The Peripheral Sur

by Bart Key

  Once he retired from touring, he settled down into a secluded and private life but the new albums he recorded continued to enthrall his fans. To this very day, we surf together fairly often and Paco will join us as time allows. Miguel’s three daughters and Paco’s two sons all now have learned to surf thanks in part to instructions received from their Uncle Jeremy.

  Chapter 22

  The Europeans

  Though Europe is where my home is now, I will always be an American in spirit and heart. New York City is now a distant memory and I have come to love living in Luxembourg City which has also turned out to be the perfect location for my investment house.

  As in New York, no one in my office knows that our investor shareholders are companies indirectly owned by Sur. Consistent with his penchant for secrecy in protecting his identity, Sur has a unflinching policy that all business must be conducted in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. This is not always easy when employing complicated methods of investing. My staff now includes three talented and experienced attorneys whose primary function is to ensure that our operations are conducted lawfully. In addition, two of the most prominent international law firms are under permanent retainer to assist as needed.

  Compliance with tax laws has always been our biggest challenge. More than once we have purposely overpaid taxes or paid taxes to more than one jurisdiction in order to avoid any issues of non-compliance. Sur considers this a cost of doing business consistent with protecting his privacy. Even he has limits however and isn’t afraid to play hardball should someone file sham litigation against one of his companies. My investment house has gained a reputation for being vicious in defending both itself and its investor companies against such lawsuits. As a result, these filings have declined precipitously.

  My job as Sur’s financial specialist has evolved over time. Besides the investing part, I now routinely review the financial reports of Sur’s various companies and arrange the transfer of funds from one company to another as he directs. Sur jokingly refers to me as the consummate juggler. Some fund transfers can get really complicated for various reasons but, with the assistance of my friends and acquaintances within the banking community, we usually find a way to get them accomplished in the manner intended. On the rare occasion when a planned transfer just won’t work for some reason, I’ll call Sur to tell him. He’ll just shrug it off with a chuckle telling me that if I can’t figure out a way to make it work, no one can. He also knows me well enough that I will find an alternative solution. And I usually do.

  With the talented staff I have, many of the complex procedures we employ in making investments and transferring funds have become somewhat more routine over time. This allows me the opportunity for more leisure time and who better to spend it with than my good buddy, Pierre, whom I met when he just was a junior executive at his family’s branch bank in Luxembourg City.

  Quite by coincidence, the two of us lived in the same condo complex. When we learned that we each loved to cook, we started trading off preparing meals for one another. The competition between us was intense but friendly in determining who was the better chef. If Ward happened to be in the City, I would invite him over to my place and cajole him into cooking something Italian for the three of us. His pasta dishes were far superior to anything Pierre or I could prepare. Ward kiddingly told us he’d had lots of practice when he prepared meals for his two finicky roommates during his time as a carpenter in Ventura.

  My friendship with Ward has done nothing but grow over time. I have lost track of the times he’s advised or assisted me on Sur’s business matters. Sometimes he’ll stop by just to say hello on his way somewhere else. It’s no surprise to me that he’s become Sur’s proxy as Ward possesses amazing business savvy even though he’s never had any formal business training. Like Sur, Ward is somewhat of a loner. When traveling, one of his favorite activities is to walk around stopping occasionally to chat with the locals regardless of their stations in life. That’s how he happened to encounter and befriend Gustav and Hans.

  As both Pierre and I are huge Red Lions fans, when Ward is in the City, we always invite him to join us at their games. At first we had to explain some of the more complicated rules and tactics as he never played soccer as a kid. Before long, he became a devoted Red Lions fan too. Pierre thinks Ward is the perfect American male icon because of his military background and love of surfing.

  •

  From the day I was born, it was expected that when I grew up I would participate in the management of my family’s bank. Sure enough, after graduating from college, my father installed me as a lowly management flunky in its Paris headquarters. It was a great time to live in Paris then especially for young men like me. Then one day my father called me into his office and offered me the assistant manager’s job at our small branch bank in Luxembourg City. He knew full well that I would hate leaving Paris so he sweetened the deal by offering to buy me a new car and making the down payment on a new condo there. How could I refuse? He opined that the day was coming when international banking services would be in huge demand and that our bank needed to be at the forefront in offering such services. He also foresaw the possibility that the bank’s headquarters might someday be moved to Luxembourg City.

  I met David one day at the pool of our condo complex. After our paths had crossed two or three more times, I decided to invite him to lunch for purposes of introducing him to some of our bank’s services. The lunch went well and he was impressed enough that his investment house started using us to transfer funds to and from other European financial institutions. Before long, his company carried large balances in several accounts and became a major patron of our bank.

  Aside from our business association, David and I developed a social relationship away from the office no doubt because we were alike in so many ways. Both of us were extremely competitive and ambitious. We both rode our bikes to and from work and were both workaholics. When we discovered we both loved to cook, we started preparing meals for each other. It turned out that David was seriously into art and so was I. To top it all off, we were both zealous Red Lions fans.

  After three years, my father promoted me to branch manager at least partly due to my success in developing our international services business. By then, I had become comfortable in Luxembourg and no longer pined to move back to Paris. Several years after that, the bank was reorganized which included the decision to move its headquarters to Luxembourg City in order to be better positioned to accommodate its clients’ increasing needs for international banking services. My father informed me that in due course I could expect to become the bank’s managing director. I swallowed hard when he told me that but was totally confident that when that day came, I would be up to the challenge.

  I remember well the year David was away in Austria reorganizing and managing a large gaming company purchased by one of his client companies. We kept in touch by phone and he usually managed to come home for two or three days every month. I missed him and our attending Red Lions games and prowling through art galleries together. When he returned home full time, we became closer than ever.

  Through the grapevine I learned that the owners of the Red Lions were considering the sale of the team. I called David with the news whereupon both of us did some research and, after comparing notes, decided to make a play at buying the team. Before we knew it, we were its new owners and wondered just what the hell we had gotten ourselves into. The two of us spent many an hour getting to know personally the coaches, players and administrative staff members. Immediately after ownership changed hands, we found and hired a professional general manager to run the show. It didn’t take long before we became comfortable as the team’s new owners. It just didn’t get any better than sitting in the owners’ seating area at the team’s home stadium joining in the roar of the crowd when the Red Lions scored or stopped a goal attempt by the other team. Neither of us liked being in the public eye all that mu
ch and avoided granting interviews or making personal appearances. But we loved to attend team practices when we could, watch all their games and join the team in the locker room to celebrate whenever it won.

  Sometime after we had acquired the team, David called me as excited as I’ve ever heard him. Sur had just gifted him his chateau. David had always loved the residence and, after touring it with him one time, I could understand why. I mentioned to David that perhaps it was time for me to find a larger place as well. David had a better idea. Why not move into the chateau with him? So I did. My family was somewhat shocked but they had known for years about my relationship with David just as David’s parents had.

  As soon as we moved in, we took an inventory of the chateau’s art contents. Sur had removed perhaps a third of the art and shipped it to Costa Rica. The rest stayed with the home as well as its beautiful furnishings, exquisite china and sterling silverware. Hans and his staff also gladly agreed to stay on.

  I’ll always remember that first full day after moving in. At breakfast our chef introduced herself and asked what our preference was for dinner. Later, after returning from work and showering after a workout, we met Hans in the library where he uncorked and poured us glasses of exquisite champagne. After relaxing a bit, it was on to the dining room where dinner was served. When we were finished eating, the chef came out of the kitchen to be sure everything was to our satisfaction. I could get used to this.

  Before long, the two of us discovered how much fun it was to entertain guests especially those from out-of-town as we had plenty of bedrooms upstairs. Among some of the our notable out-of-town guests were Miguel and his family. David had first met Miguel at Wild Beach when he was just a teenager. Since then he had become one of the most famous singers in the world. Although no longer touring, he was still recognized wherever he went and had to travel incognito in order to avoid the paparazzi. With him were his delightful wife Anita and their three daughters. Miguel had grown a beard and mustache for their travels and his daughters needled him mercilessly about his needing to shave it off. Once inside the walls of our chateau, he did. The family stayed with us just short of a week. Anita and the girls would visit the local sites and shop while Miguel would sit at the grand piano in our library and compose. Sometimes in the evening, we would prevail upon him to sing for us. He was always happy to comply and we were amazed at how Anita and his daughters could sing in beautiful harmony along with him. They were a great family.

  After David and I came became life partners, David revealed to me his connection to Sur whom I had met several times over the years. Ever since the time when I first met him, Sur always greeted me by my first name and asked all about how things were going with me and my family. It was obvious that David worshipped Sur and, considering how much trust Sur placed in David, I could understand why. Currently, David was at the top of his game and managed what some would consider the most successful investment house in the world. My father also had placed great trust in me culminating in my ascension to the top position at my family’s bank.

  Chapter 23

  Jade Palace

  I will always remember the day of the Jade Palace Resort’s grand opening mostly because that was the day when Sur’s dream project truly came to life. I had high hopes that when the festivities were over that maybe, just maybe, my life would become simpler and less frantic. First though, I had to struggle through the festivities and accolades. Fortunately, my newly-hired resort manager would be taking on the task of being the master of ceremonies who welcomed the many honored guests. I intended to stay in the background as much as possible.

  Our resort had eight restaurants, each with its own specialty or theme. It also had five lounges, four of which offered high quality entertainment catering to various tastes. One featured Mandarin style entertainment, another Cantonese, another Japanese and the last western-style. The common language spoken by our staff members was Cantonese but most of them also spoke a second language, usually Mandarin, Japanese or English. When a guest checked in, we asked for their language preference and, to the extent practicable, assigned staff members speaking that language to assist them when rendering hotel services.

  The resort was sold out from day one and we expected it would remain so for the foreseeable future. We catered exclusively to wealthier patrons who wanted to enjoy luxury surroundings, eat fine cuisine and watch top-notch entertainment. As with many high-end gambling establishments, some of our guests were so-called high rollers which we provided with lavish “comps” such as free use of the casino’s better suites. Keeping them happy was important as their losses over time vastly surpassed their winnings. Most of our resort profits however would be derived from accommodating upper middle class and wealthy gamblers who just wanted a gaming holiday away from the daily grind.

  For me, the highlight of the grand opening was Sur’s presence. Both Jeremy and Cory had come with him, this being Jeremy’s first trip to Asia. Ward had already arrived a couple of weeks earlier when our operations were in the testing and training phases.

  The day before the opening, I hosted an early lunch for the five of us in one of the hotel’s small private dining rooms. Like me, the four of them were upbeat about the next day’s grand opening and they were full of compliments about how beautiful and busy the place was. After wine was poured, I took a moment and toasted to Sur, thanking him for the trust he had placed in me. He was always a little embarrassed by that kind of attention and commented that giving trust was easy when the person receiving it was as loyal and competent as I was. Most folks would be astonished if they knew how much capital Sur had invested in the project. Ward knew of course as did David whose assistance in timely providing me with funds during the construction process had been exemplary. I had no doubt but that he would be equally as adept in arranging for the repatriation of the profits we expected to generate in the future.

  With a resort this size, security was one of our major concerns. Ward had worked tirelessly with the resort’s architects early on in addressing security concerns. He had personally monitored the installation of the complex’s vast security camera system and participated in interviewing candidates for the security management positions being assisted by one of my trusted staff members who acted as translator.

  Our casino was Macau’s largest and around fifty security personnel were on duty there around the clock. Our experienced pit bosses were constantly on the alert for cheaters and, inevitably, some would be detected. Per our policy, well-known cheaters were escorted off the premises immediately. When a resort guest was observed cheating, especially a known high-roller, it was a touchier situation which was always delicately handled by the senior security manager on duty. Our procedures called for the guest to be confronted in a private setting and asked to discontinue further gambling but was not required to leave the resort. When checking out however, the guest was quietly informed that they would no longer be welcome. We unfortunately lost a few wealthy high rollers due to this policy but that was one of the tradeoffs we had to make in order to run a reputable casino. Our extensive camera security system was the envy of the other Island casinos and in time would be widely copied. This was a plus for all of us. Occasionally our security personnel would identify a unknown cheater who was not a guest. They would be banned from the casino permanently and their photo would be quietly circulated to the other Macau casinos which, in turn, would return the favor when they identified an unknown cheater.

  We knew that there would be some guests who would employ the services of professional female or male prostitutes during their stays. While such sexual liaisons were not prohibited in the privacy of the suites, no solicitation or promiscuity of any kind was tolerated in our public areas. The elevator lobbies, hotel hallways and public areas were under constant monitoring not only by video cameras but also by our security personel who constantly patrolled them. No one except guests were allowed on the elevators to the suite floors until clear
ance was authorized either by the sponsoring guest or by a security supervisor.

  While it was no secret that I was the developer of the Jade Palace complex, I went out of my way to maintain a low profile. As circumstances allowed, I spent less and less time at the resort. Within a short time after opening, our resort developed the reputation as being the best of the best on Macau. I spoke by phone with my general manager several times every day and sometimes with other managers as well. Slowly though I was able to turn my attention back to my investment company, my ferry company and to the development of the remaining vacant lands adjacent to the resort.

  My prominence within the business community soared when the resort opened. I constantly had to turn down requests for interviews and my office referred all such inquiries to the resort’s public relations office. After several months, things finally began to quiet down some though I still found myself being showed to the best table in the house or receiving complimentary tickets to entertainment and athletic events. I resigned myself to probably never again being able to enjoy the relative anonymity I had before the resort opened. I understood now more than ever the value that Sur placed on privacy.

  •

  My father and I were both special guests at Li’s grand opening. I was so happy for Li knowing how hard he had worked to bring his project to life. He assured me that when the festivities were over he would have more time to whip my ass in hand ball. I laughed and told him I doubted that.

  Not long after the opening, Li called and, once again, like he had once before several years ago, invited me and my father to lunch to discuss a business proposition. By this time, my father was quite fond of Li being particularly pleased with the success of our securities investments made upon the advice of his Singapore advisor. Remembering the last time he had invited the two of us to lunch, we were naturally curious about what might be on his mind this time. After traditional toasts, Li got right down to business. He asked whether the family might have an interest in starting a helicopter service out of Hong Kong and Kowloon to and from his resort. The hotel’s design had provided for a space which could be used in the future to accommodate helicopters. Li would construct two helipads at his cost and lease the facilities to us if we would commit to providing regular helicopter services to and from these facilities. As before, we were caught off guard. My father however became instantly intrigued with the proposal and told Sur we would certainly take it under consideration. The following day we retained a consultant to advise us as to the efficacy of starting our own helicopter passenger transport business. As we were impressed with the findings, I called Li to inform him we accepted his proposal. Within two months, we had four new top-of-the-line choppers ferrying passengers to and from the Jade Palace. Per Li’s prediction, most of our passengers had deep pockets and were glad to pay the higher fares for fast direct transportation to and from the resort. Our new business was a win for my family and a win for Li. It also gave Li an opportunity to have a business relationship with my family in lieu of any kind of partnership.