Timothy
A few beeps on the phone followed by a...
- Good morning, car rental, my name is Timothy, how can I help you?
- Good morning, can I reserve three comfort class cars for tonight from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm?
- Yes, what's the address for transportation?
- I'll text you in a few minutes, have a good day.
- Always at your service.
Being the owner of a small fleet of 16 cars, Timothy preferred to make arrangements with customers personally. The customers were happy and the employees of “Tim Auto Rent” saw him as a leader, not a boss.
Timothy had been in the auto rental business for about two years, about the same amount of time since he had last seen Cal. Such a long pause for people who considered themselves friends would be insulting to their friendship, but only if one didn't know about the pact Cal and Timothy had made the day they had last seen each other.
After failing in his previous endeavors, Timothy could not afford to suffer another defeat. So he decided to leave the town he was born and raised in. It was not an escape from his problems, but a well-considered decision, one that Cal had helped him make.
*****
Speeding above the speed limit, loud music combined with the sound of rain and an incoming message on your phone screen.
- Ok.
Timothy drove in his usual manner, overtaking cars, occasionally cursing other road users. Cal was to wait for him at the gate of his house in 20 minutes, as Timothy put it, for an important conversation. Arriving not much earlier, Timothy fiddled with his phone waiting for his friend.
Knock, knock, knock... the sound of the window coming down.
- Jump in the car, bro.
- What's up? What's up?
- It's all right, I haven't seen you in a while.
- Yeah, tell me what's going on. Rent, debts. I'm fine, mostly at home.
- Good for you, but I don't know what to do, I've tried everything, but I can't get the money I need anytime soon.
- How much?
- $27,600 just for emergencies, and then. -Timothy waved his hand.
- What a mess we've made! Both different and both unpalatable. Ha-ha.
- Aha! That's what we're good at," Timothy added with a chuckle.
- Any idea what to do about it? At least a rough one? Let's do something together.
- If I had an idea how to solve this, I wouldn't be sitting here. All I have is the desire to not get endless incoming calls and texts with the same message! Where's the money? When's the money? What money? I'm sick of it!
- Get a grip, you think I don't have the same thing! Though not as often or as much as you. I'm sure you'll find a solution, calm down.
- How can it be found? I've tried everything I can think of. And my debts and stress are only getting worse. You don't know how much I have to lie and make up stories to get an extension on my debts. For example, today I have to pay the rent for this month and the previous two months, for a cafe that still doesn't really work. Now you tell me, where is that solution?
- Tim, first of all! Everything that happens doesn't fall out of the sky, don't forget that. Secondly, neither you nor I can expect any help. And we don't need any help, we're in this mess, we'll get out of it. So let's focus on finding a solution, not whining.
- Okay," Timothy agreed with a heavy exhalation.
They spent the next ten or fifteen minutes silently staring into space, letting the stream of cluttered thoughts flow through their minds, hoping to catch a single good idea. Cal had it easier in this case, his debts were not limited to such a short period of time, and the total amount was several times smaller.
Help in solving other people's problems was always easier for Cal than solving his own, usually in the process of conversation, having taken a goal as a basis, Cal offered options for its achievement. In turn, the owner of the problem, rejected or agreed, making his own adjustments. This was what Timothy had come for, Cal understood it perfectly well, but he could not offer anything worthwhile. The silence was interrupted by the melody of an incoming call, "RENT." was displayed in large letters on the screen. Gesturing to emphasize the seriousness of the situation, Timothy picked up the phone and put it on speaker.
- Hello, Timothy.
- Uh, hello.
- We did not go to your meeting to hear another story from you, if the rent is not paid by the end of the day, our agreement will be terminated unilaterally, and your equipment will remain with us until you pay your rent arrears. Goodbye.
- That's it! - Timothy said with a bitter note of relief.
- Perhaps this is just what you need. Things didn't go well in the beginning, so I think you should give up trying to fix it and move on. I've told you many times, and you realize it yourself, you can't build a successful business on lies, and you've taken on three different businesses at once.
- You think I wanted this to happen? I had no idea that little deception would turn into all this shit! But it's already happened, so start coming up with ideas like you always do, help me!
- Help yourself! Ha-ha-ha, he laughed sincerely and loudly, slamming on the dashboard of the car, which made Timothy angry for a moment, he realized that this phrase was not serious, as well as its meaning. But these two knew how to laugh where there seemed to be no room for humor.
- That's it! From now on, all your problems are over, forget about them like they never happened! Let's go get something to eat!
- Go.
It was about six o'clock before the end of the working day, when the two guys entered a small restaurant, of which they were frequent visitors. The staff smiled welcomingly at their presence, the waitress who usually served them brought two glasses of water with lemon, said hello and was ready to take their order.
- Hi, can I have a trout steak baked in the oven, and my friend...
- Beef stroganoff with a complex side dish, peach juice, bread and the bill added Cal.
Putting the contents of his pockets on the table, Timothy once again said:
- When are you going to order something else, how many times do you have to eat the same thing?
Smiling back, Cal asked.
- What do you want?
- What do you mean?
- Life in general.
- The same as everyone else! To be happy, to be rich, to be in love, that's a strange question, aren't you?
- As strange as the answer, everyone wants the same thing, but almost no one has what they want. How can that be! Look, everyone wants to be happy, but few people can explain what happiness is, and those who try, most often say different things. Everyone wants to be healthy, but they drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes and don't exercise their bodies. Everyone wants to be rich, but they work wherever they can without much desire, having the only incentive in the form of an hourly, weekly, monthly or annual salary. Everyone around them talks about some incredible love and how well they know about it, but in fact most of their relationships are quarrels on the slightest occasion and misunderstandings. Are we in the same category as all these other people who don't understand much?
- I don't know! I need to get my life together, and then I can figure it all out... what I want, why I want it, and so on.
- That's why I asked. Since I don't know what I want or who I am fully, how can we get anything without knowing what we really want.
- I'd like to get away from it all, get a fresh start. Without endless calls, any calls, meetings, driving back and forth from morning to night, just to be in silence, to take a break from everything, from everyone. Start a small business and develop it. I want to change, my eyes are tired of seeing the same thing. Change places, people in the phone book, elementary want to hear new voices. Do you realize how tired I am?
- So sell the car, pay off some of your debts and go wherever you want. I'll help you with that, if you mean it.
- To be honest, I've been thinking about it for a long time, but I can't make up my mind. I don't want people talking bad about me, like I'm some kind of con man or a loser.
- If we do it right, no one will ever think that. Tell me what your debts are and what other things you need to take care of on short notice. - Cal asked the waitress for a pen and a piece of paper and began to write at Timothy's dictation.
- 1 - $12,000 in rent arrears.
- 2 - $10,000 + 5% weekly, to a private lender a friend helped me find.
- 3 - $2,500 unpaid balance on cafe furniture.
- 4 - 1600$ two months rent for the apartment, including this month.
- And last, the $1,500 I borrowed to pay that 5% to a private lender two days ago.
- That's $27,600 plus $500 for this week's interest. And why write that down? When I already know it all by heart," Timothy said with a note of bitterness in his voice.
Turning the sheet over, at the very top Cal wrote - Property.
- An automobile.
- ?
- What do you have besides a car? - Asked Cal looking at Timothy with eyes having a plan of action.
- What do you mean? What I got, lots of things!
- For sale, bro, for sale. Let's figure out what we can sell and how much we can get, and then we'll figure out how to dispose of it, so you'll end up wherever you want and people will be happy.
- Even if I paid them all off right now, they wouldn't be happy. What are you talking about, bro!
- Look, Tim, basically nothing irreparable has happened yet. You've paid interest to a private lender, late rent payments happen all the time, it's not an excuse, but it happens. And they call you not to insult you, but because they have the right to demand fulfillment of obligations that you have undertaken. So let's move on, what else you got? Anyway, it's the only idea so far.
Looking up and then back at Cal, Timothy began to list by curling his fingers.
- Watches, one I bought for $700, the other for $1,850, both in excellent condition. Cufflinks, $270. A classic suit for about $800 I don't remember exactly, I wore it a couple times with cufflinks to some events. Laptop, camera, printer, TV, which is in the bedroom, cue for playing pool for $500, which is hanging in the closet since the day of its purchase. There's also an exercise bike. I can't think of anything else, I think that's it.
- Not bad! - Cal said with a smile, looking at the list of 11 things that can be turned into money.
- How much do you think you can get out of this?
- Mmm... I think if I sell it all for half of its original value, it's not bad, plus the iron horse. So what do you say we start looking for buyers?
- Take your time, bro. - Timothy's tone was full of positive excitement. Suppose we sold everything, including the car, I don't think that would be enough.
- You always want to solve all your problems at once, but that's rarely the case! If we were paid for our ability to fly in the clouds, imagining how easy, fast and large our business is going up, we would have become millionaires long ago. Let's solve problems based on reality, otherwise a couple of incoming calls will bring us back to it in an instant.
20 minutes passed quickly for both of them, during which the establishment called "Rhombus" obliged itself to serve any order. Otherwise, diners could choose not to pay the bill. The inside of the restaurant was shaped like a Rhombus, hence its name. Although it was located on the first floor of a standard rectangular-shaped building. The height of the ceilings was about five meters, there were no chandeliers or protruding bulbs, and the lighting was a huge pleasantly glowing rhombus overhead, stretching over the entire area of the restaurant, with the ability to adjust the brightness of each booth. Timothy ate quickly, not letting the dish get cold, Cal liked to talk about something while eating, to watch entertainment programs, and finished his meal barely warm, which was often criticized by people.
- So what do you think? - Cal asked, "If you've made up your mind, the first thing we'll do is sell your car. The Internet is full of ads on the urgent buyout of cars, I think it will not be difficult. Pay off the rent by the end of the day, and we'll try to find buyers for the furniture and stuff as soon as possible. We'll take care of the urgent business, and I hope you'll find the rest of it a lot easier than this. The only question is, where are you gonna go?
- Let's settle our debts first and then I'll decide where!
- Well, then call the fence, get them on their way.
Timothy quickly found a few numbers in the classifieds, with good reviews and anytime visits within the city limits. After briefly describing the car, Timothy asked the buyers to come over for an inspection. Ten minutes later the guys went outside to wait for potential buyers. Soon two guys arrived, politely said hello and started to look for external and internal flaws in the car, to which Timothy advised not to waste much time and informed the buyers that their competitors were coming to them, as if pushing the guys to buy as soon as possible. To which in a few minutes it sounded $18,000 with a market price of $24,000 to $26,000. Not thinking long Timothy gave his consent, and an hour later he and Cal were on their way to the rent department of the shopping center intending to pay off the debt and terminate the lease. Cal sat in the back of the cab for about 15 minutes, waiting for a call from Timothy, who called him to look at the furniture and kitchen equipment, which, it turned out, could also be sold, something neither of them had ever thought of before. This fact was a pleasant surprise in light of the new plan and determination completely overtook fear.
Timothy was by nature an emotional man, and many of his decisions were made without careful analysis. This was what he was thinking as he looked at the paperwork in front of him as he terminated the lease, and the wistful smile coupled with a few nods of his head indicated his current understanding of the consequences of the hasty decisions that had led him through life in this and similar situations. Signing the document, Timothy felt a feeling he had forgotten about, a feeling that had not seemed to him to matter much before. After all, the commitments Timothy had made in the past, even if they were not so significant, had been nullified by a single word or ignored for a brief period of time, after which a meeting or a telephone conversation would pass as if nothing had happened.
Extending his hand for a farewell handshake, the rent officer said regretfully: "It's a pity that our cooperation with you ends this way." Timothy shook his outstretched hand firmly and in a confident voice replied, "It's a pity! But not by that much!"
The deadline for removal of the furniture and kitchen equipment was three days. Which prioritized selling it as soon as possible. After taking a few pictures and a short video, which testified to the impeccable condition of both, the guys returned to the "Rhombus" at their regular table, so as not wasting time to continue the realization of the plan.
- Congratulations, buddy. Cal said, unfolding a piece of paper with a list of debts, going to cross out the main point.
The waitress brought already traditional water with lemon, smiled sweetly and leaving heard...
- Can I have a couple of classic cheesecakes, green tea and a pen, please?
Taking a pen out of the waist pocket of her uniform, the waitress gave it to Cal and left. Checking the box for rent arrears, Cal turned the sheet over, crossed the car off the list of possessions, and put in furniture and kitchen equipment.
- How much to ask for the furniture and equipment? Who should we sell it to? Maybe we should talk to the receptionist, don't you think? Asked Timothy and immediately with a push of a button called the waitress, then asked to call the manager.
- Hello, how can I help you? - In a friendly and at the same time ready for action tone, a few minutes later, after greeting the guys by name, the restaurant manager appeared before them.
- Have a seat. - Timothy politely responded, pointing to the seat opposite him and got to the point of the conversation.
- We have a proposition for you. The thing is that I closed a small cafe today, not having had time to work, after which there was furniture and kitchen equipment bought about two months ago and I need to sell it all. Please take a look at the pictures, maybe we could help each other.
After looking through the photos, the administrator took a phone out of his pocket and called someone, without saying a word, the guys froze in anticipation, watching his actions intently. After the greeting, after a short pause, a description of the goods sounded with the words "Remember you asked."
- How much do you want for everything? - Keeping the interlocutor on the line, the receptionist was mediating the conversation.
After a second's thought Timothy offered to come and look at the offered goods tomorrow morning, adding...
- Given our intentions and the current situation, I think we can come to an agreement.
Hearing a third voice, the receptionist's phone speaker sounded in agreement, complete with gratitude at the opportunity. Putting both hands palms down on the table, reflecting the dim ceiling glow, the manager dictated the number of the potential buyer, then the guys exchanged handshakes and he returned to his duties.
The sweet taste of cheesecake pleasantly completed the agreement, and the guys were comfortably seated on the two-seater sofas opposite each other, looking forward to tomorrow.
- Why didn't you name a price? - Cal asked, assuming the answer.
- I was afraid to scare him off! And we are not in a position to insist on a specific price. So I think whatever he's offering tomorrow, we should go with it.
- How much did the furniture cost? And...
- The furniture is 8000 or 8500, I don't remember exactly, but I still owe 2500 for it. The equipment with all the appliances and stuff like that is about 11000 - 12000. So if we get more than a tenner for everything, so be it.
- I think we're done today, I'm gonna head home if that's okay?
- Thanks for the support, I'm a little exhausted too, I'll pay the landlord later and that's it for today.
- What time is that man arriving? About...
- I'll text you as soon as I've clarified that.
- Okay. I'll go, and you figure out where you're going afterward.
Waiting for the cab to arrive Cal said goodbye to Timothy and went home, thinking that today was not a wasted day.