Ross went to OKC on Monday morning, almost with his mind blank, and without any idea of what would happen when he was there.
Ross could not say that "Time was being wasted with going to OKC when he had so much work to do in the office.
When Ross got to OKC, Fritz and Steve picked Ross up at the airport. The three men went back to the office they shared, and began open discussion on things.
It's almost.. hilarious. We have this huge natural gas strike that will probably make us more wealthy than we could have ever dreamed, and yet, we can do nothing with it, until it is fully evaluated. I'm almost.. fearful of engaging in any new ventures with any other partners, or new partnerships, out of concern that someone will or would want any portion of that strike. The strike, when the natural gas begins flowing, is solely for ourselves, and any investors who ante up their money to be involved in it. Thus, now, what the hell do we do?" Fritz said.
Ross started laughing, and could not stop. Fritz was almost annoyed when Ross would not divulge the reason for his laughter.
"Okay, partner from up north, would you please like to tell us what the Hell is so funny to you?" Fritz asked.
"Well... I had a thought about something. I know that we are always involved in oil and gas. What would you guys think, if, during this little hiatus we are forced to take due to this amazing strike, if. we did something that was outside the area of oil and gas and building, and more in my line of work. Such as,, a new product based in New York with someone involved with my company, and we had some investors from down here? Would you guys at least, consider it, so we are not dormant for these three months until this gas strike is figured out? I know that it sounds like maybe a crazy idea. Yet there are only two other options for it, remain dormant, or, start in with a real estate project that becomes a pain in the ass, and causes some of the same zoning problems that we always seem to have" Ross said.
Fritz gave a wide grin. "That sounds like a fine idea. As long as we make money. Who the hell cares how we make it? Steve and me could make trips up to New York just like you make trips up here, and you could introduce us to some of your marketing buddies up there, Ross. Who knows, maybe we could get new investors for our ventures when we do get rolling again" Fritz said.
"I know this is an unorthodox idea, but, to tell you the truth, all the zoning problems that we have had with the building projects, have been so frustrating, that they make what I do in the day to day work at RossShell, seem like easy work, and my day to day work at RossShell as we all know, is anything but" Ross said.
"I will tell you what, Ross. Since we know that Miss Kayley hates when you are away too long, and to save time, why dont you stay just tonight. We will all have dinner, and go home early tomorrow, and figure out what you think you would like Steve and me to be involved with for you. We will discuss the ideas via phone and computer, and then at the right time, Steve and me will come up to New York, and meet with the people you suggest. As soon as this gas strike is figured out, we are back to the recruiting investors as we always do. I know that we have to be patient" Fritz said.
"Guys, excuse me for a minute, let me go into my office, call Kayley's cell phone, and make a flight to JFK early tomorrow. I'm going to actually have to be back in the RossShell office to think about what I might want you to be involved with . Ross said.
Ross went into his office, and called Kayley. It turned out, she had an unexpected early dismissal due to a plumbing problem at school. "Kale, its me. I will be home early tomorrow morning. No reason to stay here. We know that we just have to wait out the gas strike until it has been evaluated. Fritz and Steve are thinking about investing in some of RossShell's other ventures, or, redcommending a new venture involving someone from down here" Ross said.
Kayley sighed. "Ross, I'm very wary of that. Please be careful. Fritz and Steve are oil and gas experts. They are now your main venture, your main source of income. If you ever decide to pack RossShell in or you greatly scale it down, you will need them more than ever. I dont like the idea of you involving them with your marketing clients at all. You guys can talk to someone just to keep busy. However, if you do involve them with any marketing ventures, please keep the investment for them very small at first and do not involve them for big money. To do anything else, would not be prudent. Do you see my point?" Kayley said.
"Yes, I do , teacher, and I will be mindful of it, and will do just that" Ross said.
Ross, Fritz and Steve just talked about things through the day, went to dinner that night, and Ross made an early morning flight home the next morning. Ross went to the apartment instead of the office, checked in, lied down for a nap, and Kayley came home around 4, sat on the bed, and kissed Ross. "That was the most rapid trip you've ever had there" Kayley said.
"Welll, it was also prudent. We are not going to get involved with junk aggravating real estate deals while the gas strike is being looked at. I know that we just have to wait, and cannot do any oil or gas deals, until that happens. We called the field while I was down there. We got the field foreman and his other people on the phone. They are figuring 60 days. Waiting 60 days to do things right, is better than rushing something. "Ross said.
"Ross, you did understand what I said and why I said to be very careful involving Fritz and Steve with your marketing friends and ventures. Fritz and Steve know nothing about marketing, and even though you do, if I were you, I would keep them out of it. That is just my advice, but you make the final decision" Kayley said.
"Kale, when it slipped out of my mouth, Fritz was intrigued. To be honest, I think they will be bored to death until this strike is figured out. What will they, and what will we do before that? All of us have endured such aggravation with land deals. If we got started, it would not be worth the time and aggravation, and if we went into partnership with someone, the negotiating, and money involved, would not be worth the effort. Such is why I suggested this" Ross said.
"Okay, fine. So. I'm thinking that maybe you should talk to Tim and ask him his opinion. You still have to evaluate that company for him within 30 days. I think you should focus on that now that you;re home. Talk to Fritz and Steve on the phone, see if there is a way to do their idea, and then see. They know how much of your time Tim takes up, just like Tim knows how much of your time they take up. It is a Catch 22" Kayley said.
The next day, with the oil and gas on hold, due to the figuring out of the gas strike. Ross went into the office, and tried to evaluate Tim;'s new company. When Tim called Ross on the phone that day, Ross could not help but bring up the subject. "Tim, while I was in OKC for that 24 hours, we got nothing done. We can get nothing done until that gas strike is evaluated. Is there, any way, that we might be able to involve Fritz and Steve in something we do , or with someone you know? It does not have to be for big money. Maybe , they come up here, the four of us go out to dinner. We discuss things, and perhaps, you could, figure out something small for them to be involved in without any big money being put on the table. In the meantime, I am here, and steadily evaluating the company you want me to, so that it is done ASAP./ I think we can do it sooner than 30 days once I finish the sizing up, and we meet the people, but I know that both of us have to be careful" Ross said.
"That;s fine, Ross Tell you what. Let's meet for lunch or an early dinner tomorrow to discuss all of this. Dinner gives you two more full business days to look at this. Shun Lee 6 pm. You can tell me your opinion of the company I gave you so far, and then tell me about Fritz and Steve, and we can discuss how to involve them" Tim said.
Ross and Tim agreed to meet the next night at Shun Lee.
Ross seemed to be exhibiting almost. unwise impatience while waiting for probably the most major gas hit of his career in the field thus far. Part of it was that Fritz and Steve wanted to be busy.
Would Ross really involve Fritz and Steve actually with Tim? What would the men agree on if they did get involved, and how would it turn out?
That would be seen.
Ross could not say that "Time was being wasted with going to OKC when he had so much work to do in the office.
When Ross got to OKC, Fritz and Steve picked Ross up at the airport. The three men went back to the office they shared, and began open discussion on things.
It's almost.. hilarious. We have this huge natural gas strike that will probably make us more wealthy than we could have ever dreamed, and yet, we can do nothing with it, until it is fully evaluated. I'm almost.. fearful of engaging in any new ventures with any other partners, or new partnerships, out of concern that someone will or would want any portion of that strike. The strike, when the natural gas begins flowing, is solely for ourselves, and any investors who ante up their money to be involved in it. Thus, now, what the hell do we do?" Fritz said.
Ross started laughing, and could not stop. Fritz was almost annoyed when Ross would not divulge the reason for his laughter.
"Okay, partner from up north, would you please like to tell us what the Hell is so funny to you?" Fritz asked.
"Well... I had a thought about something. I know that we are always involved in oil and gas. What would you guys think, if, during this little hiatus we are forced to take due to this amazing strike, if. we did something that was outside the area of oil and gas and building, and more in my line of work. Such as,, a new product based in New York with someone involved with my company, and we had some investors from down here? Would you guys at least, consider it, so we are not dormant for these three months until this gas strike is figured out? I know that it sounds like maybe a crazy idea. Yet there are only two other options for it, remain dormant, or, start in with a real estate project that becomes a pain in the ass, and causes some of the same zoning problems that we always seem to have" Ross said.
Fritz gave a wide grin. "That sounds like a fine idea. As long as we make money. Who the hell cares how we make it? Steve and me could make trips up to New York just like you make trips up here, and you could introduce us to some of your marketing buddies up there, Ross. Who knows, maybe we could get new investors for our ventures when we do get rolling again" Fritz said.
"I know this is an unorthodox idea, but, to tell you the truth, all the zoning problems that we have had with the building projects, have been so frustrating, that they make what I do in the day to day work at RossShell, seem like easy work, and my day to day work at RossShell as we all know, is anything but" Ross said.
"I will tell you what, Ross. Since we know that Miss Kayley hates when you are away too long, and to save time, why dont you stay just tonight. We will all have dinner, and go home early tomorrow, and figure out what you think you would like Steve and me to be involved with for you. We will discuss the ideas via phone and computer, and then at the right time, Steve and me will come up to New York, and meet with the people you suggest. As soon as this gas strike is figured out, we are back to the recruiting investors as we always do. I know that we have to be patient" Fritz said.
"Guys, excuse me for a minute, let me go into my office, call Kayley's cell phone, and make a flight to JFK early tomorrow. I'm going to actually have to be back in the RossShell office to think about what I might want you to be involved with . Ross said.
Ross went into his office, and called Kayley. It turned out, she had an unexpected early dismissal due to a plumbing problem at school. "Kale, its me. I will be home early tomorrow morning. No reason to stay here. We know that we just have to wait out the gas strike until it has been evaluated. Fritz and Steve are thinking about investing in some of RossShell's other ventures, or, redcommending a new venture involving someone from down here" Ross said.
Kayley sighed. "Ross, I'm very wary of that. Please be careful. Fritz and Steve are oil and gas experts. They are now your main venture, your main source of income. If you ever decide to pack RossShell in or you greatly scale it down, you will need them more than ever. I dont like the idea of you involving them with your marketing clients at all. You guys can talk to someone just to keep busy. However, if you do involve them with any marketing ventures, please keep the investment for them very small at first and do not involve them for big money. To do anything else, would not be prudent. Do you see my point?" Kayley said.
"Yes, I do , teacher, and I will be mindful of it, and will do just that" Ross said.
Ross, Fritz and Steve just talked about things through the day, went to dinner that night, and Ross made an early morning flight home the next morning. Ross went to the apartment instead of the office, checked in, lied down for a nap, and Kayley came home around 4, sat on the bed, and kissed Ross. "That was the most rapid trip you've ever had there" Kayley said.
"Welll, it was also prudent. We are not going to get involved with junk aggravating real estate deals while the gas strike is being looked at. I know that we just have to wait, and cannot do any oil or gas deals, until that happens. We called the field while I was down there. We got the field foreman and his other people on the phone. They are figuring 60 days. Waiting 60 days to do things right, is better than rushing something. "Ross said.
"Ross, you did understand what I said and why I said to be very careful involving Fritz and Steve with your marketing friends and ventures. Fritz and Steve know nothing about marketing, and even though you do, if I were you, I would keep them out of it. That is just my advice, but you make the final decision" Kayley said.
"Kale, when it slipped out of my mouth, Fritz was intrigued. To be honest, I think they will be bored to death until this strike is figured out. What will they, and what will we do before that? All of us have endured such aggravation with land deals. If we got started, it would not be worth the time and aggravation, and if we went into partnership with someone, the negotiating, and money involved, would not be worth the effort. Such is why I suggested this" Ross said.
"Okay, fine. So. I'm thinking that maybe you should talk to Tim and ask him his opinion. You still have to evaluate that company for him within 30 days. I think you should focus on that now that you;re home. Talk to Fritz and Steve on the phone, see if there is a way to do their idea, and then see. They know how much of your time Tim takes up, just like Tim knows how much of your time they take up. It is a Catch 22" Kayley said.
The next day, with the oil and gas on hold, due to the figuring out of the gas strike. Ross went into the office, and tried to evaluate Tim;'s new company. When Tim called Ross on the phone that day, Ross could not help but bring up the subject. "Tim, while I was in OKC for that 24 hours, we got nothing done. We can get nothing done until that gas strike is evaluated. Is there, any way, that we might be able to involve Fritz and Steve in something we do , or with someone you know? It does not have to be for big money. Maybe , they come up here, the four of us go out to dinner. We discuss things, and perhaps, you could, figure out something small for them to be involved in without any big money being put on the table. In the meantime, I am here, and steadily evaluating the company you want me to, so that it is done ASAP./ I think we can do it sooner than 30 days once I finish the sizing up, and we meet the people, but I know that both of us have to be careful" Ross said.
"That;s fine, Ross Tell you what. Let's meet for lunch or an early dinner tomorrow to discuss all of this. Dinner gives you two more full business days to look at this. Shun Lee 6 pm. You can tell me your opinion of the company I gave you so far, and then tell me about Fritz and Steve, and we can discuss how to involve them" Tim said.
Ross and Tim agreed to meet the next night at Shun Lee.
Ross seemed to be exhibiting almost. unwise impatience while waiting for probably the most major gas hit of his career in the field thus far. Part of it was that Fritz and Steve wanted to be busy.
Would Ross really involve Fritz and Steve actually with Tim? What would the men agree on if they did get involved, and how would it turn out?
That would be seen.
