Chapter 12

In the subsequent two weeks, the Johnson Manufacturing experience just repeated itself. And it didn’t matter whether the call was in response to interest in a single machine or a cold call, the results were the same: They replaced all the company’s machine tools with brand-new ones from the Kimberly Kane line.

Finally back at Kim’s apartment after a very exhausting week, they found a message on her answering machine to call George Harrison as soon as they returned home. He provided both his home number and his new cellular phone number.

Kim didn’t want to make the call so she turned the phone over to Brad. Even though it was almost nine o’clock on Friday evening, Brad did. There was no answer at the home phone so he dialed the cellphone number. George answered almost immediately, and Brad could hear raucous sounds in the background. George explained that he and Bill were with their wives at a country club dance. He then amazed both Kim and Brad by asking if they could get together at his house in one hour.

Although it had been a very full day with another big sale, Brad and Kim looked at each other and both shrugged. Brad agreed to the meeting and obtained driving directions to George’s home. When Kim suggested she should change first, Brad merely reported that George had said to come as they were, but come right now. Kim just shrugged again and went back out to the car.

They found the Harrison home without any problems and went up to the door. George was holding it open waiting to greet them before they even reached it. To her embarrassment, Kimmie noted he was wearing a dinner jacket while she still wore her Levi’s and work shirt. They were ushered into the living room and warmly greeted by Trudy Harrison and Connie Miller. Bill Miller was also wearing a dinner jacket.

“You two look simply gorgeous!” Kim gushed at the two women. Both were very well-dressed and were quite tanned. Moreover, it was apparent that both women had lost significant weight since the picnic, although it had only been a few weeks earlier.

“Thank you,” Trudy said, responding for both of them. “And it’s all you, Kimberly Kane!”

“Me?” Kim squeaked. “I haven’t done a damn thing.”

“Oh, yes you did,” Trudy insisted. “You did two things, actually. First, you demonstrate how good a woman can look if she gets her body in shape. We’ll never be nearly as good as you are, but we can be a lot better than we are now. Second, you told us what equipment to get, and it really works.”

George took drink orders. Brad and Kim both elected to have Cokes on the basis that in their tired condition anything stronger would put them out.

Finally, all six were seated and George began. “Why do you two hate us so much?” he asked. “Kimberly I can understand. But what’s your excuse, Kramer?”

Kim and Brad were utterly stunned. They were speechless. Kim’s eyes widened, while all Brad could do was to slowly shake his head. “I just don’t understand, George,” he was finally able to say. “Kimberly has been killing herself the last two weeks for AT, and you’re saying we hate you? What’s going on?”

“Let’s take it from the top,” Bill Miller said. “First of all, of course, there’s Kim’s court case against us.” He smiled weakly and continued, “Just a few weeks ago, if she won, George and I would have just signed over the company to her. It really wasn’t worth much. But then what happened? Kimberly happened,” answering his own question. “She presents us with the best-designed machine tools the world has ever seen! But there’s more: You two may not even realize it, but because of the integrated computer controls, a product changeover can be managed in a matter of minutes rather than the hours it used to take.