Of course the VP had every intention of foreclosing, and competing, and none whatsoever of sending any business to Hanaman. After one year of business hell, during which power was repeatedly cut off and only tiny, low-value jobs were sent to the new Karachi Dry Dock and Engineering Company, the venture was near death. The pressure on Mr. Hanaman became immense. His brothers first berated him, then ignored him, and finally sued him. KSEW had just initiated foreclosure proceedings and there was only one month left in the redemption period. His wife could not handle the stress and humiliation, and ended up leaving him. His health failed, he took to drinking, became ulcerous, and had developed cancer two months before Yousseff came into the picture.
Hanaman Senior had turned to the courts for relief, and countersued KSEW during the foreclosure proceedings. He told the judge, “Look, here was the deal. They said they would send specialty work to me if I bought this property from them. They have not done that. They lied. They should give me the property back, and millions of rupees, too, for the hell they have made of my life.”
But KSEW was a Karachi establishment, and the VP was one of its darlings. In his mid-thirties, trained as a lawyer, and on his way up, he could do no wrong. A number of KSEW’s directors knew the judge personally, and attended the same social club—an organization that a worker like Hanaman Senior did not even know existed. The VP, sitting in the gallery of the courtroom, sniggered openly. The judge peered over his horn-rimmed glasses at Hanaman and said, “Look, sir. It’s not in writing, is it?” To which Hanaman replied that they had shaken hands on the deal. The old man got nowhere. He didn’t even get a chance to ask the VP any questions about it. Now alone, bankrupt, destitute, his spirit broken, without any wife or family aside from Kumar, he was dying of alcohol and cancer.
“And here you are, laughing and talking as though nothing has happened?” Yousseff asked in amazement.
“But what good is crying going to do, Yousseff?” came the response. “What good are the courts, or judges, or family, or God, or shrieking and wailing for that matter? My father is dying, my mother has left. These things are not going to change. So I may as well enjoy the day, and your companionship. You have given me enough money to buy some food, and pay some of my father’s medical bills. In another month, KSEW will regain possession of this property, and I will be somewhere else, I guess.”
Yousseff looked at Kumar long and hard. Catching the look, the lad slowed from his constant movement.
“What is it, Yousseff? You look at me like I’m the devil.”
Yousseff spoke at length. “I have a proposition for you. I will pay off the mortgage. I will pay off the uncles and creditors. I will look after your father and take care of his medical bills. I will find work for this dry dock company.”
“Yes, good. Of course. And you will give me a Ferrari and a partridge in a pear tree. Deal, Yousseff. Deal.” Kumar went back to his work.
Yousseff grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him away from the welding equipment. “Do not ever, ever discount me. I mean what I say.”
Kumar was silent for a minute, meeting Yousseff’s gaze. “And you want what with me? Why would you do this?”
Yousseff paused for a moment, and continued to look Kumar in the eye. “You know my business. If you join me, you are in that business. You will become a captain in my business. You will get your father to sign this dry dock business over to you, so that you are the sole shareholder of Karachi Dry Dock and Engineering. But you will hold it in trust for me. No one else is to know about it. No one. In return, I will cut you in on the profits, and together, we will grow this company.”
Kumar was quick. “Well, seeing as how it’s Christmas and all, there is something else I want.”
Yousseff looked at him with an upraised eyebrow. “Yes?”
“I want to go to school. To the Karachi School of Engineering. I was very good in school, until last year, when I stopped going to help here. I want to go back. I want to get a degree in engineering. I want room to do this. One way or another, I can make this place work, even though I am only fifteen. My father has taught me every part of this business. I can make it go, if you get me the work. But I want to go to school first.”
Yousseff could hardly believe his ears. His investment had just become infinitely richer. All by itself. “Deal,” he said firmly.
“Deal,” said Kumar. They shook hands. Omar was the only witness.
Yousseff gave Kumar the delightful chore of paying off KSEW, which was accomplished the following day. Kumar marched into the VP’s office without an invitation and threw the check on his desk. “There you go, you pig. Choke on this. I will put you out of business.” Kumar Hanaman turned and left before the shocked VP had a chance to call security. It was a high point in Kumar’s young life.
24
“Order in the court,” bellowed the clerk in Courtroom 401. The gallery was packed, mostly with other
