As the sun shines into a bright day, I am looking outside the window at people of this city getting into the usual life race, once I was a part of. Today my time has come to wrap up everything I have here in the city and move somewhere more comfortable and in affordable suburbs. I have a few hours left to pack and hardly anything that I need to pack with me.
Hello, I am Oliver Wright and today 24th Nov 1965, I sit here in my room with some old photos of a few friends, some rusty awards on shelf, a letter from an acquaintance that I’ve received today morning, a bottle of Maker’s Mark 1958, a favourite of my friend who isn’t here to share it with me and a decision to make.
10 years ago, when Prime Minister Winston Churchill resigned and unfortunate death of the great scientist Albert Einstein took place, I was a thriving journalists known for my world news coverage work in Opening of Disneyland, Publishing of the First Guinness Book of World Records, First Indian Institute of Technology India, Freedom of Press in India, The First Asian Games held in New Delhi, India. But since my return to London in 1957, things haven’t been the same and I have been struggling to find the same form of life I once enjoyed.
It’s been a few years since I have been trying my luck with quite a few businessmen, motivational speakers and people who could guide me. I attended different business conferences to reach out to people. I was getting even more desperate each passing day. In 1959 I managed to get a pass for the National Business Summit of London on Rathbone street market road through one of my contacts. I reached an hour early to get the front row seat right behind the guest of honor row. I waited with a small sling bag of mine, a diary and a pen and saw the hall getting filled one by one. Finally, the program started, Mr. Arthur Noah was a keynote speaker at a business conference. Everyone stood up with respect as he arrived on the dais to give his speech and motivate other businessmen. He was wearing a tailored fit dark blue suit, a fancy pair of glasses, a luxurious watch with a very big dial and shoes polished to reflect light on it. He wasted no time in starting his speech.
“Good afternoon, distinguished guests, esteemed colleagues, and fellow businessmen. I am honoured to speak to you all today, and I thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts on the world of business.
As we stand here in the heart of London, in the year 1959, the world of business is constantly evolving. And it is up to us, the businessmen of this era, to embrace these changes and adapt to them.
For too long, we have relied on old methods and outdated ideas. But in today’s world, we must be open to new approaches, new technologies, and new ways of thinking. We must be willing to take risks, to challenge ourselves, and to push the boundaries of what is possible.
At the same time, however, we must never forget the core values that have made our businesses successful in the first place. Honesty, integrity, hard work, and dedication to our customers are the cornerstones of any successful enterprise. And we must always keep these values at the forefront of everything we do.
In this ever-changing landscape, it is more important than ever to collaborate, to network, and to build strong relationships with our peers. By working together, we can share ideas, knowledge, and experience, and help each other to overcome the challenges that we all face.
So let us all commit ourselves to the task at hand. Let us strive to be the best businessmen that we can be, and let us never forget the responsibility that we bear to our customers, to our employees, and to the wider community. With hard work, dedication, and a willingness to embrace change, there is no limit to what we can achieve.
Thank you all for your time and attention, and I wish you all the very best in your future endeavours.”
Arthur was known for being a shrewd businessman who was always looking for ways to make more money. He was physically fit and in good health for his age, with a tall and broad-shouldered build. He had piercing blue eyes, short grey hair, and was always impeccably dressed in expensive suits. After listening to his speech, I truly believed if I could convince this man of my capabilities, I would find my best form again. I tried to exchange a few words during our short meeting from speakers’ desk to his car and get him to listen to me but I miserably failed to hold onto his attention in a crowd of journalists constantly following him for questions over his new product launch. My mind had a quick realization of how my field of work was and the competition in the industry. I dusted off the thought quickly and decided to find a way to connect with Arthur.
I tried reaching out to his office a few times but he was hardly ever available. I started being present at every business conference he was part of. Sometimes I felt like a stalker. After a few or more attempts I eventually got Arthur’s attention and got myself 5 minutes to engage him the other day. I spoke to him for a few minutes in the cafeteria of a five-star hotel he was staying in. After hearing me out, to my surprise he invited me to his house for a drink the next day. I was very excited and nervous.
I prepared myself like I had for my first job interview and went to meet him. Arthur’s mansion, located in Kensington, was a grand, imposing structure that exuded wealth and luxury from every corner. The mansion was situated on a sprawling estate, surrounded by manicured gardens and a stone wall that provided privacy and security. The exterior of the mansion was a work of architectural mastery. The roof was made of red tiles and there were several chimneys that rose from it. The driveway leading up to the mansion was long and winding, flanked by tall trees and perfectly maintained lawns. As I rang the bell a petite lady, with a slight build and short curly hair, opened the door. Maria, Arthur’s maid, welcomed me into the house and said “please be seated, Mr. Arthur will be here shortly” as I stared at the entrance hall which was spacious and bright, with marble flooring and a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The walls were adorned with Arthur’s career awards, expensive paintings and intricate sculptures, while the furniture was made of rich, dark wood and plush fabrics. The mansion had several reception rooms, including a formal dining room, a drawing room, and a library. The dining room had a large mahogany table that could seat ten people comfortably, and the walls were lined with antique sideboards and cabinets. The drawing room had a grand piano, a fireplace, and comfortable sofas and armchairs, while the library had a collection of leather-bound books and several comfortable reading chairs.
I suddenly heard shoes walking towards me and so I stood up hoping it was Arthur, but for my disappointment it was a 16-year-old kid who walked across the hallway without even noticing or caring about my presence in the room. One could make out from his built, short blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that it was Arthur’s son Mark. I had only heard of him before from a few of the associates in the news industry. They always said, “that kid is too arrogant for his age, has got way too much money from his father.” Who knows, after all it’s difficult for a kid to grow up without a mother.
In a few moments Arthur appeared and greeted me. He was in a good and more relaxed mood than usually he is. We discussed my career and the current market that was changing with the speed of light and some of my ideas. I did my best to prove my knowledge and capabilities to him and after a few hours of me trying to prove myself to quietly seated Arthur, he said -” I have an idea, a project I want to work on, I think you will be the most suitable person and a partner to take up the role of operations officer in the same if you are interested.” I didn’t quite understand what I had to do but I nodded my head in agreement without any second thoughts. For the next few minutes he spoke about the idea which was in the greater interest of the public and how we could earn some government contracts for the same eventually. It sounded very fascinating and of great interest to me as well. I felt like I was contributing to something real. We agreed to take this idea ahead of him. He stood up and said- “Great! Let’s celebrate this new venture with a drink, shall we?” as he walked across the room towards the bar. After a few drinks and detailed discussions, he called me into his office the next day for some paper work. I was both nervous and excited when I signed the paperwork, “Oliver Wright, Oct 4, 1959.” In just weeks’ time we started working over his new project idea.