Chapter 21: Offer

It was the Commercial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy who arranged a meeting with Ghada Baroud for a visiting businessman. As the Attaché explained to the Emir's advisor, the man represented a global company who wished to set up a branch or several branches of their business in Kobekistan. He was tactful enough not to mention the line of business concerned.

"What kind of business?" asked Ghada Baroud, "I am probably the wrong person to talk to; I only advise on diplomatic matters."

"You'll do fine, and if you help this man I'm sure his company will be very grateful," said the Attaché, "Know what I mean?"

"You still have not told me what business the man is in."

"I'll let him explain that," said the diplomat, knowing that if he admitted what the business was the visitor from the USA would not get inside the Palace.

He had been persuaded to help get the man into the country and had promised an interview with the right people. The sponsors of this visit within the Department of Commerce had been very persuasive indeed, and the Commercial Attaché wonder what they would be getting by way of sweeteners.

Hiram J. Hoover III, Business Development Vice President of Burgawhoppa Inc., the largest chain of fast food restaurants in the world, was pleased with his visit so far. There had been no problems getting to Kobekistan, and the flight from Abu Dhabi on the local airline had been better than he expected. This was going to be a push-over. There was no sign as he was driven into the city from the airport of a single rival restaurant, even though he saw some of the better-known chain stores already had outlets here.

As far as he knew, all that meant was nobody had considered that this little country, about the size of one of the smaller U.S. states, was worth exploiting. He thought over the plans formulated in head office over the past few weeks.

First a restaurant in a prime site with very high quality décor, top quality food, and low prices. Then when that was well established, the airport would be next, with a rather less well appointed restaurant because there was a captive audience there. Phase three would be a series of outlets of the usual standard all over the country. And every burger sold in the country would contribute a minute proportion of its price to Hiram's personal bonus for opening the country up. Less than one tenth of one cent was not much, but burgers sold by the million in a properly developed market, and Kobekistan was a market ripe for exploitation, though Hiram referred to it as development and thought of it as civilising the natives.

Yes, the natives; Hiram pondered on that. Doubtless the locals could be taught to prepare and serve the food. Nowhere in the world had that presented any difficulty, perhaps because the process was so simple and mechanical. Selling franchises to local businessmen would be the best way to run the outlets, with strict controls in the early days on quality; no sense in letting the standards get too high. Pity about the highly profitable Giant's Feast, as breakfast was mis-named, but bacon would presumably be off the menu here.

He was running ahead of himself, he thought, as the all important problem was getting permission from the Ay-rab he was heading to meet. That raised a very delicate balance and he would have to be careful. Clearly the man would need to get a 'commission' in return for the necessary permits, but it was important not to offer too much, especially at first. Hiram thought he would enjoy the haggling.

When he reached the Triple Palace, he was surprised by the luxuriousness of the public rooms as he was escorted to meet this Ghada Baroud, who was, the Commercial Attaché had explained, the first point of contact. It was through him that access to the right man would be obtained. Hiram would have preferred to go straight to the top, but he understood that door-keepers needed their baksheesh just like anyone else. At least this doorkeeper spoke fluent English, or so he had been assured.