********
“So what do you think?” he finishes and stares at her
“I think that before you want to do something like this, what is the essence of it all?”
“What do you mean?” he frowns
“Well, this Charity event, is it because you want to pull sponsors together for a greater good or because you want to do something good for an organization or something?”
“How does that matter?”
“So I know how this should go. I hear a lot of people saying they want to host charity events… but we all know that’s a cover story for what they intend to get at the end of the day”
“Look Miss Samantha, we do this every 2nd quarter of the year, we have big sponsors come together and we look out for some organization or some welfare unit in the city that we can help, we help community schools, we go to the orphanages, health wise like medicine, food, even cloths and school like text books, computers, scholarships. It’s a charity event, so all these people come together for the greater good”
“I see, and majority of the time do they actually see this to the end or after they have gotten all these money, do they actually take it to the source in which it was originally planned for?”
“I am sure they do”
“Really, do you actually make sure?”
“well I am not the one directly in charge of it Miss Samantha I have people for that”
“Or you and others get all this benefits and share it amongst yourselves, go to this communities like you say or one orphanage center and give them a few gifts, take a lot of pictures because of course the paparazzi would be there in full detail, hold a hand of a child, sit on a broken desk, smear your cheeks in mud and have an interview with the top international body and then you go home, wash your hands and forget about the lot of them. Until next year, you dress up and have a ball again”
“What nonsense are you saying Miss Samantha, are you insinuating that we are frauds?’’ he leans forward, his eyes thins
Hey easy tiger, down boy
“No God forbid Mr Bass, I just need to know. Like I said, I like to peek into the heads of my client, so I know what exactly is best, some are honest about their intentions, some aren’t, they are a bit cloaked. So I want to know… this charity is it based on the profits you really want to get from all these or because truly, you want to make a difference ?’’
Because it doesn’t look as though you have any good bone in your body Mr Bass..
“Look what I desire doesn’t matter”
“Yes it does, plus it’s also part of your money and I like to do a thorough job’’
Deep sigh “Of course I want to make a difference so can we get past this and finalize?”
“Fine. The grand event would be holding in your company, a month from now yes?’’
“Yes.”
“Good. I would draft out the letters and send them to the organizations who are to be present, I am sure your office can reach out to the sponsors since I don’t have that information. I would hold the necessary meetings with the organizations, check out what and what they need and what you would be doing for them. Usually I advice that the sponsors take out time, a week to the event to… what I call a ‘feeling” of these organizations”
“Meaning?”
“Getting down from your Trojan horse and actually talking and meeting this people, you truly wouldn’t know what they are going through unless you walk a mile in their shoes’’
“You want me to what, sit and eat with those people, talk to them like more than a minute and what… ask them about their dreams and desires? Don’t be ridiculous, they should be grateful that we actually are coming to their aid, they mean nothing to me, they should be thanking us… i would rather spend my money on other meaningful things like buy myself a new jet or a house but here I am doing good for humanity… so that is enough”
“Right. I didn’t expect any less from you’’ Samantha says dropping the book she was jotting “If that is the way you want it fine. I will carry out what needs to be done, like you said… they should be grateful so I probably should tell them all to write a thank you card to Mr Bass, “
“Are you being sarcastic Miss Samantha”
“Oh… did it sting?’’
He looks at her “You really do enjoy making me angry don’t you, this game you are playing, not going to end well with you, today I decided to be nice and let you keep your job, don’t push it”
“Or today you got schooled on how you can’t keep throwing your wealth and status on someone’s face and you think you won’t get slapped with it. And you didn’t let me keep my Job, Mr Shelton understood that there are some things more valuable than others… and I still have my job because I earned it… much less I can say about you”
“What’s that supposed to mean… I give people jobs, I don’t need to keep my job”
“Yeah… Mr Bass Almighty, remind me next time to come ask you for a job… job giver, now if we are done here… I think I have to get back to work”
He scoffs, shaking his head “I tell you when I am done, not the other way around”
“You still don’t get it Mr Bass… I really don’t care what you think you do… this is my office and it is my time and your 11 am meeting ended like” she checks her time “ 10 minutes ago. It is 1 pm now and I do have other meetings to attend to so if you would excuse me Sir, you can take your leave”
He felt like reaching out and squeezing her mouth, such arrogance. She reminds him of him, and that was what upsets him so much.
“Fine, since you would be doing this project for me, I would like that I have daily reports and it is imperative that you have the documents you need, since you would be in charge, you would be the one handling the sponsors at my end too, I don’t like multiple people doing just one job, it helps me keep track of one’s incompetence and lets me take the necessary action” he gets up, adjusting his suit backing her
“You seem to like that word a lot “incompetence” I wonder, was that word told to you a lot while growing up??’’
He turns around sharply “Are you insulting me?’’
“Oh no God forbid but if the shoe fits” she gives him a rueful smile
He is staring at her hard “I do not know why you seem bitter… the file business, the leaving you in a city and the coffee spill, it’s all in the past… if you are expecting an apology you won’t get it so you should drop all this since we would be working together”
“I don’t need it and we are not working together, at this point you are my client and I am offering my services and after this… charity event, we don’t have to ever see each other again… and trust me I can’t wait for that to happen” she says standing up and giving him her hands
“Have a good day Mr Bass’’
He eyes her hand , then he take it in his “Miss Samantha” he lingers for a second and then lets go
“I will have my PA contact you… you can come by the office to get what you need and make the necessary arrangements “
“Right”
He nods and leaves, she seats on the chair staring at the closed door..
“Thought he would never leave” she rolls her eyes