Secrets of the Spiral Tower

by Joe Woods

  Stunned by that comment, Willow rose to face Michael, when John stepped in saying, “Michael, let’s be civil here. Comments like that are totally out of order. If you have constructive comments, ok. But stay away from any personal attacks.”

  Red-faced and with clenched fists, Michael asked, “These products haven’t been tested by any studies in this country, have they?”

  Glaring at Michael and in a stern voice, Willow said, “No, Michael, they haven’t, but—.”

  Michael interrupted. “Okay, that proves my point. You’ve made some claims about the quality of these skin care products, but you have no legitimate research to back up your statements. Therefore, before going on-the-air, you should initiate a bona fide year-long study effort and release your findings at the end of that time. You know this company could be sued for false claims, should the products not deliver the desired results. And, furthermore, what about coordination with the FDA? Have you discussed any of this with representatives of that agency?”

  “No. To do so at this juncture would be ill-advised. What I propose is that we present this briefing to our Chinese client. If we get his approval, then we will go to the next step, which includes discussions with the FDA.”

  Turning to John, Willow asked, “Do you think I need to contact the FDA before we get approval from Lim?”

  “You know, Willow, it would be a good move to alert the FDA as to the chemical composition of these products. That would be more of a courtesy informational meeting, rather than a decision meeting.”

  “Okay. I can handle that. But do you agree we should discuss this proposal with our client first?”

  “Yes, we should. Why don’t you contact him and set it up? Rather than having Lim come to our office, let’s hop a flight and visit him on his turf.”

  “Are you saying we should fly to China?”

  “Yes, all the way to Beijing.”

  “A trip to China,” Willow exclaimed. “That would be great.”

  “Michael, since you’re the designated logistics coordinator, please check on a flight schedule. I doubt there will be a direct flight, but at least get us on a non-stop to the West Coast.”

  “Yes Sir. What dates?”

  “Willow, will give you the specifics after you contact Lim?”

  Beaming with confidence, Willow said, “Thanks to all of you for your helpful suggestions. I’ll take them to heart and let you know what happens next.”

  As the room began to empty, John said, “Willow, hold on for a second.”

  Turning, with her note books pulled up to her chest, she said, “Yes sir.”

  “Willow, I hope you didn’t get too upset with Michael and his comments. I’m running a thought through my mind on what to do with him.”

  “You know, John, I’ve come to realize that he will try to derail me at every opportunity. So, I’ve learned to guard my words and take his comments with a grain of salt. When I feel myself getting upset, I always remember some words spoken a long time ago by a very wise man. ‘Patience is never more important than when you are on the edge of losing it.’ I realize Michael is very jealous, and trying my patience. But I can deal with it.”

  “That’s good. Michael is a male chauvinist and thinks women have no place in the professional world. But he may be dangerous though, so keep a close eye on him. After watching him today, I have a big shock in store for him.”

  “Will do, thank you, John. I know there are only two people in this firm I have to satisfy. That’s you and me.”

  “And, as long as our actions are making money for the firm, I’m happy.”

  “What do you think about taking a few extra days to be a tourist in China?”

  Beaming once again, Willow said, “I would love that.”

  “I say that we should tour some of the country before meeting with Lim. That way, we could get a better feel for the culture. I will call the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and set something up. Let me do that before you give Michael our flight dates. And, no one else here needs to know what our specific plans are. As far as they are concerned, it’s all business.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  “Let’s get out of here and make some travel plans.”

  With that exchange John opened the door only to find Michael standing nearby.

  Willow wondered if Michael had been eavesdropping.

  Without acknowledging Michael, Willow walked past him to her office. Flipping to her address book on the computer, she quickly dialed Lim’s overseas phone number. After the third ring, a female voice answered in Chinese.

  Willow said, “Please speak English.”

  The voice said, “Oh Ma’am, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize this call was from the U.S. How may I help you?”

  “That’s quite all right. Could you please connect me to Mr. Lim? This is Willow McKenzie from New York.”

  “Yes Ma’am. I feel like I know you. Mr. Lim talks about you often. He said you are a ‘stunning American beauty.’”

  “How flattering, maybe I can have the pleasure of meeting you soon.”

  “Yes ma’am. That would be wonderful. I look forward to it. One moment please.”

  In a couple of minutes, Lim answered saying, “Hello, Willow. It is good to hear from you.”

  “Lim, I hope I haven’t caught you at a bad time.”

  “No. No. What can I do for you?”

  “Lim, I’ve finished the ad proposal and want to show it to you. John and I would like to visit your office at your earliest convenience.”

  “You mean, meet me here in Beijing?”

  “Yes.”

  “That sounds great. I thought I would see the proposal on the internet.”

  “We thought about that and usually our international clients are contacted that way. But these products have really caught our attention and we feel like a more personal meeting is necessary.”

  With a chuckle, Lim said, “Did I pay you too much that allows you to budget an overseas trip?”

  Laughing, Willow said, “Lim, you have paid us extremely well and we will deliver the very best job for you, regardless of the cost.”

  “That’s great. When do you plan on coming?”

  “I need you to give me some available dates and we’ll make that work into our schedules.”

  “Today is the 3rd. Can you be here on the 10th?”

  “We surely can and look forward to seeing you,”

  “Willow, I do have one request, though.”

  Grabbing her pen, Willow was ready to take notes and said, “Whatever you want let me know.”

  “I want to take the two of you out on the town in Beijing like you and John did for me in New York.”

  “Lim, I thought you were going to give me some instructions. Let me say, John and I would be pleased to accompany you for a night on the town. I have never been to China and this is very exciting for me.”

  “Then I’ll set something up for the 11th.”

  “Lim, thank you so very much. We’ll see you on the 10th. Good bye for now.”

  Willow turned to her computer keyboard and typed a short message to John outlining the plan to meet and greet Lim.

  “Fast work. I’ll contact the Embassy. Then we can finalize our plans.”

  Wanting to share the excitement, Willow picked up the phone and called Tony. Hearing his voice, hers raised several decibels higher. “Tony, guess what? I’m going to China for several days.”

  “Hold on a minute. What do you mean?”

  “You know my China account?”

  “Yeah.”

  “John and I are going to Beijing to present the ad proposal.”

  “That’s great. When are you leaving?”

  “Probably on the 7th. Got to get clearance from the State Department first.”

  “Yeah. I hope you can cut through some of the red tape. Otherwise, you might have to delay your trip for several weeks.”

  “I’m counting on John to pull the right strings. Say, what plans do you have for to
night? I want to go out and celebrate.”

  “That sounds like a plan to me. What time do you want to go?”

  “Could you come by my condo between six or seven this evening?”

  “Sure. Where do you want to go? Are we dressing up?”

  “No. I just want to slip around town to several bars.”

  “I can handle that. See you at six.”

  After closing the cell phone, Tony grinned from ear to ear and wondered how he could be so lucky. Am I going to be the big bear and rob the honey tree tonight? Or is this just another tease?

  * * *

  At one minute past six, Willow’s door chimes rang.

  “Just a minute.”

  Peering through the security peep hole in her door, she saw Tony standing about two feet away holding a bouquet of roses. Releasing the security chain and unlocking the door, she said, “Please come in handsome prince.”

  Stepping through the doorway, Tony saw the most beautiful blonde he had ever seen. There she was, standing in front of him wearing a sheer above-the-knee house coat inviting him to enter. The curtains covering the double glass doors out onto her patio were open, allowing enough light for Tony to see the silhouette of her body beneath the house coat.

  “You look absolutely ravishing. I’m going to have a tough time tonight keeping you to myself. I know you’re going to turn every head when we walk into a restaurant.”

  “Thank you, Tony. You look awfully handsome yourself. By the way, I see you have some flowers. Are they for me?”

  “Oh yes, they are. I was taken back for a moment and completely forgot I was holding them.”

  “I’ll put them on my coffee table.”

  “Tony, you’re so nice and a good friend.”

  I hope I become more than a friend before the night is over. I want to be your lover.

  “Tony, to kick the evening off on a good note, I’ve fixed you a famous Southern drink—a mint julep. Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll get it for you?”

  In a couple of minutes, Willow handed him a glass. “Relax and enjoy the drink. I’ve got to finish my makeup. I’ll be ready shortly.”

  Tony’s heart pounded with anticipation. “Take your time. We’ve got all night.”

  “Don’t think I can last all night or not, but I’m willing to try.”

  “Remember, this is Friday night. Tomorrow is a non-work day. We can rest all day long.”

  While putting on the final touches of her makeup, Willow continued the conversation. “Tony, you know I don’t do that. I’ll follow my usual routine—get up about an hour later than I do during the week, hit the treadmill for an hour, eat a healthy brunch, shower, and arrive at the office by noon.”

  “Willow, you don’t have to do that. You’ve already put in more time than anyone else and don’t forget, Michael will probably be there, too.”

  “Yes, I have put in more time than you men, but that is what it takes to convince people that a woman can be just as productive as a man. And, regarding Michael, you can be assured, he won’t get in my way. He suffered enough the last time I knee’ed him in the groin. I know you and Michael frequent some of the same bars and I wonder if he will ever mention that incident to you. I would be very interested in hearing his spin.”

  “I’ll let you know if I hear anything.”

  “It probably wouldn’t be in his best interest to mention it for fear that John would hear about it. I get the feeling that John is about to unload on him.”

  “Willow, you know you have 100 percent support of everybody else in the firm.”

  “Let me tell you, John stood up for me when I needed him most. I hope he didn’t do that because I’m a woman, but rather because of my skills and abilities.”

  “I think you’re right. John wants to be the ‘top dog’ in the advertising business and you’re helping him stay on top.”

  “Tony, I hope that’s true. I’ll tell you this; I worked like a dog, practically day and night to meet our deadlines. I just hope we don’t screw anything up when we go to China.”

  “Willow, you know I’m jealous that John is going with you instead of me. I know we could have a wonderful time sightseeing in Beijing.”

  “If we’re successful, I’m sure there will be other trips. Maybe you could go on the next one.”

  “I wouldn’t want to go with John, so let’s try to arrange a trip just for the two of us.”

  “I will not try to maneuver John. You’ll have to work on that yourself. You know I’m interested in furthering my professional career.”

  With a smile on his face, Tony said, “Yeah, I know how hard you work to advance yourself. That’s one of the traits I love about you. But, more than that, you don’t step on your co-workers on the way up the corporate ladder.”

  “That character trait is in my DNA. I inherited my work ethic from Daddy. That’s one of the reasons he’s been so successful in the marine towing business. He is highly respected by his competitors because during negotiations, he puts everything on the table. None of his actions are underhanded.”

  “Obviously, that’s a Southern gentleman’s way of doing business. As you have seen, we Yankees don’t share that same level of fairness and integrity.”

  “You’re right. I’m working on that and maybe somewhere along the way, I can influence someone to change their ways.”

  Laughing, Tony said, “Good luck. You’ve got a steep hill to climb. But, it is a worthy goal and I wish you much success.”

  Joining Tony with a mint julep in each hand, Willow said, “Have another, or do you prefer something stronger?”

  “No. The mint julep is just fine. I’ve been enjoying your condo. I guess the painting on the wall is of your father’s tow boat?”

  “That’s his first one, The Elizabeth M was named after my grandmother.”

  “I’ve really enjoying the view from your balcony.”

  “It is especially pretty in the late afternoon when the sun is setting over the city’s skyline. It is a time that helps me wind down after a stressful day.”

  Tony was feeling a little buzz from the mint julep and thought maybe they should stay in tonight.

  “Would you like me to order in a delivery? I know several eateries nearby. There is an especially good Chinese restaurant about two blocks from here.”

  “I don’t think so. But, let’s enjoy a couple more drinks then decide.”

  “Suits me, I’m pretty comfortable.”

  “Tony, I’ve got a good collection of music as far back as the 60s. Do you have a musical request?”

  “Yes. I particularly like the 70s music. There were many good love songs recorded during that decade. Do you have anything by the Starland Vocal Band?”

  “Absolutely. Let me play my theme song. The title is “Nobody Can Take My Dreams From Me.”

  After listening to the song and finishing the last sip of his drink, Tony said, “I feel like I’m living my dream at this very moment. How about you?”

  Willow closed her eyes and leaned back on the small sofa with Tony only six inches away. Tony put his arm around her and tried to kiss her. She pushed him back. “The taxi is waiting on us. We had better get going.”

  “Oh Willow, why rush? I’ll go pay the taxi.”

  “Tony, I have big plans for tonight. I want to hit several of the trendy Manhattan bars and dance the night away. I feel like coming in only when the sun comes up.”

  “Then, you don’t plan on going to work tomorrow?”

  “Maybe in the afternoon or depending on how my head feels, maybe not at all.”

  Tony thought I need to be patient and get as many drinks down her as possible.

  “Okay, let me help you with that scarf. Why don’t we stop by the Chinese restaurant first? They’ve got an exceptional sushi bar.”

  Wrapping the brightly colored scarf around her shoulders, Willow said, “Sounds great. Let’s get going.”

  Although Tony was very comfortable sitting on Willow’s love seat and fe
eling a slight buzz from the mint julep, he quickly stood up, adjusting his clothes that had gotten a bit tight in the groin area.

  After a five block drive, Willow and Tony exited the taxi and entered the restaurant. They selected a booth near a large picture window with a view of the hustle and bustle on the street. The food was delicious and hit the spot for Willow. Folding her napkin and placing it on the side of her plate Willow suggested they hit the street. She pulled an email flyer from her purse and started reading. “I want to go to the M1-5 Bar, the Astor Room, and wind up at the South’s Bar before we return to my condo.”

  “What is that?”

  “It’s called the Thrillers Rewards. It is a daily email that sifts through the crap and finds the best new bars, clubs, lounges, and events in New York. One of the guys at my ad agency puts this thing together. It is up-to-date and quite informative.”

  “I’ve never heard of it, but let’s get moving. The night isn’t getting any younger.”

  By the time they finished bar hopping and returned to her condo, the faint sunrise was showing through the spaces between the tall buildings in Manhattan.

  Once they were inside her condo, Willow said she needed to freshen up. “Please make yourself comfortable. If you want to make some toast, the bread and toaster are on the counter.”

  “Thank you, I will.”

  After placing the bread in the toaster, Tony opened the refrigerator looking for the makings of a Bloody Mary. He heard the shower come on as he poured the mixed drink into a glass, saving enough for Willow. Hearing the shower cut off, he poured a glass of the Bloody Mary and called out to her. “Do you want something to pick you up?”

  “Yes, that would be great.”

  Opening the bathroom door, Tony saw a beautiful, blonde wet-haired woman standing in front of a floor to ceiling mirror with only a bath towel wrapped around her head.

  “Thank you, Tony. I guess you surmised that I like Bloody Mary’s, huh? I’ll be out in a couple of minutes.”

  Turning and closing the door Tony thought, I want to spend the entire morning here.

  In a couple of minutes, Willow, wrapped in a white terry cloth robe, joined Tony in the kitchen.

  “Tony, I had a spectacular night of dancing. I hope I didn’t keep you out too late. It kind of reminded me of a few times in New Orleans on Bourbon Street.”