TUNA LIFE Read Free Page B

reason, of course, had been that the accountants didn’t spend time fidgeting with apps and games when they had Blackberry phones, they were too crappy for that. And Andrew had never seen the need to buy his own phone when his employer provided him one for free. Now he had to cover that expense too. For the first time in his life he actually understood how many fringe benefits he had enjoyed at Avensis Accounting. And it made him even more scared. Profits and cash flow – Avensis Accounting’s mantra. Andrew had neither. He studied the phone in the palm of his hand. He hadn’t bought the iPhone he had really wanted. The gorgeous looking girl in the Virgin Mobile store had convinced him to buy a Samsung Galaxy S3 instead. iPhone is so last year, she had said. Andrew had no idea, but he was smart enough to listen to the younger generation after having witnessed what he did at the Hilton Hotel. It was quite possibly Andrew and his entire generation that was so last year .
    He opened the Mozilla browser on his mobile, and searched up the phone number to the Hilton Hotel. After a bit back and forth, the Hilton Hotel provided him with the name of the firm that had organised the conference four weeks prior. It was a so-called incubator, something that supposedly meant that it invested or provided early investors in technology companies. The chosen companies didn’t only receive funding, however. As part of the package they also gained access to knowledge, expertise and the contacts the incubator could provide. Andrew keyed in the number to Y-Bator.
    “You’re talking to Richard,” the other end answered.
    “Hi. My name is Andrew Engels. I was wondering if it’s possible to get an appointment with one of the partners of Y-Bator.”
    “I’m a partner. Convince me of why I should have a meeting with you,” the voice said.
    Andrew was caught a bit off guard and there was an embarrassing moment of silence before Richard asked if he was still there.
    “I honestly don’t know,” Andrew answered. “I accidentally walked past a conference at the Hilton Hotel a few weeks back. I was so motivated that I quit my job the same day. Now I just want to learn more about what you guys do. I believe half an hour with you could make a huge difference in my life,” he finished.
    “Wow. That’s probably the worst sales pitch I’ve ever heard. Not one single word about ‘what’s in it for me.’ It was all about you.” The voice on the other line laughed. “But it was also refreshingly honest, and devoid of the usual BS people feed me, so I accept your offer. You can take me out for lunch tomorrow. Meet me at the Courthouse Hotel at one. Let’s see if I can help you.”
    Andrew said thank you and rang off. He was relieved. He had managed to get an appointment with one of the partners of Y-Bator. He could get invaluable knowledge in that meeting if he prepared properly. But the coin also had a flipside – he had to pay for lunch, at the Courthouse Hotel. He secretly hoped that Richard wasn’t too thirsty, and that he would show some moderation, because Andrew’s bank account didn’t exactly have room for any extravagances.
    He glanced down at his mobile. At least he had time to play around a little bit with his new toy before he started planning what he wanted out of the meeting with Richard.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

4
    Scott Davis looked like he wanted to be anywhere else than in Vesna Connor’s office. The large body wormed around in the chair. It looked like he didn’t know where to put his feet, which he occasionally crossed back and forth.
    “How’s work going?” Vesna asked.
    “It is how it is. Not much I can do about it,” he said.
    “What do you mean?” Vesna asked. She found the answer perplexingly strange.
    Scott Davis rubbed his left palm on his clean-shaven head. He was wearing a short-sleeved white shirt and a screaming red tie. The tie appeared strangely out of place, considering the rest of the