Money & Power
Money and Power came into the restaurant the other night.
Now Money, he's a legend amongst restaurant folk, came to the country some 30 or 40 years ago, started as a dishwasher, soon opened his own restaurant. Fancy. And his reputation from here drops off the map, countless reports from people I've known who've worked for him describe him as a sexually obsessed tyrant, strange perversions, lawsuits, bizarre things hushed up. This is the report from the underbelly, those people (un)lucky enough to have held employ with him - from discussions with our customers he's well known in the business community as well, for much the same sort of activities, shady dealings and non-payment, despite all this, or perhaps because of it, he's done well.
Power, well, Power wouldn't be anywhere without Money. Somewhere along the way they met and became friends and Money, perhaps realizing that his reputation wouldn't bear the scrutiny that a career in politics necessarily entails, or perhaps he just realized that Money forever has Power in it's pocket, propped up Power, became his invisible banker and supporter on the Campaign trail and so Power did a few terms at the Municipal level.
It was a classic win-win situation. Power came into money, and Money came into more money, diversified into real estate, development, together they organized municipal strategies that saw both of them become very rich, and now there's no untangling where their dirty little fingers have been.
They're pleasant enough, if you play their game, they have a guest they're trying to impress - Priviledge, perhaps, or maybe just more Money? It's uncertain. But things when they don't go Power's way have him whining, he's a bully, first trying to steamroll through his objectives and then meekly backing off with apologies and "you misunderstood", he frustrates easily, a short temper, the fact that he ever became Power, even with Money, especially with Money, is proof of the failure of democracy.
In this restaurant he's aware that Money is king, you see glimpses of his temper and evil disposition, he is, together with Money, guilty by acquaintance, Money, this Money, is someone no politician should ever be seen with, but he doesn't care, and I'm reminded of the Pig Farmer in British Columbia who murdered countless prostitutes upon his farm, forever having parties for Bikers and Politicians, apart from the dress code and general sense of style there's really no difference.
And I wonder if Power really understands that Power, real Power, doesn't need Money. Probably not.
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Cargo Cults - John Frum
And these are fascinating (probably you're already aware) - the religions that sprouted all over the South Pacific following the interactions of primitive indigenous peoples with Allied Servicemen.
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,892609,00.html
http://www.damninteresting.com/john-frum-and-the-cargo-cults/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2267426
Quoting Time Magazine: "Imitation radio antennas made of rope and bamboo were set up to receive news of the millennium, when black skins would turn white and all the harsh demands of life would miraculously disappear." & "All of them share the belief that black men will acquire the white man's magic to materialize goods from overseas without doing a lick of work.
John Frum: Probably a corruption or pidgin version of "Hi I'm John from /OHIO/NEBRASKA/IOWA/WISCONSIN" - reduced to John Frum.
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MAN FROM NAPLES
About 4 months ago we started seeing a new face around the restaurant.
He's short, burly, maybe in his early 50's, ugly. And he meets with the owner and talks over things in hushed voices, apparently he has some cars to sell.
High end, luxury cars, things like Maserati and Ferrari, cars he bought at auction in Florida, confiscated from drug dealers, cars with 5 or 10 miles on them, brand new, at a fraction of what they would cost new.
Lots of cars. Yeah, he can get more.
He hushes his voice whenever he sees me, drops it to a whisper, furtively glances about with exaggerated secrecy, maybe the owner knows some other people that would like a car as well? ...
And oddly enough the owner does.
***
Now he keeps dropping around the restaurant, same shifty appearance, he's got the cars, they're coming. It's June. They'll be here soon, they're being shipped up from the US, he's sold quite a few through this restaurant alone. They're on a truck to the border, Coutts, Montana, then they'll come up to Calgary.
***
The owner's delighted, a chance to buy a car at a fraction of it's worth, a high end luxury sports car like many of our customers drive, he could afford, easily, to buy one new, but this is different, it's the thrill of the deal. Other customers have bought into this as well, they're impatiently waiting for delivery, the only condition seems to be cash up front but everyone's paid so now it's just a matter of time....
***
He reminds me, not so much himself but his bearing, the whole game, of a childhood acquaintance I had named Weedeater. But it's none of my business, and from the glances he shoots me as he's talking to the owner he doesn't think so much of me either...
***
There are delays. The cars are due by the end of June, latest the beginning of July, but there's nothing, "hold ups at the border" he tells the owner, "just a few more days..."
Staff talk about him. Apparently he used to be a cop. Lives in a big home in the North West of Calgary. He's retired, this is just a gig he does on the side.
And he's still popping by the restaurant for a free coffee, telling the owner ludicrous stories about the cars he's sold, about the people that didn't trust him and wanted their money back because he was a little late on delivery, they didn't understand the complications of getting things across the border, they can fuck themselves, he gave them their money back and when the cars got here he sold them at a profit....
He's being set up...
And I tell the owner about a friend I have that's selling the Roman Coliseum, apparently the Italian government is in trouble, they're raising money by selling off the cultural treasures, a couple of million euro's down and it could be his....he takes it in good humour, but we all know if the car doesn't show up soon the humour will vanish.
***
The nephew, he excuses the salesman, his shifty appearance, track suit, dirty clothes - "He's from Naples, what do you expect....?" and then follows it with a story about an uncle of his from Naples who sold the same bridge 7 or 8 times to tourists...
Things do not look good.
***
July progresses, the car doesn't show up. Crossed wires with the supplier, it's in Seattle, Spokane, Montreal, South of Winnipeg, the location changes....
And the owner begins to get suspicious. He has me google his name: "What is it?" I ask - "Franco" he tells me, "Or try Santo, or John...."
Things don't look good. The owner's in touch with a contact in the US, the person responsible for shipping the cars, a generic hotmail address, I search the IP, it comes up in New York, Africa, still the owner isn't worried, it's just miscommunication, the car will show up....
***
There's a mass of Italians, friends of the owner, in the back room. Car guys, all of them have brought back cars from the US, a week, maximum 2 they tell the owner, and the car should be here. Should have been here. It's an intervention of sorts.
***
Still Franco or Santo or John keeps coming around the restaurant. More elaborate back-stories on the cars he's sold, from cars belonging to drug lords named Julio who had houses seized with millions of dollars in cash wrapped up in the garage, irrelevant, elaborate details that no one needs when buying a car...It should be here, will definitely be here soon, there's still room on the truck if he knows anyone who wants to add to the order....Cash up front...
***
Customers ask about the car, it's been how long? 6 Weeks? Should be here any day? They want to see it. Not openly mocking, some, with that gallows humour, speculate upon where it might be, the owner laughs with them and then swears up a storm in the Kitchen.
***
More delays. We close in a week or so for vacation, not to worry, it will definitely be here by then, the owner goes back to Italy and wants to be sure, "no problem" says Franco, it will be here before he leaves.
And just before we leave for vacation word comes in that it's once again at the Coutt's border, will be coming up the next day, will arrive just after the owner gets on his plane to Italy, and so he makes plans for someone to receive it.
***
After the vacation we find out there were more complications. More delays, no, the car wasn't released by the border authorities. No, Franco can't seem to get a trucking or tracking number of any description. But it will be coming, soon,.
One of the the other customers who bought a car off of him is impatient, demands his money back, too many delays, and Franco writes him a cheque, guarantees that he should be able to cash it, it bounces. More excuses. But the cars are still coming....
***
The staff, they seem to believe the car is coming too. I'm a little surprised, but their belief is as much hope - the owner will be unlivable, his moods unbearable, if the car isn't here soon...
***
Mid September, and there's still no car. A friend called the owner to tell him that Franco was being investigated by the RCMP. And the owner has taken it upon himself to do some more research, the luxury home Franco lives in in the North West, it's a rental, and he's hired some Private Investigators to go to the US and try and track down the US contact with the hotmail address, they can't find him, they tell him that probably Franco was using that address to pretend to be the US contact himself, and the owner is quiet, the penny drops....
And more indiscreet customers enquiring about the car, has it shown up yet? Where is it?
And he explodes, his wrath in the kitchen unbearable for the cooks, dishwasher, the front of house staff, his frustration has reached it's limits.
And still there's no car and he's waiting.
***
Update: First thing this morning at work I'm shown the newspaper. It's in both, and I've provided links.
Calgary Sun & The Calgary Herald.
Still, they're hopeful, if not for the Cars at least to get a portion of their money back. Me, I'm still skeptical, wherever he is - IF he's still in the country, he will have hidden the money beyond any hope of recovery. And now his legend increases, he acquires a cleverness he never had by the unwillingness of his victims to believe they were duped, and the circus continues....
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Movie Reviews
The Nephew, he's reviewing movies for me. I don't know where he finds the time but apparently he sees a lot of films.
"Chinese films, they are the worst. I see with my father, 2 people, they fight, then there is 10 minutes of this like a field, nothing, I just stare and wait...and then there's nothing..."
He likes a certain genre of film. Chinese films are not included. He concludes:
"See Hangover 2. Or Joe Dirt, it's kind of sad, but ...."
It ends the same with every movie review. He's highly entertaining, indeed he could probably host his own show catering to a like minded populace. Not my taste, but it's worth the narration.
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