Is that an iron ore deposit or are you just happy to see me?
I went into the city to do accounting today and went to my biggest client who is a big time real estate guy. He usually comes in around 2pm and wants to go for lunch since he is semi-retired and is basically paying me to be his friend. Don’t get me wrong, I do a lot of tax work but pretty much everybody hates him. Especially his family. So he likes to go out ant shoot the shit and tell me how stupid everyone is. No problem for me because I get an hourly rate no matter what we are doing.
Anyway today he tells me he wants me to go with him to a luncheon downstairs at Delominico’s restaurant in the hotel on 40th St. It was for this investment group and his brother invited him to hear about a company looking for investors. Now my client doesn’t get along with his brother and when they are together it is like a comedy show. He goes to me “Did you ever meet my brother?” I said “Yeah when you were sitting shiva for your Mom he was over your house.” “Well my brother is an idiot but if you come along I won’t have to talk to him because he will be asking you for free advice.” Which wouldn’t really be free because I was on the clock but what are you gonna do.
So we sign up and go to the back room where about forty or fifty guys and suits and ties are waiting for the presentation while they started on their salads. We were the only two guys who weren’t in business suits. We both had on jeans and leather jackets with button down shirts and comfortable shoes. I know as you get older you start to look like you pets but do you start to look like your clients?
The presentation started with a slide show. I needed John from the Southwest with me because it was a mining company and the dude was all about ore deposits and yields and what not. The company had no debt and several deals where they had 3% of the gross not the net which seemed interesting. You see they buy property where they know there are minerals and farm out the development. So even if that company went belly up, someone else comes into develop it since the minerals are still there.
Of course all these dudes were just here for the free lunch. The food was pretty good actually. You got a salad with a choice of salmon or lemon chicken with spinach and a potato croquette for the main course. We didn’t stay for dessert as the presentation dragged on and on and people were just fleeing into the rain soaked streets.
As we were leaving we walked through the main dining room and all of these business people were having lunch. I don’t do that anymore. Have lunch at a nice Manhattan restaurant. I used to do it all the time. Every day in fact, when I used to work in the city. I don’t miss it. It is too much to eat in the middle of the day. And we didn’t even have cocktails!
When we got back to the office my client went right to sleep at his desk. That was cool. I got my work done without interruption.
Every cloudy lunch has a silver lining.
I went into the city to do accounting today and went to my biggest client who is a big time real estate guy. He usually comes in around 2pm and wants to go for lunch since he is semi-retired and is basically paying me to be his friend. Don’t get me wrong, I do a lot of tax work but pretty much everybody hates him. Especially his family. So he likes to go out ant shoot the shit and tell me how stupid everyone is. No problem for me because I get an hourly rate no matter what we are doing.
Anyway today he tells me he wants me to go with him to a luncheon downstairs at Delominico’s restaurant in the hotel on 40th St. It was for this investment group and his brother invited him to hear about a company looking for investors. Now my client doesn’t get along with his brother and when they are together it is like a comedy show. He goes to me “Did you ever meet my brother?” I said “Yeah when you were sitting shiva for your Mom he was over your house.” “Well my brother is an idiot but if you come along I won’t have to talk to him because he will be asking you for free advice.” Which wouldn’t really be free because I was on the clock but what are you gonna do.
So we sign up and go to the back room where about forty or fifty guys and suits and ties are waiting for the presentation while they started on their salads. We were the only two guys who weren’t in business suits. We both had on jeans and leather jackets with button down shirts and comfortable shoes. I know as you get older you start to look like you pets but do you start to look like your clients?
The presentation started with a slide show. I needed John from the Southwest with me because it was a mining company and the dude was all about ore deposits and yields and what not. The company had no debt and several deals where they had 3% of the gross not the net which seemed interesting. You see they buy property where they know there are minerals and farm out the development. So even if that company went belly up, someone else comes into develop it since the minerals are still there.
Of course all these dudes were just here for the free lunch. The food was pretty good actually. You got a salad with a choice of salmon or lemon chicken with spinach and a potato croquette for the main course. We didn’t stay for dessert as the presentation dragged on and on and people were just fleeing into the rain soaked streets.
As we were leaving we walked through the main dining room and all of these business people were having lunch. I don’t do that anymore. Have lunch at a nice Manhattan restaurant. I used to do it all the time. Every day in fact, when I used to work in the city. I don’t miss it. It is too much to eat in the middle of the day. And we didn’t even have cocktails!
When we got back to the office my client went right to sleep at his desk. That was cool. I got my work done without interruption.
Every cloudy lunch has a silver lining.
8 comments:
At first I thought you were describing me, except for the semi-retired part.
Even my friends don't like me.
If I can ever get it together, I'd love to have lunch with you in a Manhattan restaurant. Keen's, for the mutton... and then a nap.
Sigh, I do miss it there...
Yankees are in trouble if they get past Bobby Abreu!
Heh- "fell asleep at his desk". I have to put that on my list of things to do someday! I agree with your point - life is too serious anymore. It ain't like you only get one ! Heh.
*Makes a note not to get into a suicide pact with AJ*
So does Trooper have an iron mine now?
No. The payoff wasn't worth it.
I think everybody was there for the free lunch.
wtf, Delmonico's on 40 St? Delmonico's is about 3 blocks from my old office on Wall St! (For you hicks, I mean non-NYers, that's a long way, more than 40 blocks)
It is a different joint with the same name. I think it was offshoot of some sort.
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