Chapter 21

In Hong Kong, the tribe and Daimler teams were picked up from the airport or ferry dock by the Green Rolls Limos from the Mandarin. From the front of the airport, there, one would think they were in Dulles instead of HKIA. Premier Li had arranged the e-channel line (Fast line for entrance) as a courtesy to us and to show China’s willingness to help the partners.

One good (or Bad) turn deserves another in return. We made a list, checked it twice with columns showing who had been naughty or nice to us. Invitations to attend a preliminary bidders conference were sent to those in column ‘A’, informing them they were our preferred vendors and as such would be offered first right of refusal to our projected buys. Of course we would gross up our purchase prices with the same 5% boost for them, that normally we would reserve only for Ad Agencies. This was a one-time exclusive offer, to compensate for their help during this transition period.

My, my, my. What have we done? How would we ever do without those other 87 Ad firms in the future? Informed Ad Execs wanted to know!?

We ended up having two meetings, one was with the partners and members, detailing where we were and where we intended to go. The plans to have regional car introductions, SI’s special and the various things Ted and his cowboys had planned were presented.

Another meeting, if one can call twelve minutes a meeting, was held for the serfs and peons. Each was handed an embossed folio re-affirming the cancellation of their services, and the cut off date of 15 Jan as per the notification in the T’s and C’s contained in their contracts. Afterwards, shrimp chips and orange Nehi would be served in the hallway, along with a fine assortment of smoked eel and salted squid.

If they wanted to ‘play hardball’, we would too; those Russian’s invented that game, or one like it, if we were to listen to Nadia.

Our partners, members, and proposed vendors, all knew that a war had been declared. We were now fully engaged and determined to win, just as though the result were a life or death proposition. Maybe it was.

We could have beaten them with what we had already done, even with them being the established way of old. Unknown to us, we got an unexpected leg up. China placed an order for two million cars. The order encompassed all our car companies, with various numbers, but with similar dollar values. For example one S-600 had the value of twelve Fiat Metros, and so on.

This was for immediate delivery, and would be paid for in advance. This was in addition to any SMART II vehicles. The cars would be split with Russia, under special terms and agreements. Any idea what the response was from those other car companies who thought wining and dining was the way to go?. One call from Beijing made it all happen for us.

We had won, and we had no casualties. Everything from now on was downhill for all of us. The brass ring everyone was after, was no longer was up for grabs. There was no joy in Detwa anymore. Our foes had struck out, and darkness was turning to light.

Speaking of that wonderful city...

With car production decreasing for those ‘bully boys’, so did that of suppliers, support, Ad agencies and... , glory be... , unions, too.

Would that decline have any related impact? Well, maybe, as several regions in the South began to ramp up, areas around that great bastion of greed, crept down. Homes, jobs, takes and rake-offs, donations and a few million gifts to politicians were down too. Remember that adage that ‘The South shall rise again’ well maybe a might late, but yes sirree, Bobby,. it shurr’nuff was.