O l i v e r B e n j a m i n
Mary Kay Parker blushed outrageously.
“I get any messages?”
“Oh, yes, sir! Cain and Barth buzzed you a few times already. And
some fellow named Moe Zest, didn’t leave a company name. Did you
want coffee?”
“No. I’m wired on life today, Mary. Put me through to Barth.”
Gareth sauntered casually into his office, but before he had time
to hang his jacket up, Johanness Barth was already barging through
the door. How a man of that size could move so fast without injuring
someone in the process was a mystery to him.
“Gareth!” Barth yelled. “Criminy! Nuts! Tarnation! Jiminy
Christmas! Ai-yi-yi! Weaselpoop! Agggghhh!”
Now Gareth was worried. This was the longest unbroken string
of not-quite-expletives that he had ever heard his second-in-
command utter in one breath. He watched as Barth pounded his fist
thunderously on the desk.
“Shiiit!” Barth yelled.
Now he was really worried. Gareth sat down in his chair and
indicated that Barth do the same.
“We’ve got trouble,” guessed Gareth.
“Yes. Trouble,” replied Barth, sitting down. “Big trouble. You
know Futterman’s machine? None of the technicians can figure out
how to operate the blasted thing. He’s got it wired so that only he can
get it to run properly! They were trying to record a guy stubbing his
toe, and all that played back was a mild case of indigestion! That’s all
it
ever
plays back! I’m telling you Gareth, we’ve got to find that
nincompoop!”
“Now, calm down Barth. Just relax. It’s not a big deal.”
“Not a big deal? What are you talking about?”
“We’ve got much bigger things coming our way now, partner. But
if you really want to try to fix the machine, hire a specialist.”
“Oh, sure. Silly me. A specialist. What heading should I look
under in the frigging
yellow pages?”
“Try and get in touch with the guys who were on the project
before we hired Dr. Futterman. They should be able to figure out
more than those geeks he hired. And meanwhile, I need you to turn
your attention to a brand new project. Get a team of the best PR and
advertising guys you know here for a meeting tomorrow. Tell them
we need them immediately and we’ll pay them anything they want.
The sky, as they say, is the limit.”
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