Soon the entire staff of Hoffers Food was on their way back to the office.
This time around Hoffers needed the windscreen to be wound down so he could see the trees and building that fell past as they sped through the road. He needed something to steal away his mind.
For over two minutes he had been murmuring within himself, “Our capital base! Our capital base! Where do I start from?”
The chilling wind that swept across his face intensified his sniffing so much that he barely could tell whether the tears trickling down his cheeks were due to his loss or the cold.
“Boss, you must put yourself together. I believe Mike Don owes you an explanation for this. There is no way you are going to spend your entire capital base on this very contract and he would award it to Charity Intercontinental, leaving you in huge losses. No way!” his aide snapped,
“Yes of course! No way!” Hoffers retorted, his voice unfolding into uncertain confirmation. His jaw waggled and sagged that he needed nobody’s approval to know he was scared of the final outcome. “I have spent our capital base on this. One million dollars!” he cast an inspective gaze on his aide.
His aide snorted before pulling a brief grin, “Oh my God but boss that was too much a risk. You acted too fast. You shouldn’t have used the capital base of your empire to execute a contract you are not too sure of.” He paused, sipped a deep breath before shaking his head in pity.
“Trust!” Hoffers beamed and sniffed back further tears from trickling down, “I trusted Mike Don.” His gaze was raised upwards in thought, “Isn’t he the world richest man? I thought he was going to keep to his words after ordering me to use my money…”
“Could this boy be cancelling Christmas on my ass or what? Could he be avenging for all the maltreatment I did to him? No. I don’t think so!” Hoffers thought in his mind.
“But boss, he is the world richest man,” his aide assured, “There is no calls for alarm. He would refund you your money. All you have spent.
“Oh yeah” he nodded and let a deep groan, “Your guess is as good as mine, huh. I certainly know he will refund me my money because I have made expenses already. The countryside musician and the MC have received a part of their payment and I know they can’t return it to me.” his voice came demanding , as though he need his aides validation to be sure of surviving this fate.
When his aide stole a glance at him, he noticed his rugged face couldn’t settle into a particular expression. He perceived Hoffers was lost in thought that could cost him his life. “Boss how much of our capital base did you spend on this contract?”
Hoffers hesitated, mentioning that figure seemed to be opening fresh red wounds which may never heal. He swallowed hard and winked nervously before his voice almost morphed into wailing, “One million dollars.”
As though he owed his aide an explanation, he mumbled yet further, “I don’t know how we are going to cope in the days ahead. How am I going to pay salary? The food poisoning has stolen patronage. Food business is at risk currently because consumers are still stigmatized.
His aide smacked his lips and wished he could weep for him, “Why have you allowed fear to engulf your heart boss? Isn’t the world richest man going to refund you?”
Hoffers coarse voice sounded, “Why not? He wouldn’t dared do rubbish with me. First thing tomorrow I will be at the Saint Don Group to collect my money. Since he was going to hire charity Intercontinental for the job, he shouldn’t have told me to use my money to execute a contract that won’t see the light of the day.”
***
Hoffers alighted from his Porsche, leaving the door banging furiously before prancing towards the entrance to the elevator only to be stopped by my security.
“I am sorry Hoffers Greenfield, you can’t go in right now!” the security slammed and held a hostile face.
Hoffers raised a furrowed brow and the looks on his face were already a cry for help. “What do you mean, security? I believe the world richest man is in there, so why do you stop me from seeing him?”
“Mike don is not on seat!” another of my security bit out. Did you book an appointment with him for today? If you did then he shouldn’t have travelled to Paris…”
“Pa…what?” Hoffers interposed and broadened his gaze amidst heavily thudding heart. “Why Paris? Why now? Didn’t he realize that he just got me stuck between the devil and the deep blue see?” Hoffers stroked his hair and scattered it impatiently, “What is happening? No! No!” his voice rang at the tops of his lungs…
A security cautioned him, “Hey not here. We are not going to tolerate noise making here. We just told you our boss is on five months vacation in Paris and…”
“Five months vacation!” Hoffers slammed and tilted his neck in shock, “Oh my God! Oh my God!” he began to pace up and down as he stroked his hair furthermore, “It can’t be true. I am finished. I am ruined. My money! My money! Oh God! Why, Mike Don?” he let those tears trickle down his chubby cheeks now before he squatted, “How do I pay my tax? What about salary? He muttered settling his gaze on the floor..
The security’s gaze met his, too full of wrath and uncertainty, “What do you mean by that statement? How do you pay tax and salary? What is your problem, Hoffers? Does the world richest man pay all of that for you?”
Next Hoffers sat on the ground, gave the security the cold shoulders, not realizing that paparazzi perched by the corner taking photos of him.
“The world richest man….” he pointed thoughtfully at my towering sky scraper, “He has my two million dollars and he summoned the nerves to go on a vacation?”
“You must be intoxicated with cheap drugs” the security cursed, “Can you listen to yourself our boss is worth five hundred trillion dollars. What is he going to do with your two million? Now I know you are a perfect gold digger,” the security advanced to him, molding his fist, “It is high time you returned home, Hoffers! Get going ! Move it!” he commanded and dragged him by his suit.