Copyright © 2001 by W. E. Lopez
NOTE: At regular meetings of The Oasis Writers’
Guild, we are given assignments to write a short piece on a variety of
topics. This is to teach us that there
can be a “story” on almost any topic, if we just want to let our imagination
run wild. Usually these assignments are
“set” at 300 to 1,000 words, but they can often serve as the basis for a much
longer story, or even a complete novel.
This short-short arose from an assignment to write “something” to do
with “sun-dried raisins.”
By
W. E. Lopez
Martin Hardy stared across the conference table at the 37 year old biochemist. He reached forward to take a handful of raisins from the bowl in the center and popped several into his mouth. They were incredibly juicy, sweet, and chockfull of vitamins and minerals, even though they cost only half the price of California sun-dried raisins.
“Let
me be candid with you, Mr. Woodcuff. We
like to think Raisin Flakes are the best breakfast cereal on the
market. Of all the ingredients
necessary for production, the raisins are the most costly, $1,100 a ton on
today’s market. Since you’ve been
supplying us with genetically engineered raisins from GeneTech at $600 per ton,
we’ve been able to double the percentage of raisins in each box and the public
has responded by giving us 60% of the breakfast cereal market. Eighty million Americans have Raisin
Flakes on their breakfast table. We know a good thing when it slaps us in the
face and we want to increase our market share.” Hardy nodded at the two corporate lawyers sitting to his left.
“We
want to expand our production. It
occurred to us that if we owned the rights to your entire production
capability, we could put the competition out of business as far as raisin
cereal is concerned.
“Now,
we’ve investigated and found that your present facility cannot provide us with
more than 45 to 50 tons of raisins per month.
We need more, much more. We want
to buy your process…” Hardy raised a hand and made a shushing motion when
Woodcuff began to object, “…at a handsome profit to you. What would you say if we made you an offer
of $100 million? With a stipulation that we own 100% of your
processing techniques, which could not be divulged to any other business
entity.”
Woodcuff
smiled inwardly but, like a good poker player, he showed no outward
expression. Ten years ago he’d been
fired from a mid-level research position with Sunny Corp. It had been devastating to his family and
Katy lost the fetus of the child she had been carrying, the third for the
Woodcuff family. Woodcuff blamed Hardy
and Sunny Corp for the miscarriage.
“I’d
consider that to be an especially handsome offer, Mr. Hardy, but what I would
really prefer would be more in the nature of a corporate loan, allowing me to
expand my facilities and increase deliveries to you.”
Hardy had expected this counter offer and was prepared in advance. “I understand your desire to maintain control of your facility and your process, Mr. Woodcuff, and I admire your initiative. However, the board feels that our goals would be better satisfied if we owned all rights to manufacture and distribution of GeneTech raisins. I’ve been authorized to sweeten our offer to $125 million payable over the next five years.”
Woodcuff
had expected this move also and he could not allow it to happen. It was supremely important that he squeeze
Sunny Corp. for all he could, before they found out about the production
process.
“Let
me make you another proposition, Mr. Hardy.
I have other projects I’d like to pursue, however I lack sufficient
capital at the moment. As chairman of
Sunny Corp., what would you say to a stock transfer of say…” he paused
for dramatic effect, “…$150 million?
Today, of course. That way Sunny
Corp. would not incur any long term indebtedness, but I would have sufficient
assets to secure financing for other endeavors.”
Hardy
considered this. The offer was better
than the board had expected. He would
have gladly paid $150 million in cash to lock up the rights to GeneTech
raisins. Woodcuff was a chump who
lacked the financial foresight to realize what he held in the palm of his
hand. Hardy and the board could corner
the world trade in sun-dried raisins, undercutting any and all competition. The profit would be astronomical!
“Mr.
Goldman?” Hardy nodded to his lead attorney.
“If
that’s what you wish, Martin, I can have the necessary paperwork prepared in
just a few hours.”
“Do
it, Goldman. Be sure to include a
stipulation that GeneTech will assist our transition team with full
understanding of the process for a period of… oh, I think thirty days should
cover it.” To Woodcuff he said, “Does
that sound agreeable to you, Mr. Woodcuff?”
“Indeed,
Mr. Hardy. I don’t think it will take
your staff more than a day or two at most to understand the operation of my
facility. You should be able to
continue production uninterrupted and plan your expansions as necessary.” Woodcuff was gloating beneath his
businesslike demeanor. He would leave
this building in a few hours worth $150 million! That would certainly make it all up to Katy.
Hardy
grinned a wry smile of satisfaction to himself. It might take a year or more, but Sunny Corp. would soon
be able to flood the world market with artificially produced raisins and
undercut every major supplier. The
profit potential made $150 million seem like spitting in the ocean.
Hardy
rose and walked around the table to pump Woodcuff’s hand and give him a hearty
slap on the back while easing the man out of the boardroom. “We’ll have a transition team sent to your
plant in Arizona within the week, Woodcuff.
It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”
Woodcuff
glanced at his watch and mumbled something about it being nearly time for
lunch.
“Of
course, of course,” Hardy said with a serpent-like smile. “I’ll have Goldman take you to the executive
cafeteria while his staff works on the contracts. You know, our executive chef is a Cordon Bleu graduate? You’re in for a real treat.”
Woodcuff
thanked Hardy and let Goldman lead him out of the boardroom and down the hall
to a private elevator. All his plans
were working perfectly.
+ + +
“Mr. Hardy?” came the secretary’s voice over the intercom. “Mr. Olstad is on line three for you.” Hardy pushed the flashing button on his corporate phone while he tried to call up a mental image to place Olstad. Oh, of course, head of the transition team he’d sent to GeneTech in Arizona.
“Henry! Good to hear your voice. How’s Phoenix, my boy?”
“Awful
goddam hot this time of year, Martin!
Why in hell did you send six of us out here to bake in this place while
we look over the GeneTech plant? More
important, why did you authorize a $150 million stock transfer for rights to a
process we will never be able to use?”
Hardy
sat upright with a jerk. “What do you
mean, Henry? Woodcuff’s genetically
engineered grapes are the wave of the future.
The vines he has engineered will revolutionize the industry and we will
be the world leader in raisin production!”
“Vines? What vines?
You should have done more research before you jumped on this deal,
Martin. Woodcuff’s raisins are not
grown; they’re bred!”
“Bred? What do you mean? You don’t breed plants, Henry.
You breed animals.”
“I’m
glad to know you’re not a complete moron, Martin. Woodcuff didn’t genetically alter grapes to produce better
raisins for you. He’s engineered bot
flies to produce sweet tasting larvae!
You and 80 million customers have been eating fruit flavored maggots you
idiot!”
Instead
of answering, Hardy laid the phone down and retched into a wastebasket.