We went back into the main building and went up a wide staircase, up to the first floor. My old Asics were squeaking on the waxed floors, while I was following Natalia, who seemed to know where she was going, as she was walking confidently.
When we reached the landing, I could see the options the wide space offered the visitor. There was a generous double door marked as "Private". To the left there was a not less generous corridor that took you to the conferences rooms. Right opposite to the staircase there was another door marked as "Restrooms". This could be useful, so I made a mental note. Also, as everybody knows, if the door is labeled "Restrooms" instead of "Toilets" there is a higher chance of them being clean.
I let Natalia walk ahead of me from the landing onward because, although wide, I did not feel comfortable walking too close to her, as we did not know each other. I din't want it to be too obvious, but it did not help the conversation.
-- Jesús Díaz is about to arrive-- she said talking to her shoulder -- I booked a small meeting room up here to be able to talk calmly --
I wondered whether she would take part in the meeting and whether there would be need of calm.
--Anything I should know beforehand?-- I asked. For one I was a little nervous but also irritated by the whole circus.
Natalia turned around, seemingly amused, while she hold the door open and invited me to go in.
-- I think not...-- I had to squeeze between her and the door and for a sec our eyes locked and I could breathe her perfume. That was not going to help a lot to calm me down.
The room was fairly small and contained little besides a round table and 4 chairs around it. There was a telephone in the middle of the table and a couple of signed pictures on the wall. I had no clue who they might be. We sat diametrically opposed with an empty chair right before the door which took not much time to be opened and we stood up at the same time, spectating.
The famous Jesús Diaz was a little shorter than me. He had a fairly homogeneous red round head without much hair left, just on the side. He wore round metallic rimmed glasses, which made his eyes look deeper than they actually were in his generous cheeks. His round upper body was clad in a La Martina polo shirt. Pink.
His legs were short and thin, thy poked out, hairy, below some gleaming white pressed shorts.
-- Jesús Díaz-- He said, extending his hand towards me, without too much smiling. Either I had missed something or he had ignored Natalia as if she was not there. -- You must be Mr Wooldrow's friend... --
On my side, I smile and let his hand go. Then he exchanged a nod of acknowledge with Natalia whose answer I missed, as I focused on him. I gave him my name and, just in case, my first surname. I avoided telling him anything about his friends.
-- Mr Wooldrow and I are not exactly friends. He is my future direct boss... -- If it was a competition, I knew how to play too. Wooldrow was the Chief of Engineering on Green Island and certainly my direct boss, as I would not be dependant of the hierarchy of InGnio IGnieros. I focused on smiling and let him sit down first. I could also hear the rustling of Natalia´s chair when she sat down.
Once we were all sat down, Jesús Díaz started to probe me immediately. Natalia was a spectator on the tennis match... or Padel if you'd rather say. He wanted to know who I was and he had a hard time understanding I was a nobody. I had no special contacts and he throught I was lying. Truthfully, I was indeed lying, but the story he had to swallow was that I had contact with Green Island since university, as I collaborated in a project bach then. I had maintained a professional contact with Mr. Wooldrow and now there was a further collaboration opportunity. Officially, Green Island had selected me, but wanted to have SD attached to m InGnio InGnieros and not directly attached to Green Island but the report was directly to it and not Madrid. Politics and Taxes were the reasons.
The second point Jesús Díaz wanted to talk about was about marking the land, his land. On my side I had no problem. At the end of the day SD was not going to use many resources from InGnio InGnieros but from Green Island directly. The commercial side and administration was also Green Island and I would place my Personnel needs directly to Mr. Wooldrow
Jesús Díaz paused a bit there. He was in the position to offer support on andministration and Personnel management, not that they had much to spare, but Special Developments did not have the structure from a "real company". Jesús Díaz spent a little time giving me tips about cost management and time management and the value of proper management
My reply went along thanking him and assuring him I would let Wooldrow know. He didn't like that too much, as he said he could tell him that himself but he was telling it to me as "a friend", to help me.
-- I'll see, it is not my responsibility area though. All I can do it communicate it. With respect to the selection in itself. The budget will be passed by Green Island and not InGnio InGnieros, therefore the approval comes directly from above.-- I smile agreeably -- At the end of the day we are a small department and you have lots to do.--
Jesús Díaz showed a shark smile and lectured me on how much they had to do, the main projects, times, budgets, the lot.
I lt the rght sounds come out, admiration and surprise.
-- Well -- I said -- The main purpose of the department is no other than channel aid money from the Euripean Union -- To this I go his interest. Shall had I started with this, he would have not believed it. Now he had been trying to find the trick and was thinking that his tactics had yielded the expected results. I explained how Special Developments could benefit from certain subventions and thus help reduce taxes for Green Island and InGnio InGnieros. He could see personal profit.
For the first time, Jesús Díaz smiled sincerely and said I would have support from his "people" and that he was looking forward to work with Green Island on coming projects
-- When are you starting then?--
-- Well, actually in 15 days. For a while here in Madrid, since it is going to take a while in Cologne. There is still a bit to get done-- It was a reference to the fact of Cologne offices not being ready-- But I do not really need much more than a chair and a desk.--
Jesús Díaz answered with some loud laughter. I could see that Natalia wanted to say something but he ignored her. He had something to say.
-- Ha, Ha, Ha! -- He roared -- Yes, a chair and a desk ... yes, that is not going to be a problem. --
Now Natalia came in
-- We got a laptop computer and a cell phone from Green Island -- I nodded and smiled back to her.
--... a place to work is not going to be a problem-- She said gauging Jeús Díaz -- With regards to the works at Cologne's office, they are going to be coordinated by Green Island ...--
--... And the message is that they are on time -- Jesús Díaz just cut in -- in 20 days it should be completed .--
And she kept on--... as I mentioned, for the relocation to Cologne, I'll get you in cotact with Silke, who is in charge of the administration over there. She is going to help you with the paperwork over there and can help you with accommodation and such things.--
Jesús Díaz still had a couple of sentences to offer, he was boss and regaled us with his thoughts and closed the meeting, thus having the last word. Generously he said -- Drink something and meet the people--
Now that Natalia did not have to babysit me, she got herself discretely out of the picture, while Jesús Díaz went to greet people as he was the Pope in Rome.
Under the circumstances, I touched at the bar stand to get some more tonic water. Lola was tailing Jesús Díaz, so it was actually pleasant there. I then headed to one of the courts and leaned against the perimeter fence. I sipped tonic water while listening what was going on around me and observe, but mainly to kill half an hour before taking off.
I had one target when I arrived home and was to speak to Diego about the job change and my moving out. Even if I was focused on my thoughts I could not avoid seeing a question mark with an asterisk instead of the usual dot. It was painted with white chalk on red bricks at the exit of the underground. The white colour told me that it was the closest to home dead letter box the one I had to check. Therefore I changed plan and got on with it. As a good boy I did not go directly, but I took a round that allowed me to check my six.
By the time Diego arrived home, I had already had my dinner. All the event and such had been great fun, but I had been on the move most of the day without nothing to eat. When I had came back, I just had assaulted my reserves, which was very positive for my mood.
When we reached the landing, I could see the options the wide space offered the visitor. There was a generous double door marked as "Private". To the left there was a not less generous corridor that took you to the conferences rooms. Right opposite to the staircase there was another door marked as "Restrooms". This could be useful, so I made a mental note. Also, as everybody knows, if the door is labeled "Restrooms" instead of "Toilets" there is a higher chance of them being clean.
I let Natalia walk ahead of me from the landing onward because, although wide, I did not feel comfortable walking too close to her, as we did not know each other. I din't want it to be too obvious, but it did not help the conversation.
-- Jesús Díaz is about to arrive-- she said talking to her shoulder -- I booked a small meeting room up here to be able to talk calmly --
I wondered whether she would take part in the meeting and whether there would be need of calm.
--Anything I should know beforehand?-- I asked. For one I was a little nervous but also irritated by the whole circus.
Natalia turned around, seemingly amused, while she hold the door open and invited me to go in.
-- I think not...-- I had to squeeze between her and the door and for a sec our eyes locked and I could breathe her perfume. That was not going to help a lot to calm me down.
The room was fairly small and contained little besides a round table and 4 chairs around it. There was a telephone in the middle of the table and a couple of signed pictures on the wall. I had no clue who they might be. We sat diametrically opposed with an empty chair right before the door which took not much time to be opened and we stood up at the same time, spectating.
The famous Jesús Diaz was a little shorter than me. He had a fairly homogeneous red round head without much hair left, just on the side. He wore round metallic rimmed glasses, which made his eyes look deeper than they actually were in his generous cheeks. His round upper body was clad in a La Martina polo shirt. Pink.
His legs were short and thin, thy poked out, hairy, below some gleaming white pressed shorts.
-- Jesús Díaz-- He said, extending his hand towards me, without too much smiling. Either I had missed something or he had ignored Natalia as if she was not there. -- You must be Mr Wooldrow's friend... --
On my side, I smile and let his hand go. Then he exchanged a nod of acknowledge with Natalia whose answer I missed, as I focused on him. I gave him my name and, just in case, my first surname. I avoided telling him anything about his friends.
-- Mr Wooldrow and I are not exactly friends. He is my future direct boss... -- If it was a competition, I knew how to play too. Wooldrow was the Chief of Engineering on Green Island and certainly my direct boss, as I would not be dependant of the hierarchy of InGnio IGnieros. I focused on smiling and let him sit down first. I could also hear the rustling of Natalia´s chair when she sat down.
Once we were all sat down, Jesús Díaz started to probe me immediately. Natalia was a spectator on the tennis match... or Padel if you'd rather say. He wanted to know who I was and he had a hard time understanding I was a nobody. I had no special contacts and he throught I was lying. Truthfully, I was indeed lying, but the story he had to swallow was that I had contact with Green Island since university, as I collaborated in a project bach then. I had maintained a professional contact with Mr. Wooldrow and now there was a further collaboration opportunity. Officially, Green Island had selected me, but wanted to have SD attached to m InGnio InGnieros and not directly attached to Green Island but the report was directly to it and not Madrid. Politics and Taxes were the reasons.
The second point Jesús Díaz wanted to talk about was about marking the land, his land. On my side I had no problem. At the end of the day SD was not going to use many resources from InGnio InGnieros but from Green Island directly. The commercial side and administration was also Green Island and I would place my Personnel needs directly to Mr. Wooldrow
Jesús Díaz paused a bit there. He was in the position to offer support on andministration and Personnel management, not that they had much to spare, but Special Developments did not have the structure from a "real company". Jesús Díaz spent a little time giving me tips about cost management and time management and the value of proper management
My reply went along thanking him and assuring him I would let Wooldrow know. He didn't like that too much, as he said he could tell him that himself but he was telling it to me as "a friend", to help me.
-- I'll see, it is not my responsibility area though. All I can do it communicate it. With respect to the selection in itself. The budget will be passed by Green Island and not InGnio InGnieros, therefore the approval comes directly from above.-- I smile agreeably -- At the end of the day we are a small department and you have lots to do.--
Jesús Díaz showed a shark smile and lectured me on how much they had to do, the main projects, times, budgets, the lot.
I lt the rght sounds come out, admiration and surprise.
-- Well -- I said -- The main purpose of the department is no other than channel aid money from the Euripean Union -- To this I go his interest. Shall had I started with this, he would have not believed it. Now he had been trying to find the trick and was thinking that his tactics had yielded the expected results. I explained how Special Developments could benefit from certain subventions and thus help reduce taxes for Green Island and InGnio InGnieros. He could see personal profit.
For the first time, Jesús Díaz smiled sincerely and said I would have support from his "people" and that he was looking forward to work with Green Island on coming projects
-- When are you starting then?--
-- Well, actually in 15 days. For a while here in Madrid, since it is going to take a while in Cologne. There is still a bit to get done-- It was a reference to the fact of Cologne offices not being ready-- But I do not really need much more than a chair and a desk.--
Jesús Díaz answered with some loud laughter. I could see that Natalia wanted to say something but he ignored her. He had something to say.
-- Ha, Ha, Ha! -- He roared -- Yes, a chair and a desk ... yes, that is not going to be a problem. --
Now Natalia came in
-- We got a laptop computer and a cell phone from Green Island -- I nodded and smiled back to her.
--... a place to work is not going to be a problem-- She said gauging Jeús Díaz -- With regards to the works at Cologne's office, they are going to be coordinated by Green Island ...--
--... And the message is that they are on time -- Jesús Díaz just cut in -- in 20 days it should be completed .--
And she kept on--... as I mentioned, for the relocation to Cologne, I'll get you in cotact with Silke, who is in charge of the administration over there. She is going to help you with the paperwork over there and can help you with accommodation and such things.--
Jesús Díaz still had a couple of sentences to offer, he was boss and regaled us with his thoughts and closed the meeting, thus having the last word. Generously he said -- Drink something and meet the people--
Now that Natalia did not have to babysit me, she got herself discretely out of the picture, while Jesús Díaz went to greet people as he was the Pope in Rome.
Under the circumstances, I touched at the bar stand to get some more tonic water. Lola was tailing Jesús Díaz, so it was actually pleasant there. I then headed to one of the courts and leaned against the perimeter fence. I sipped tonic water while listening what was going on around me and observe, but mainly to kill half an hour before taking off.
I had one target when I arrived home and was to speak to Diego about the job change and my moving out. Even if I was focused on my thoughts I could not avoid seeing a question mark with an asterisk instead of the usual dot. It was painted with white chalk on red bricks at the exit of the underground. The white colour told me that it was the closest to home dead letter box the one I had to check. Therefore I changed plan and got on with it. As a good boy I did not go directly, but I took a round that allowed me to check my six.
By the time Diego arrived home, I had already had my dinner. All the event and such had been great fun, but I had been on the move most of the day without nothing to eat. When I had came back, I just had assaulted my reserves, which was very positive for my mood.
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