Today: Max puts some pressure on Miss No.

 

 

 

Cast of characters

 

 

 

Miss No

 

 

 

Max – businessman and owner of the building of Riverside Institute

 

 

 

Scene: Miss No’s office at Riverside Institute

 

 

 

*

 

             

“…At any rate, my sources inform me you’ve taken over management of this business from Mr Go?” said Max.

             

 

 

 

No coldly snapped back. “I might have but what’s it got to do with you?”

 

 

 

She broke eye contact and commenced shuffling papers on her desk.

 

 

 

           

 Max cursed himself.

 

 

 

He knew he should have delegated this meeting to his voluminous subordinate Godzilla who was much better dealing with clients’ delay tactics and this kind of ‘playing dumb.’

 

 

 

Yet Max admitted to himself that he was curious about this new client Miss No.

 

 

 

Max was after all an eligible bachelor and had heard that Miss No and Mr Go were on the rocks.

 

 

 

“I’m surprised you didn’t recognize me the minute I walked in.”

 

 

 

 

“I’ve known your partner Mr Go since he founded this place and have really enjoyed doing business with him.”

 

 

 

             

No sat expressionless, taking it all in, with her eyes saying that’s very nice to know.

 

 

 

“Would you like a hero cookie?”

 

             

 

Max cranked his PR-smile up another notch.

 

 

 

“You’ve been here for a while too. You were his assistant last time I visited here – maybe a year ago when he first cut the ribbon?”

 

 

 

             

Taking mental note of the comment, No patted her pile of papers into a neat stack on her desk, folded her hands and looked up.

 

 

 

“Reminiscing about ancient history is very touching but things have changed here. Now would you get to the point of your visit?”

 

 

 

             

Max waved her off. “Don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely no problem with women being business leaders.”

 

 

 

 

“I fully support it. In fact in my line of work I happen to employ way more women than men, and many of my managers are women.”

 

 

 

* Does Max really support women being in charge? *

 

 

 

Everything clicked at once.

 

 

 

“Now I remember who you are,” No exclaimed. “Of course you employ way more women than men. You run dozens of ‘lady’ houses in this city!”

 

 

 

Max preferred their more commonly-used name: Coffee Shops (such as Coffee Lady’s café).

 

 

 

But he wasn’t about to quibble with this standoffish lady over semantics.

 

 

 

He rarely quibbled with anyone about anything.

 

 

 

Usually when Max Kim said something, you agreed.

 

 

 

If he ordered something done you did it.

 

 

 

When?

 

 

 

Yesterday.

 

 

 

Occasionally, though, he encountered somebody like this lady who required persuading.

 

 

 

“You are very busy,” he said calmly. “I will not waste your time. As you may know I am owner of this building and I need my monthly rent. It is already overdue.”

 

 

 

             

No chuckled. “With the number of creditors knocking on my door – thanks to Mr Go! – you’ll have to take your place in the line.”

 

 

 

*Housewife Mafia*

 

 

                        

             

Me? Wait in line?!!

 

 

 

Max got thinking about Miss No’s remark and his face assumed an exaggerated reflective pose.

 

 

 

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had to stand in line.

 

 

 

Usually when he appeared in lines anywhere – banks, taxi stands, restaurants – patrons moved aside quickly and made way for him.

 

 

 

Anyone who knew anything in this town knew him.

 

 

 

Miss No’s ‘take a number’ insinuation almost made him burst out laughing but he rubbed his fingertips over his upper lip area and suppressed the cackle.

 

 

 

* How powerful is Max? *

 

 

 

             

Yet something impressed Max about Miss No and he wished more of his coffee girls had her gumption.

 

 

 

She wasn’t a pushover.

 

 

 

He could also appreciate the financial hole Mr Go had left her in; and saw that if nurtured along a bit, she could make this business sustainable and be a reliable, long term client.

 

 

 

However, he did need his money now and wanted to see if he could exact a little more effort from her to pay.

 

 

 

He really didn’t have time to come back here tomorrow or the next day.

 

 

 

Time to turn the screws.

 

 

 

“So …,” he asked innocently, “…where is Thomas these days?”

 

 

 

* What does Max know about Thomas? *

 

 

 

             

No blinked and gasped. “How do you know him?”

 

 

 

             

“He was a frequent customer at my pool hall. He was over there many hours a day and I almost thought he was homeless or something.”

 

 

 

 

“I’m just curious – don’t you provide housing for your foreign employees? According to my friend who is in government, it is a legal requirement.”

             

 

 

 

No jerked back ever so slightly. “Yes … of course we do. Why do you ask?”

 

 

 

             

“After first arriving, my friend Thomas was a regular patron at my uncle’s motel down at the rotary – the Hollywood Inn. Have you heard of it?”

 

 

 

             

“I have not!”

 

 

(Actually she had).

 

 

 

“But with a name like that I can imagine what type of business it is. But I have absolutely no idea why Thomas would go to your…”

 

 

 

She cleared her throat.

 

 

 

“… love motel. We put him up at our staff apartment.”

 

 

 

             

He waved her off politely and chuckled. “I don’t know if he stayed at the motel but I do know he dropped by for quick visits. He was actually seen being escorted there…”

 

 

 

Max bowed his head humbly and cleared his throat.

 

 

 

“… by a number of your current housewife students.”

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

Tomorrow: The Housewives Mafia shut their mouths.