Just Friends- Part 2
Dumbed and lulled by his failed romantic love, he was now most of the time sad and reclusive. Everybody around him could not sense this gradual change in him. He was tired of himself and seldom spoke to friends and strangers. He constantly thought that he had failed and failed badly.
Time is greatest traitor, also greatest friend. It changes and goes away like river downhill. Nobody could stop its eternal flow and man is just another straw in it`s flow. Life is big, and time and life are greatest manifestation of eternal. Time changes, so does life.
He was in office and sat working at next day`s presentation and then, he had to move abroad for another series of client meetings and inspections. He was relieved that after a long time he was going abroad and perhaps, it would take him away from his present pain. His present pain was again and again reloading his mind of his failure and it`s shadows. Life appeared lifeless and success appeared loss to him and he was heavily illusioned and illumination seemed faraway.
As he finished with his presentation and Q and, he moved straight to his airport cab with some quick snacks. He was not late, but he wanted to get away from people chit-chatting his failed relationship. One time he found solace, now he just avoided them as they were damaging him inside.
Finally, he boarded his plane to Middle east. In flight, he thought, "Perhaps another chapter.``
He slept on and off during the flight. Once the plane landed, he took the cab to the hotel. Now, he had meetings, presentations and talks that were significantly important to his career. Still shadows of past tormented him, but he somehow had learned to dumb and lull those thoughts.
Move On, Move On and Move On.
It was now a constant thought that was driving him forth. It was making him feel himself again and relaxing him. He often thought, "Am I running away?"
"Undoubtedly I am, but for right reasons."
And then he returned to his job more energetically and forcefully.
During travel, one afternoon he was busy at his office meeting and he had meeting with a company client. It was meeting with biggest retail chain in Middle East. He was just going through his last minute notes and was brushing all the facts and figures to look confident during the talks. Finally, he rushed to meeting room.
He was alone in meeting and on opposite sat a young nice looking girl and two hardened corporate executives. He thought, "Ummm...What this girl is doing at the negotiations table."
He was surprised to know after introductions that the girl was the senior and the two other accompanying men were members of the team.
The girl began, "Sir, we were looking to meet you for a long time and it is after a long time this meeting happened. Fortunately we continuously dropped mails after mails, still nobody responded from your office. Certainly, We were bit taken aback at one point. You know what I mean... Is everything ok?"
It was a blow from unexpected direction. He already realized how much business he was losing just because of his unspoken personal pain. He remained calm, "I understand your frustration. Frankly, it was wary and sad. Sorry again, I could to respond you earlier. Well...we were going through major project deadlines and you know, were under great pressure perhaps that made it tough for us to respond. You know what I mean...I am really sorry."
He was lost in explanations and that was really defensive in a corporate meeting. It was unprofessional and it was a loss at the very beginning. But he returned back calmly.
"Well...yes, I have compiled few papers and a draft agreement for you and I think, you must certainly go through it and yes, I have copies ready for you." He said smilingly.
He had done a very through homework, so that he could enter into this agreement on a very strong footing. The trio was taken aback by this move as they thought that they could enter into discussions first and then move on to more formal aspect of putting the whole talk into writing. Now, they had one sided thoroughly thought out foolproof document, in which they were only wanting concessions and doing begging. Now they need to dig big holes in document.
The Girl frowned, "Really.....frankly, its clever job. Ah, I never expected that...Umm...So, you have already got a document with no leaks. I mean...it might be the perfect job. Clearly, you were busy at that paper."
He responded, "Well, frankly, you know, currently, we are operating on those terms with most of our partners and I thought I must walk you through the contract at the outset. To be honest, it would save your precious time....Yes time... At the end of day that means world to us. And... then it would help you...let you give me your fair proposal. We are very fair players and that document has come out finally through endless negotiations with all our previous partners."
The girl went through the rate list and said, "Trust me, the rates quoted are very less as it would become quite difficult for us to fulfill contract at that price. Believe me, the T and C and very hard and one sided, unfortunately, it is rather harsh document."
"Oh Really.No. I suppose, it`s not. Definitely Not. Please go through it once and let us then go into specifics next. If you have any specific suggestions please provide. I am open...yup, listening with the open heart."
The meeting went smooth. The items on agenda were listed and there were lot of additions and subtractions to issues. The issues were contrasted, compared and more alternatives brought in. The results were discussed and issues were reformulated and both parties were exemplifying each other advantages. Fewer concessions were made and no conclusion of meeting was materializing even after long discussions. It seemed endless meet.
All in all, It was a long futile discussion and none of the parties was not ready to budge and leave their positions easily, but at last after daylong discussion, everyone had the final document with the lot of corrections in their hands.
The girl was smooth and convincing and he knew, her facts were half truths and still, he remained quiet.
Finally, it was one major agreement that was nearing the end. The opposite trio was more adamant to stick to their positions and he was getting anxious and nervous now. He had conceded reasonably, but that was not enough for trio. They wanted big chunk and that was appearing bad for him.
Finally, he said authoritatively, " To be honest, we should not prolong this meeting and let us roll over our discussion to another day. I mean, we must stop here and meet some other appointed day."
This almost silenced the trio as they did not wanted to leave unfinished. The Girl said, "I suppose we must sit another hour and finish it today only. Well, we too have flights to catch. We mean business and we would surely decide and end"
"Ummm...please cancel your flights. Let`s meet another day. Really it would take another full day to go through negotiations. I guess, I need to go into another scheduled meeting now."
The trio knew that now no more concessions were available, so they wanted to close. He knew he had taken very high advantage by spelling out very concrete proposal at very start, so giving them enough arms length into the agreement was ok, but too much in roading was unwelcome. So finally, both parties conceded to agreement. He was happy to finish strong on the agreement. It was his first major win in last few months.
After month long meetings and negotiations abroad, he started finding his old space and rhythm and he was happy at work. The thought of Romantic failure still lurked in dark, but he had another direction to look into now.
On way back, he was more relaxed and happy. As he sat his aeroplane back home, he found a girl sitting next to his seat. It was the same girl that was on negotiations table.
"Hello! Where are you headed to?"
"Back home."
"How are You?"
"Good."
" You actually are the tough negotiator. I actually was impressed."
"It was my job."
Throughout entire flight, both continued talking. He looked lonely and sad and She too looked more sad and lonely than him.
Initially, both were quite formal in their interactions, later they asked few questions about family and slowly, they continued talking like old friends.
Loneliness is great to bond...
---End---
