By: John Silva – April 2016
Jim had to keep checking to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. It started a year ago when the president of J.B. Barnes Ltd., a large marketing firm and his employer, set an ambitious goal for the company. The objective was to attract high-end clients using their tremendously creative staff to market their own firm and thus show their prowess to prospective and hopefully future clients.
The campaign’s slogan was “Work Hard and Cut them Cards.” Catchy, intriguing and heavily advertised, it captivated an amazingly wide audience making J.B. Barnes, Ltd. the most recognized marketing agency in the states and probably the world…cha-ching…cha-ching…cha-ching.
The “Work Hard” part involved each of J.B. Barnes’ fifteen vice presidents who were given the opportunity to earn a seat at a very unusual card game to be held at the Bellagio in Las Vegas in one year…the event was to be televised around the globe. The winner of the card game and their guest were to be given an around the world cruise aboard the newest and most luxurious ship yet built…the Silver Spirit which was gratis of course to J.B. Barnes, Ltd. because of the tremendous amount of free advertising Silversea Cruises would receive. In addition, all expenses were included. Shopping trips to the most exclusive shops and dining experiences at the most famous restaurants were all included as they sailed around the globe… also, all gratis of course to J.B. Barnes, Ltd. In total, the value of the entire package was well over twenty million dollars.
Of the fifteen vice presidents that were presented with this opportunity, only those whose divisions had doubled their accounts in one year would be invited to “Cut them Cards” at the Bellagio. Each of the finalists was given a deck of cards to shuffle and cut twice. Each deck was then handed face down to the player on their right. Every player then selected one card from their deck. The player with the lowest card was dropped from the game. The cards were shuffled again and cut twice as before, but this time they were passed to the second player on their left. Again, the player that selected the lowest card was eliminated. This continued until there was only one player left who would be declared the winner. Much to his amazement, Jim was the last player standing.
To get the public more involved and widen the game’s appeal, a deal was cut with the gaming commissions of all fifty states and a special “Cut them Cards” lottery was established nationwide…gratis of course to J.B. Barnes, Ltd. Oh, did I mention that England, Germany, Japan, India, Brazil, Australia, etc. all had “Cut them Cards” lotteries as well. And, guess what the prize was? A world cruises for two …hundreds of them. Every office pool, bookie and hustler also had some kind of betting game going as well. It was “Cut them Cards” mania.
Jim and his wife, Miranda, had just disembarked from the Silver Spirit. Luxury doesn’t even begin to describe the ship and all of its features. Every facet of the ship was over the top including huge suites some with two stories, their own private suite elevator, multiple balconies, lavish materials, amenities and service…like their own personal butler, George, whose job it was to make their every wish come true… including setting out their clothes each morning and drawing their baths.
If Miranda wished, all of the services of the ship’s many spas were available to her as part of her private room service. Jim enjoyed having his own personal trainer who determined his exercise regimen for each day based on his needs and progress. They both enjoyed the fine dining on and off the ship that was prepared exclusively for them. Dancing under the stars to the sounds of the ship’s award-winning twenty-six piece orchestra was just another example of how special this cruise was.
And, now here they were in Dubai…looking over the most extravagant resort imaginable. However, Jim could not take his eyes off of one person who seemed totally out of place. What in the world was he doing here? He was an affront to every guest at the hotel. His clothes were common, and he was even more common. Jim couldn’t figure out why he wasn’t asked to leave the premises. Sad to say, he really was an eyesore. Jim wondered why they would let someone like that walk around this incredibly plush resort. He looks like he just got off the boat...or, he chuckled, maybe he was a stowaway that had evaded paying his fare as well as the ship’s security guards. And, where on earth did he get that goofy, foolish, stupid straw hat?
Jim mused, he looks like he has been retired from the grounds crew ten years ago. He said to himself, I’ll bet he his hands are filthy, and he has dirt compacted under his fingernails…and he probably reeks of sweat, compost and probably manure…and that face. Just look at that face! It was a face only a mother could love. Those eyes were shifty..the eyes of a thief. And, that ridiculous mustache…maybe, he was a migrant who did seasonal farm work. If he was lucky, he might have an I.Q. of seventy or eighty.
Ah, here’s the maitre d’. Maybe, he could explain the presence of this unsavory person.
Excuse me… that man over there…what can you tell me about him and what is he doing here?
That my dear fellow is Ari, and I suppose he’s taking inventory.
I’m afraid, I don’t understand.
Did you just arrive on the Silver Spirit?
Why yes, why do you ask?
The person you are asking about owns the entire fleet of the Silversea Cruise Ships including the Silver Spirit, and he has just purchased this resort, as well as several others here in Dubai.
Ari? That’s an unusual name. Why does it sound so familiar?
Probably, because he is one of the richest men in the world. I’m sure you have heard of Aristotle Onassis…haven’t you?
Oh… of course. What? Really? Aristotle Onassis? I would have never guessed.
If there was a moral to this story, what would it be, and why are some words italicized?
The topic that the writing club selected was to select an object on display in our homes and write a story about it. This figure was my choice.
I bought the casting at a yard sale for about five dollars. The extremely fine detail of the characters in this series has always intrigued me. The figures are made of chalk, and they are very fragile if dropped. And , how do I know this? Take a guess.
It is titled “Romanian 1971.” It is about five inches high, and it was made in Congleton, England by the Bossons company.