Chapter 3 : Booze
Julia arrived at the stall five minutes before five. Roman was already sitting in the stall. After usual pleasantries Julia pitched Connect You and Assist You to Roman. Julia studied well about Roman’s background. Roman was a mathematics and engineering graduate. Like Julia, he patented his algorithm while still in college. He registered his company when he was a Junior in college. He not just understands the business logic of the products and their producers but also he understands the technical logic of all the products.
Julia offered, “LeanTech would give FinanceAI a twenty percent discount on the market price of our flagship product Connect You.”
Roman reflected genuine gratitude, “Quite a generous offer, though you describe your business to be lean and mean.”
Julia quipped, “Not in the matters of pricing and customer satisfaction.”
Then she continued, “I would like to offer you a beta version of Assist You free of cost. It’s an AI powered office assistant. It updates the calendar with updates in schedule, can take voice commands, can draft emails, can schedule sending emails, can start a chatbot, can reply to chatbots, and can send reminders about meetings and communications. If you agree we might get a view of all the communications and schedules that your business made using Assist You. All that data would be used for the betterment of Assist You.”
Roman listened with keen interest, “Connect You would help us cut the marketing cost a lot. I am interested. I can see how you are keeping your promise of getting businesses lean and mean. But I am hesitant about Assist You. Milton Freeman said, ‘There’s no such thing called free lunch.’ With Assist You LeanTech workers can read all business communications of a company. That is detrimental to both the client as well as your company. That gives possibilities for all kinds of business espionage and other crimes.”
Julia interrupted, “I’ve considered the possibilities of companies suing LeanTech for leaking their business secrets to their competitors. There would be a non-disclosure clause in the sale agreement to protect LeanTech and its client.”
Roman reminded, “What about a murder? If a client’s ex-employee joins LeanTech, before LeanTech get the client and but after the employee left the client, and if the employee was holding a grudge against one of the executives of client company and after getting the schedule of the executive of the client company from Assist You data, if the LeanTech employee harms the executive of the client …. How would the CEO of LeanTech be freed from criminal charges like assisting in murder?”
Julia felt happy that Roman was speaking like a true peer. Discussing all pros and cons of offering Assist You free of cost and using the data to attain perfection in the app's functionalities. She uttered the assurances, “We’ve considered all these aspects. My legal team suggested that we would add in our sales agreements how we would deal with the heinous crimes committed using any of the functions of Assist You. Assist You have a log that keeps tabs on everyone accessing its data and that log could be presented in the court of law.”
Roman still had concerns, “I would talk to the board of directors about using Connect You. We might invite you to pitch again before them at FinanceAI. But I would not accept Assist You. I cannot see that you, the CEO of LeanTech, are sent to prison for the crime of someone else. The loss to the business of technology will be too much with such an incident. Our progress would be halted and might be rolled back to fifty years in the history of artificial intelligence and business. We may discuss it later, if you are interested to discuss risks and opportunities of Assist You. Till you make necessary changes to the algorithm of Assist You to protect you and your whole team, I’ll give Assist You a pass.”
Julia smiled and accepted Roman’s professional judgment, “I appreciate your straightforwardness. Thank you.”
Roman checked the time on his watch and said, “We still have some time, almost half the time. Can I pitch a product to you?”
Julia was surprised, “FinanceAI sells MoneyMaker to the institutional and individual investors. MoneyMaker ranks potential businesses and gives them a score with respect to their strengths and weaknesses that might help their investors to make or lose money. LeanTech is not an institutional investor. And I am still on clock, I cannot talk about my personal investment ideas now.”
Roman clarified, “I am not pitching MoneyMaker, the flagship product of FinanceAI. MoneyMaker has been putting LeanTech among the top three companies for all investors for the past one year, since LeanTech crossed the five hundred million mark. But LeanTech is still a limited liability company and is not up for going public yet. This is known information in the business circle. But the proposition is different.”
Julia was not surprised. She never used MoneyMaker. She had put all her money just in LeanTech. She was cautious that if she would bring more investors to LeanTech, then she might lose control over the products that she would develop and that might make her lose her customer pull. Besides, there might be a fight among different investors about control of LeanTech and they might pull off their investments in LeanTech as and when they wished. Julia was hesitant to bring more investors to LeanTech.
She expressed her gratitude, “Thanks for sharing but I am not looking forward to bringing in more investors to LeanTech.”
Roman explained, “I’m not asking you to bring more investors to LeanTech. I am asking for a project collaboration. Can you develop a holistic product that would do the necessary financial analysis for institutional investors as well as their marketing and if you can find a safer situation then office management solutions like Assist You.”
Julia started thinking out loud, “That would expose my patented, proprietary codes for Connect You to FinanceAI.”
Roman refuted, “Not at all. If LenaTech builds a new code while working with FinanceAI, and FinanceAI writes a new code, compatible to each other then, none of the two companies would expose their proprietary codes to each other. Besides, both MoneyMaker and Connect You have gone through several version updates. The basic structure of the apps had already changed a lot to cater to the market need of the hour. The old codes would not work now. It will be better if we start from scratch.”
Julia frowned, “And your goal is to get exposure to our investors and clients and a leap forward for FinanceAI. So you’re after getting my clients for FinanceAI. Isn’t it?”
Roman smirked, “Same for you. Haven’t you thought of putting our company name in the metadata of your web pages as part of your clientele so that every search for FianceAI would give LeanTech LLC web pages a hit and LeanTech LLC get more exposure before FinanceAI's existing and potential customers?”
Julia could not speak for a long moment. Roman almost spelled out her own thoughts in her own words. She nodded and tried to guard her dignity, “That’s not unfair. We’re not competitors. You can say, the word of mouth promotion has gone too far with the use of today’s communication technology.”
Roman shook his head in disappointment. Then he became enthusiastic again, “At least you guys at LeanTech can think about our proposal from FinanceAI. We can grab a great chunk of the market of financial and marketing solutions.”
Julia smiled, “That’s true. But my investors are very conservative and quarrelsome. They might stand in the way of collaborations.”
Roman sighed and smiled, “At least, you agreed to consider our proposal.”
Julia smiled, too, “Yes. I’ll get back to you.”
Roman felt joy, a very calm feeling, like a cool breeze, like never before. At least, he could meet Julia once more for the purpose of business.
This realization made Roman bold. As Julia concluded the meeting, “Thanks for showing interest in Connect You and LeanTech, Roman. I’ll get back to you later.”
Roman shook Julia’s hand and said, “Thanks for making time to tell us about LeanTech’s products. Also, thanks for hearing FinanceAI out for a collaboration.”
They stepped out of the cafe together. Roman asked, “Julia, are you still on clock?”
Julia tweaked on her phone screen and said, “Just clocked out.”
Roman looked happy, “Then let’s grab a drink.”
They walked to a bar in the next alley. They asked for bottles of beer. Sipping beer, Roman asked, “Have you lost any of your things at the award ceremony?”
Julia thought a little and answered, “I don’t think so …”
Roman fished out the piece of earring from his pocket, “You dropped it while stuffing other accessories into your clutch. Do you want it?”
Julia looked at the piece of earring. Then she said, “It’s a good one. I can wear it in other events, if not in the same circle, if not in business circles, in personal social circles … which is not controlled by a PR farm.”
Roman looked at Julia in confusion, “I still don’t understand if you want it back or not …”
Julia said, “Yes, very much.”
Roman put a bargain, “I can trade this piece for your phone number.”
Julia stretched her hand and asked for Roman’s phone. She typed in her number and she saved the number as Julia Ybarra, LeanTech. Roman took the phone from her and edited it. Then he said, “I’ll always remember you, LeanTech or not.”
Julia felt a shiver within her ribcage. As usual, she ignored the shiver and lauded, “Nice pick-up line.”
Roman laughed with all his heart, “It’s a bar after all. The ambience is suitable for pick-up lines.”
He held Julia’s hand and put the earring on her palm and rolled her fingers over it. Julia felt numb within her skull and electrical waves through her fingers, palm and entire hand. She thought, “Booz! That’s why I avoid them.”
Roman asked in a soft tone, “Put the earring in your purse. It’s costly.”
Julia murmured, “It’s from Tiffany’s. A diamond and onyx earrings and pendant set.”
Roman asked again, “Did your husband buy it for you?”
Julia was still looking at her purse, though she had put the earring inside her purse a long while ago. She shook her head and shared, “From my mother-in-law, celebrating LeanTech passing the five hundred million dollar mark, a year ago.”
Roman kept asking, “Then the dior clutch that you carried that day - was it from your husband?”
Julia frowned, “No. From my mother. A year ago, on the same occasion.”
She did not hide her annoyance, “Do you think that I am just a poster and the mastermind of LeanTech is someone with a dick?”
Roman was taken aback, apologized, “Sorry. I did not mean that. I never thought, even for a single moment, that you are not capable enough to build and run LeanTech to its present success.”
Julia was ballistic in her speech, “Then why are you asking about some loser?”
Roman kept apologizing, “I did not know that he, your husband, is a loser.”
He tried to appease, “You are a wonderful lady. You must be cherished by all at home. I was curious if the dress was from your husband …”
Julia spat, “Dress, undergarments, shoes, stockings - all I bought, because of PR pressure. Pun intended.”
Roman laughed again, with all his heart, “You can make a joke even when you are annoyed. You are such an excellent woman.”
Julia looked at the empty bottles of beer before them. She smirked, “Just one bottle of beer and you got my phone number and all personal details that nobody knows, none of my classmates, none of the employees of LeanTech, no one in the business circle.”
Roman said in a deeper voice, “Perhaps, I’m too special. You could not help but blurted out everything.”
Julia uttered with lots of steam, “I hate booz.”
Roman stood up on the floor from the high bar stool, suggested, “Let’s go home.”
Julia put her hands on Roman’s shoulders to get down from the stool. Then she turned her body towards the bar counter and put her hands on the counter and jumped off from the bar stool. Roman asked, “Was it too much trouble using my body for your convenience?”
Julia laughed, rolling liquid laughter, “I would get a divorce if I would like to use any man’s body other than my husband’s body, but I would not be adulterous.”
Roman felt both happy and sad. Julia would be free from marriage if she would get a divorce. Then he could stand before her as a man. That realization made him happy. Yet he felt sad. Julia had to go through a divorce, her marriage might not have been a happy one. What a wastage for such a fantastic woman - beautiful, intelligent, full of life.
Then Julia asked Roman, “Why are you so keen on letting others use your body for their convenience? Wouldn’t your wife be insulted?”
Roman sighed, “I would not talk about that bitch.”
Julia covered her ears with her palms, “You are mean to your wife. She might not have been the person that you wanted her to be, but she’s still married to you. Until you break up with her, you should not insult her before strangers.”
Roman was shocked. The word ‘strangers’ pierced his ear drums too deep. He muttered, “My marriage is a little too complicated for my understanding.”
He apologized, “Pardon me. I crossed the limits. I shouldn’t have.”
Then he suggested, “Let’s take you home.”
Julia agreed, “It’s eight already. Half an hour later, we might not be able to step on the street.”
Roman grumbled, “What kind of neighborhood is it? At eight thirty you cannot step out of your home!”
Julia laughed, “Lean and mean.”
Roman flagged a cab and helped Julia get in. He sat by Julia in the cab and told the driver, “Let’s go where the lady goes.”
Julia shared the street address with the driver. Roman typed the address in his phone book in the address section of Julia’s contact information. Though he paid the cab in full, he asked the driver, “Can you wait? I’ll just take the lady to her apartment and then I’ll come back.”
The driver agreed.
Roman read the electronic key that Julia typed on the panel of the electronic lock. The four digits were one seven nine seven. Roman knew that none of those digits were related to the date of inception of LeanTech or Julia’s birthday. He thought those dates must be related to Julia’s husband or children.
The thought of husband and children shook some senses in Roman. He told Julia, “I’m not coming upstairs with you. Call me, after you enter the apartment.”
Julia nodded and entered through the unlocked door. After thirty seconds, as she climbed the stairs before Roman, she was out of sight of Roman.
Roman rode back to his home by cab. In the cab, Roman became aware that Julia never asked for his phone number. He texted, “Are you safe? Inside your apartment? Call me whenever you see my message. Roman.”
Reaching his shared apartment, Roman thought of calling Julia. But he felt an urge to rush to the bathroom. He came out after taking a shower. He picked up his phone and saw a call from Julia that he missed.
He called back.
A very sleepy Julia answered, “Yay. I’m fine. Take care, good night.”
She hung up. Roman felt a stab on his chest, “Does she have to be so cruel and cold all the time?”
He checked the chat room once more. No movement, so far.
He took the initiative and sent a question, “Have you sold your codes/ architecture to any company?”
There was no immediate response. He unwrapped the new book of Combinometrics. The school life enthusiasm and excitement thumped through his veins. He took a copy and a pen and started solving problems from the book and started taking notes from the theory section of the book. He never knew this branch of mathematics would someday become his bread and butter.
Next morning Roman woke up with his copy and new book. His neck was stiff. He slept on his left cheek all night. He tried to make some neck movements to get rid of the stiffness. His phone buzzed. He could not believe his eyes - a text message from Julia.
She wrote, “Thank you for sending me home last night. So far, no pervert has broken into my forlorn apartment. I slept well, though, in controlled temperature and on a cozy bed. Can’t thank you more for your care that filled my heart with respect for you and with joy of companionship.”
She ended with a blushy, rosy cheek smiling emoticon.
Roman was perplexed, “Was the message real? From the stone faced, ice cold Julia? Did AI become too smart to deceive humans, the ones like Roman who is about to be drowned in his own emotion?”
He wanted to put the message on a text analysis app to compare those messages with Julia’s other communications. He wanted to know if those messages could be sent by a single person.
As he turned on his laptop, he got distracted. On the open browser before his eyes was the chat room of the Puzzle Platform. Zeta00 replied, “No. Never. But I need to know why you asked. I’ll be online the whole weekend. If possible come online and let me know where you saw my code/ architectural designs on the earth.”
Roman was caught between two of his attractions. The Zeta00 and Julia. He cannot touch or hold Zeta00, but Zeta00 was always able to bring him ecstasy, peace, calmness and solace when he needed them the most from real humans but he found none, when his parents, his mother turned into his worst enemy.
Lost in thoughts, he forgot to make his move to trap Julia in his love net. He planned to ask her, “How would I know that your gratitude is sincere?”
He planned to demand a lifetime of companionship as ultimate proof of sincerity. But his thoughts lost momentum towards moving forward with Julia. Later in the day he just replied to Julia's text message with a folded hands icon reflecting his humility.
Julia woke up with a very calm and happy mind that morning. She took the phone to check if anyone in her company’s developer’s team needed a hand or if any of them reported to be in a jolt and needed a rescue. There was no message from work. She checked her calls, if she missed any important calls. She found Roman’s call on the top of the list.
She remembered that she was asleep and she hurried to finish the call to get back to sleeping. The booze made her sleep well. She realized that the booze was Roman’s idea. But he did not trick Julia with booze. When he took Julia to the bar, he was like a friend. When he dropped Julia off at her apartment he was a perfect gentleman. He left from the gate of the community as soon as Julia entered the community. Then he sent her a text message asking about her safe return to her apartment.
Julia’s heart was filled with respect for Roman and with joy of his friendship. In this world, her mother and her mother-in-law seemed to be concerned about her well-being. Yet her attitude towards both ladies had long been making them wary of her mood. Julia thought that those ladies were to be blamed for her attitude towards them. Thinking of them her mind musters up dark storms and clouds in her eyes.
That morning her mood was far from being sour. She remembered how Roman treated her as a peer while discussing business at BizTalk Cafe. She decided not to hold back her emotions any more. She always felt that expressing gratitude and reflecting humility should not be overshadowed by the threat of being humiliated, by cautiousness. She scribbled the message that she sent to Roman. She even added an emoticon to show off her cute side.
Little did she know that Roman would have a hard time to believe that she could be cute, and she was not always as cold as an iceberg.
As Julia turned on her laptop to start working, she remembered that she had to give an update on her meeting with Roman to her marketing team. She must give Laura clear direction to keep an eye on the communications from FinanceAI.
She could not start writing her report right away. There was something, some existential crisis flashing on the open page of the browser that she needed to take care of before doing anything else.
~~~
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