Chapter 35: LA Confidential, Redux

March 6, 1994, Admiral’s Club, Chicago O’Hare International Airport

“This is a strange place to meet, Samantha!” I chuckled.

“We’ll miss our usual time tonight after the Rap Session, and we do need to talk.”

“About Stephanie?”

“No, that’s settled. She starts tomorrow, and she’ll basically be my personal assistant. She’ll do all my meeting scheduling, handle my correspondence, and sit in on all my meetings. Sort of like Kimmy does for you, only I won’t be around three days a week, so she’ll handle anything that arises that doesn’t need my personal attention. And for things that do, I’ll expect her to review them and recommend a course of action.”

“You’ll be in class. How will that work tomorrow?”

“We have a full-day orientation program. Well, the morning is orientation. The afternoon is some mandated SEC training. She’s not going to be a licensed, registered securities dealer, but she still needs to pass the money laundering and securities fraud tests. And she’ll be fingerprinted.”

I was supremely glad her misdemeanor conviction had been expunged, as that might have caused some serious issues.

I nodded, “OK. I know things are good with Brian, so that’s not it. Things ARE good with Brian, right?”

Samantha laughed, “Yes, Dad! He curls my toes!”

I laughed hard, “I know you didn’t talk to Katt! Who gave you THAT line?”

Samantha smirked, “Kara. She thought it would be funny. I think she’s relishing the day when Birgit tells you something like that.”

“Of course she is!” I chuckled. “As Katt’s dad said, there are things a dad just doesn’t need to know. So, what?”

“I have a problem with one of the fund managers who isn’t meeting his fund objectives and is seriously underperforming the market. The problem is, he’s very popular at Spurgeon Capital, was close to my dad, and is well-liked by his investors.”

“Do they like the results of his investments?”

“No. One of them, a very important client, called me, which is what really got my attention. I mean, I knew his performance was off, but that happens from time to time.”

“But?” I prompted.

“It’s gone on too long.”

“I assume you have all the documentation you would need to justify your decision, even though Illinois doesn’t require you to specify a reason.”

“Actually, he’s under a contract which specifies the conditions for ending our relationship. There’s what amounts to a buyout clause. I can exercise it and pay to terminate the contract.”

“But?”

“I’m worried about the impact on morale, and how his friends at Spurgeon will react.”

“You’re learning,” I smiled, “But you can’t let it drag on. One of my bosses before I started NIKA, who also happened to be a professor, was very direct with Dave and me. You can’t let performance problems linger. They need to be documented and dealt with immediately. I think that’s especially true when it’s hurting your clients.”

She nodded, “OK, but what about how everyone else reacts?”

“It doesn’t directly translate, but do I let my precocious five-year-old dictate what I do?”

Samantha laughed, “She only WISHES! Even with what I had to offer, I couldn’t get you to do what I wanted in every instance! In fact, it was YOU who got ME to do what you wanted!”

I chuckled, “I remember some serious negotiations! But back to your fund manager; is there any hope he’ll recover and begin performing again?”

“That’s a very good question. Historically, guys have bad streaks, but they tend to be short. If you have a longer one, you’re pretty much done in this part of the securities business and go do something else like investment banking, venture capital, or whatever floats your boat. I think he’s deep-sixed his career as a fund manager at this point.”

“Do you have another place for him?” I asked.

“I haven’t talked to him, but we do have a new venture capital arm that might be a good fit.”

“I think you just answered your own question, then. Go talk to him, explain the situation, and offer to move him. He’ll understand what that means. Maybe he decides to cash out, but maybe not. How old is he?”

“Late 30s. I don’t think he’ll cash out. He’s made some serious money, but the buyout isn’t ‘fuck you’ money for someone like him.”

“Implying it is for me?” I grinned.

“Two million would do it for you, because you could easily make $100,000 tax free a year if you invested properly. At that point, you could say ‘fuck you’ to anyone you wanted and be happy, even if you ignored Kara’s and Jessica’s incomes. His lifestyle is more like mine or Jeri’s, and the buyout is a bit less than your ‘fuck you’ amount.”

“Now, the more difficult question - are you sure he’s really suited for that new role? Or are you simply transferring your problem from one area to another?”

“That’s a good question. My dad would probably have a better idea, but I’m not going to talk to him about it. In fact, I’m not talking to him at all. I do read his letters, but I don’t write back.”

“Ask Bo,” I said.

Samantha laughed, “That hadn’t even crossed my mind! I’ll talk to him after the family dinner tonight. I’m sure Doctor Gina won’t mind, and I’d like to do it away from the office. Your sister will be there, right?”

“Yes. You’re going to include her in the conversation?”

“She may as well jump in with both feet! She’s spent three years at Arthur Andersen, so it’s not like she’s clueless!”

I chuckled, “My little sister has NEVER been clueless! And I’m going back to when she was seven!”

“I got that picture. You two have a seriously strained relationship that confuses the heck out of me. I get the picture you were super close and then something happened and you had some kind of falling out. I just can’t imagine what could cause that after I saw how you responded to the situation with Jessica.”

I nodded, “It’s complicated and not really something I can share with you. We’re working on fixing our relationship.”

“Kind of like me and my mom.”

“I suppose that’s a reasonable comparison,” I said, hoping to end the discussion on this topic.

“You’ll be back next weekend?”

“I’m home Friday night. You have my mobile number if you need me. Except when I’m flying, I’ll be places with good cell coverage, so call if you need anything at all.”

“Thanks! I appreciate the mentoring and being able to use you as a sounding board.”

We stood and hugged. Samantha headed towards her car and I headed to the gate for my flight to Los Angeles.

March 7, 1994, Los Angeles, California

“Seriously?” I laughed. “Now I’m VERY glad I’m away for the week!”

“Jesse is NOT amused,” Jennifer laughed. “I’m guessing the other kids will get it from him.”

“Probably. He just broke out this morning?”

“He got up and said he itched, and when I lifted his pajama top, it was pretty damned obvious it was chickenpox!”

“Are you taking him to the doctor?”

“Jess came over and looked at him and confirmed my diagnosis. Then she sent ALL the kids to see him!”

I chuckled, “Nice. If I remember right, he would have been contagious since Thursday or Friday, and we all hung out together over the weekend. And if he contracted it at school, that means Matthew and Birgit probably will break out soon.”

“That was Jessica’s assessment as well. The four who don’t go to school will probably show symptoms in a week or two.”

“And Nicholas,” I said. “Actually, I should call Pia and let her know, even though she was here a few weeks ago.”

“You had chickenpox when you were little, right?”

“I did, and so did Stephanie. I know Kara and Jessica did because we talked about it. You should probably spread the word amongst our friends.”

“So they can bring their kids for a chickenpox party?” Jennifer laughed.

“It’s pretty much innocuous if you get it as a kid. Getting it as an adult can cause some serious complications. What are you doing for Jesse?”

“Calamine lotion, antihistamine, and Advil, per Jessica. And soft, loose-fitting clothes. She also suggested baking soda baths. I was thinking if it spreads, we’d just pile all the kids in the whirlpool!”

I chuckled, “Are you at home?”

“I stayed home today, but I’ll go to work tomorrow. I think all I’m doing is annoying our son at the moment.”

“I think ANY adult, especially a female, telling him what to do would annoy him at this point. He’s ready to be an adult for real.”

“Yeah, in his own mind!” Jennifer laughed. “He’s still a little kid in many ways.”

“Of course he is. It’s the eternal struggle - to define your relationship with your parents. He does love you, you know.”

“Oh, I know. It’s like with Birgit; we know he loves her, but those two can go at it like Frazier and Ali! Well, verbally, at least.”

“So true! I need to finish my breakfast and get to the office. Call me if anything changes.”

“I will. See you on Friday night!”

I snapped the phone shut, shook my head, and thanked the gods I wasn’t anywhere near Jesse at the moment. I finished my breakfast, and headed to the office. I checked in with Barbara, made a quick call to the Chicago office to check in, then called Amanda.

“No signs of an outbreak just yet!” she laughed. “But I heard from a couple of the moms that they’re going to bring the kids to see Jesse!”

“Make sure you talk to Jennifer and Jessica about how to handle the kids if they start to get spots. I’m assuming you had chickenpox when you were little.”

“I was four, I think. It was before I started kindergarten for sure. I just remember how itchy it was! And I did talk to Jennifer and Doctor Jessica when I arrived this morning. I have everything under control!”

I laughed, “In your dreams! Birgit and Jesse simply haven’t decided to challenge you yet!”

“Abbie warned me! How’s California?”

“Except for the airport, the hotel, and the office, I haven’t really seen any of it. But that’s pretty much the norm for when I come here. I’ll see you next week! Call if you need anything.”

“I will. Thanks.”

I hung up and then checked the clock and decided Pia was probably home, so I dialed her number from my address book. She laughed hard when I told her the reason for my call. She said not to worry, that Marta’d had «vattkoppor» about six months previously. She wished me luck with the all the soon-to-be suffering kids. We said ‘goodbye’, I hung up, and went to Barbara’s office.

“Sorry about that. Jesse came down with chickenpox and we’re expecting a full-scale outbreak!”

Barbara laughed, “With that army? Oh God! You’re lucky you’re traveling!”

“Exactly what I said to Jesse’s mom. Any changes to my schedule?”

“No. We’ll head over to Kuznetzov, Kazinsky, and Streltsov in about twenty minutes.”

“That sounds like a hockey team,” I chuckled. “Or a chess team!”

“Five Russian lawyers who defected about ten years ago when they were in Germany for a Warsaw Pact/NATO meeting.”

“«Я любл это!»” I chuckled.

“Huh?”

“I love it, or an approximation, anyway. I don’t really speak Russian, but I am «культурный»!”

“OK, I think I got that one - ‘cultured’?”

“Yes, as in knowing how to act properly. The opposite is «некультурный», which is best translated as uncultured, or boorish. It’s a pretty significant insult to be called that.”

“You had a thing with some Russian girl, didn’t you?”

I nodded, “Tatyana Ivanovna Voronina, daughter of Ivan Konstantinovich Voronin, former Trade Attaché to the US. Our politics and career choices precluded having a future together. Had the Soviet Union collapsed ten years earlier, who knows what might have happened!”

“I’m not sure how these guys would react to that!”

“You don’t know the full story!” I said.

I proceeded to tell her about Dima’s actions and his promotion, and Vanya’s political leanings. But I also promised to keep ANY mention of politics out of the meeting, and not reveal my ‘Russian Connections’ unless it seemed wise and appropriate. Barbara needn’t have worried.

“Vladislav Tretiak!” I said as we walked into their conference room.

“You know him? Just from the signed photograph? Do you read Russian?”

“A tiny bit, but I’m a hockey fan, and I’d know Tretiak anywhere! I have a poster of him in the conference room just off our lobby in Chicago.”

That broke the ice and we spent the entire hour discussing ice hockey, my trips to Russia, and my relationship with Dima. I was asked to go to dinner with them, but given I already had plans with Ben Jackson, I asked for, and received a rain check for my next visit to Los Angeles. We left and headed back to the office.

“OK, that went a totally different direction than I expected!” Barbara laughed.

“Yes, but I think we cemented the relationship perfectly. This was one you thought we might lose, right?”

“Yes. But after that performance, I think we’re home free. I take it your dinner with them will involve ridiculous quantities of vodka?”

“Ridiculous doesn’t even begin to describe it,” I chuckled.

“OK, next meeting is a network support customer. They want to meet you before they sign for the expansion to their other offices.”

“I read the proposal and discussed it with Cindi and Zeke. I’m a bit concerned about what this means in terms of travel costs and the load it’s going to put on the phone support team.”

“Cindi talked to the team about that. Right now, our workload is reasonable, but we are getting to the point where we’re going to need another person, and this contract will help cover the costs.”

“Oh, I know. I’m just concerned about expanding too fast and too far afield. That said, the only real issues we’ll have are their Atlanta and Houston offices. Denver, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia we can manage fairly easily. The real question in my mind is how we handle the Western region long-term.”

“I talked with Andy and Cynthia about that, and we think you should formally change the base of operations to Denver.”

“What about the LA office? And the phones? And don’t forget Ben Jackson.”

“I don’t have a fully formulated proposal, but I know we can’t afford to expand our office in California; it’s just too damned expensive.”

“When you have something, send it to me. But we do have to make sure we don’t upset Ben Jackson.”

“That’s why I’ve been reticent to put forward a proposal.”

“Let me worry about Ben. Just tell me what you think we should do, please.”

“OK! Has Charlie talked to you about the new consultant for Denver?”

“Not yet. Does she have it narrowed down?”

“I’ve talked to three people, one of whom I really liked. I think Charlie will have her come to Chicago next week.”

“So Denver is an all-girl office?” I chuckled.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing!”

“Not at all! The girls outnumber the boys at NIKA. They hold all the senior roles except Director of Development and Eastern Region Manager.”

“And CEO.”

“Hah! That won’t be true in a couple of years. I am going back to programming!”

“You keep threatening to do that, but you’re great as our leader!”

“Which won’t change. What WILL change is all the fucking paperwork, meetings, and phone calls!”

“Wow! You really hate it that much?”

“Yes and no. I’ve never wanted to do anything except program. So far, life hasn’t allowed me to focus on that. In a few years, I’ll be able to. But you’ll still see me regularly, and I’ll still set the tone and direction.”