'Yes, but she wasn't in the same class with the girls whose names end in ova. She got tired of doing all the traveling, only to lose in the first or second round.'
I unlocked the door of the guesthouse and we went inside. I wished I had made the bed. I led the way up the stairs and to the computer. I pressed the button to boot it.
Arrow looked out the north window. 'What a view you've got! I bet I can see my townhouse from here.'
'You can see most of the civilized world from here.'
Arrow came to the computer and said, 'Karl, I have a question.'
'Questions are billable.'
'Richard-your father-has told me things about you. Based on talking to you so far, I gather that some of those things might not be completely accurate. There's one thing in particular…some things you said…I, uh, oh forget it.'
She was tied up in her underwear. The light dawned. 'You want to know whether I'm gay.'
She nodded, almost imperceptibly.
'What do I have to do, show you my Playboy collection?'
'Why does he say that?'
'A misunderstanding. Which has gotten out of hand. Now it's impossible to correct.'
'Richard is so straight-forward in business. I gather his personal life is not quite the same.'
I didn't want to get into that. I brought up Microsoft Word on the computer and Arrow sat in front of it.
She said, 'I arranged for your plane and hotel reservations from my cell phone on the way over here.'
'No wonder my father likes you. My clothes are downstairs. I can pack in five minutes.'
'If you will help me get started, I can fake it for a while. Are you incorporated?'
'No.'
'Well, do you have a name for your business?'
'Karl's Baseball Cards?'
