The Stone

by Graham Adams

  ‘She wants you to get up and dance with them.’ Olaf shouted. ‘You have to get up and dance, if you don’t, it will be a great insult.’ The audience by now was utterly deafening. Edmund got out of his chair, holding the soft, slim perfumed hand.

  Edmund’s attempt at the Flamenco was utterly pathetic, but the three girls danced around him, taunting him. He tried to copy their movements, which must have looked hilarious. Their mother was singing very loudly and their brother was off his stool playing like a madman! Then suddenly it was over. The three girls clapped him, and in return he clapped them and the mother and the guitar-playing son. Then, with wobbly legs, he managed to get back into his seat.

  Theo shook his hand. ‘You were great Edmund, bravo! That’s something for you to remember all your life, just look around you.’ Edmund looked around; people were standing and applauding him. He looked back at the troupe. They were now ready to continue, so he sat down for the rest of the show. He then glanced up to the cameraman, who smiled and gave him the thumbs up sign.

  21: A Dish of Sardines

  A Millionaire at last

  At breakfast the morning after the Flamenco night, Edmund showed Theo the Reichmark note he had bought at the flea market near the Ramblas. ‘I told you I was a millionaire didn’t I? What do you think of this?’ Edmund asked him.

  Theo gave the note a closer look. ‘I’ve got a friend who will put this in a nice wooden frame for you, take it as my present for your fortieth.’ Theo gave him a knowing smile. ‘You know why they picked you out to dance with them last night don’t you?’

  ‘Yes, I expect it was all Olaf’s idea wasn’t it?’ Edmund asked

  ‘No, it was because you had your tongue hanging out the furthest, so they thought the only way for you to put it away, was to get you to dance with them.’ Edmund looked surprised until Theo started laughing. ‘I’m only joking, Edmund.’

  Edmund laughed with him finally, ’hope you’re right.’

  ‘Seriously Edmund, our business has finished here in Barcelona, and I think we’ve cut a really good deal with them. I have got a backup plan for just this situation, if you’ll hear me out.’ Theo said.

  Theo explained that there was a manufacturing plant in Lisbon for sale, which made a drug called Chlortetracycline. The company in the UK used large amounts of this drug in their compounds, and if they had a manufacturing arm, they could steal a march on their competitors. Theo had a contact in the company called Dominguez, and had found out that it was for sale for a very low figure. Edmund could see the benefits, and told him to go ahead and book flights and five nights in a good hotel in Lisbon starting the next day, Sunday.

  Before Theo left to arrange things, Edmund left him with no doubt that this next part of the tour was for fact finding only, and there would not be any decisions made. Buying a licensed product and buying a company are like ‘chalk and cheese’ he said.

  The flight early the next morning to Lisbon had to change at Madrid, but there was not enough time to tour the city between the flights, so they stayed in the airport lounge and awaited the call. Theo brought out of his bag a box of ivory black and white dominoes, with an old marker board and challenged Edmund to a game of ‘fives and threes’.

  It was a scientific mind versus an accounting mind. As soon as the dominoes rattled onto the table, all the other waiting passengers looked around at them. At least half a dozen brought their chairs over to witness the match of the day.

  Edmund recalled his intensive training that he had had with his father in the local ‘spit and sawdust’ pubs in Derbyshire. All the men used to play as if their lives depended on it, and he knew from Theo’s first ‘drop’ he was going to have to draw on that skill.

  By the time that the tannoy called for the Lisbon flight they were about even, the crowd had swelled to about twenty and they cheered each time a game was won, by either of them. After Theo had claimed the victory, he told Edmund that the Portuguese were mad on dominoes. As Edmund reached for his bag, one of the spectators warmly shook his hand.

  ‘Maybe we will meet in Lisbon, and I will challenge you for a game, OK?’ The passenger said, so Edmund nodded and smiled back at him.

  Theo had set up a meeting with a very old Pharma manufacturing company whose offices were right in the centre of Lisbon. Dominguez greeted them at the reception desk. He was a very affable man, asking the questions about the personal lives of his guests, and in return telling them about his family and where they lived. He was the Sales Manager for the company, and Edmund wasn’t at all surprised at that sort of greeting.

  They were taken into the Chairman’s office eventually, and what an effort it was. There were guards at the door and to Edmund it was like visiting the don of a mafia family. Even Theo had to admit that the conversations that he had with any of the main people in the company weren’t going well. Translations were the biggest handicap, but he did manage to get some accounts for Edmund to look at, even though they were several years old.

  That night in the hotel, after dinner, Edmund invited Theo back to his room. He had spent all afternoon looking at the figures and he wanted to show him what he had found. The balance sheet showed a huge reserve for something not paid for and he told Theo to get details of it as well as the latest figures.

  The next day Edmund was asked to speak to the Accountant with a translator. It transpired that the company had made many people redundant two years back, but to his amazement, all the workers had an agreement with the company that if they were made redundant full wages would be paid until they retired. This meant that if the UK Company bought it, this agreement would stand.

  He explained this to Theo in the simplest of terms and they agreed to terminate negotiations straight away. It was Edmund’s fortieth birthday the following day, so Theo had made some interesting arrangements for them both.

  The next morning they were riding on an old metal-wheeled tram, very small but covered in old fading posters and beautifully coloured. The metal wheels clanged on the old bent tracks. The tram was very small, and with ten passengers, it would be quite full. They were careering around the main streets of Lisbon. One street in particular was full of old shops, with many of them hanging out the traditional rows of dried fish. The tram of course stopped to pick up passengers outside one of the shops, and the smell from the dried fish just about made Edmund sick.

  ‘Where are we going?’ Edmund asked.

  ‘It’s a surprise for your birthday.’ Theo answered smiling.

  They reached the main rail station, and Theo spoke in Portuguese to the ticket clerk, paid, and came away with two tickets, not showing Edmund their destination.

  The train was waiting in the station. It was going to Oporto. ‘We’re not going there before you ask Edmund.’ Theo smiled at him knowingly. The journey was slow and stopped at every small station, but it was so relaxing. It was hot, so every window was open. Everyone had fans; they were mostly asleep or dozing. The land that passed by was green, all the white walled houses were topped with bright red tiles, and between the hamlets were rows and rows of short trees.

  ‘What are those trees Theo?’ Edmund pointed

  ‘They’re special oak trees, used for corks. The bark is very thick, it’s taken off the tree and then it grows back again. Sadly many of the plantations have been uprooted and replaced by eucalyptus as a cash crop.’ Theo explained looking glum.

  ‘Why is it so sad?’ Edmund asked.

  ‘Well, you see the vegetation around the Oak trees? Animals can feed there, but with eucalyptus trees, all of the vegetation surrounding them is laid to waste, and nothing can grow when they are there.’ Theo said.

  The train stopped at Coimbra and they got off and changed platforms to one marked Figuiera Da Foz. ‘Ah that’s where we’re going, right?’ Edmund laughed.

  ‘Yes, I know that you are going to love this place. Whenever I’m in this country, I always come here, and it’s a magic place.’ Theo explained.

  The train travell
ed on a single track through paddy fields and red roofed houses, it was a most peaceful journey. The station was quite large.

  ‘This place is where many Spanish people come for their holidays, to avoid the drunken British holidaymakers.’ Theo told him. It was like stepping back in time. Of course there were cars, but now and then the odd horse and trap would pass by with a couple sitting dressed in the usual black clothing traditional for the area.

  ‘Do you see that Edmund?’ Theo pointed to a little shop where there was a carousel of postcards. Edmund shrugged. ‘I mean that card in particular,’ pointing at one of the cards. Edmund picked it out; it showed two oxen pulling a large fishing boat out of the sea. The animals had huge great horns and were totally black. ‘If we’re lucky we might see them.’ Theo smiled at his friend.

  The beach in Figueira must have been the longest in Portugal, over three miles long and famous for surfers, as the waves come in uninterrupted, from right across the Atlantic. Also as Edmund realised, the distance from the sea wall to the water’s edge was also a considerable distance, and it all looked so unspoilt. Theo pointed to some activity, some way off on the beach, so they hurried to see what it was.

  Sure enough, there they were, two huge oxen actually doing what the postcard was depicting.

  ‘It’s a sardine catch; they are all sardine fishermen around here. They’ve been doing this since time immemorial.’ Theo said catching his breath.

  ‘Thank you for my present Theo, I couldn’t have wished for a better one.’ They decided to have their dinner in one of the seafront cafes and try some traditional food. Theo of course had sardines; Edmund chose a Portuguese lamb dish, which for him was the best meal that he had had since leaving England.

  They decided to make their way to their small hotel, walking up the first narrow street from the seafront. It was steep, narrow and flanked on both sides by old tall tenement houses. The street itself consisted of cobblestones, and the pavement was made from flagstones, which were heavy and thick.

  Theo noticed a small black scrawny cat, which ran across their path then ran uphill, disappearing around the corner. He grabbed Edmund’s arm for a moment.

  ‘If I’m not mistaken, you will soon be seeing something that has not changed for over a thousand years.’ Theo pointed in the direction of the street corner.

  As they turned the corner, on their side of the pavement sat an old woman sitting on her doorstep, dressed completely in black, holding up an ancient set of scales. On one side of the scales there was a small tray with three large stones in it. On the other side of the scales, she had a shiny tray with a pile, of what looked like sardines.

  Quite a few people were appearing carrying empty wicker baskets, heading towards the old woman. As Edmund and Theo got a little closer they could see that the old woman was emptying her tray of fish into a waiting customer’s basket. The purchaser then threw some coins into a rough tin tray.

  The old woman nodded to the small child standing next to her, and he plunged the empty tray into a barrel of fish and set it on the scales for her, and so it went on until all the customers were served. The customers disappeared into the adjacent houses until all that was left was the little black cat, with the last fish in his mouth. He soon scuttled off with it. It was most comforting to watch something that had not changed for such a long time.

  They checked into their hotel and decided to look for a traditional bar to round off the day. A few steps around the corner, there it was, lights ablaze, with a few tables and chairs on the pavement. Theo laid out the dominoes and marker board as he’d done at Madrid airport, and Edmund went inside to buy the drinks. Inside the bar was very noisy with a group of locals playing darts.

  As soon as they realised that Edmund was English, he was invited to join in with the darts game, but he indicated that he was playing dominoes outside, and once again they immediately had a large audience.

  Theo insisted on a new game, this time called ‘Maltese Cross’, thinking that Edmund didn’t know this one. But he was to be disappointed, as Edmund wiped the floor with him. It was a pleasant end to a wonderful fortieth birthday for Edmund, and he was pleased to share it with Theo.

  The next morning was the start of the long journey home, but it would be a long time until Edmund would have such a great time again.

  22: A Reward for Effort

  Manhattan skyline

  A year had passed since his visit to Spain and Portugal and at the company’s successful year-end Edmund had arranged a sizable bonus for the new Managing Director, who looked as happy as ‘a cat with two tails’. So he asked him to agree a company profit based bonus for all the staff. He approved it, as long as he managed it. That was Edmund’s quest, to get the rank and file more rewarded for their loyalty. With Tony’s help, the company reached the highest level of quality production that the old Technical Director had seen in the whole time that the company had been in existence.

  Things were going swimmingly even the banks were happy. Well he could have guessed that, being as they were so quiet. It was time to take his foot off the pedal a bit. He was in Charles’s old office now, and once or twice he took a call from Ben in New York, telling him what he was up to, and how Vera was getting on with her latest exhibitions.

  He had also updated Edmund on Paul’s progress in L A. He was quite a changed actor so it seemed. In the last phone call, Ben was most upbeat, even for him.

  ‘Hey, buddy, I want to offer you my personal invitation to a party I’m throwing in Manhattan, and I really want you to be there. C’mon buddy, you keep saying yes but you never do make it. You short a’ money or somethin?’

  ‘When is it?’ Edmund asked.

  ‘Next month, on the fourth of July, it’s a holiday over here. You gotta be here for this one, whaddya’ say ol’buddy.’ Ben pleaded.

  ‘I’ll only come if you get someone to meet me at JFK.’

  ‘I’ll tell ol’ Vera, she’ll be tickled pink! Send me your flight details and leave the rest to me, Yippee!’

  ‘Bye Ben.’ Edmund sat and smiled to himself. He had finally bought a dinner jacket, and this was his first opportunity to wear it. Buckskins were out.

  As he passed through customs at JFK, he walked into the airport’s huge concourse into a large wall of people all waving banners and cards with names on them. There was no mistaking who was waiting for him though! A huge black man in a black suit with black sunglasses stood right at the front with a name on a card. The other folks were screaming and shouting at the sight of their loved ones arriving. But not him, he stood slightly apart, towering over all the others and looking straight at Edmund. He didn’t speak, just pointed to the bag collection point. Edmund thought it better not to say anything to him, so he just followed him out of the airport to the waiting car.

  A stretched limo, with four doors each side, awaited them. Another huge man got out of the driving seat and opened the door for him. No one spoke throughout the whole journey. They were soon heading into the New York business district and pulled up outside the Waldorf Astoria on Park Avenue. His door opened, his suitcase was being carried to the reception, and so he just followed. He got out his wallet to pay the man, but thought better of it. The man just nodded his very large head and walked away.

  He introduced himself to the concierge, and the man looked at him, smiled, and gave him his key. He waved to the bellhop who picked up his case and entered the elevator. He pressed the floor level button. ‘Twenty-six.’ He was on floor twenty-six, wow! He walked in the room, and gasped. The door said on it ‘Presidential Suite’, ‘What a man that Ben is!’ Already the white phone at the side of the bed was warbling. ‘Is that George?

  ‘Mr Vice President to you, Mr Cohen.’ Edmund laughed.

  ‘How did you arrange this, it’s unbelievable? How did you manage to swing this one old buddy?’

  ‘I guess you know it’s a holiday tomorrow being Independence Day, so Vera and me, we’ll pick you up at ten, and show you the sights, Mr Vice Pres
ident.’ Ben was so pleased with himself.

  ‘Everything was all like a carousel for Edmund. They drove around the whole of Manhattan in their limo. Vera was pointing out the sights of 42 Street, Fifth Avenue, Greenwich Village, Chinatown, Broadway, over the Brooklyn Bridge and back again, and finally a short walk in Central Park eating a hot dog as they relaxed for a short time. The driver of the limo was waiting at the other end of the walkway, and Edmund could hardly get his breath before it was time to get back to the Waldorf. That’s where Ben was throwing the party.

  ’I guess you know that anyone who’s anyone in this town has stayed at the Waldorf, Edmund. And only the best of the best have stayed in your suite’ Ben said.

  ‘And you are one of the best to us.’ Vera gave him a hug.

  The party was in aid of an animal charity in Tanzania. Did Ben have some friends? They came from all over the States to help him with the fundraising. Edmund was talking to one of Ben’s guests when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see a beautiful blonde woman in her late twenties smiling at him.