The Twins Paradox - Alan Gasparutti (top ten books of all time txt) 📗

Unfortunately, though he found one, they were unavailable at the time, so Henry decided to stagger the cargo. Unfortunately again, when he asked to book a flight for the coming week, he was told none was available, so had to book a week later for 25 vehicles.
By that time, all 50 vehicles bound for California were ready, and on one Wednesday morning, they were driven the short distance to the cargo bay at Heathrow. Henry went on the flight alone, where he thought of Lucas’ original suggestion to develop a showroom for Major Motors near London. When he met Steve at Sacramento airport, and asked him his opinion on the idea, Steve, like Frank, thought it would be an opportunity worth trying.
Back at Henry’s Heathrow warehouse, there was now more room available to store other items. Lucas decided to travel around the area, to look for places he could set up a showroom. He noticed several suitable locations, where large shops had been vacated due to the current recession. Former Woolworth stores at Ealing and Rayners Lane seemed particularly suitable, as was the former MFI store at Greenford. He took pictures of the sites on his mobile, and saved them to show to Henry when he returned.
When Henry arrived back at Heathrow, Lucas went meet him. Henry told Lucas that he had considered his suggestion and had come round to the idea. After lunch at a Heathrow restaurant, Lucas took Henry to view the sites. Lucas first took Henry to see the possible showroom site at Rayners Lane. Henry rather liked the site, large enough to have a few show cars inside, but not too large. It was at the end of a long row of shops, after which were detached houses. Lucas parked the Green Machine, and led Henry around the area, which seemed quite well-to-do. Neither of them knew how green the local people were. They noticed more than one car parked outside the residences. If people could afford more than one car, perhaps they’d like to be seen with a green motor? Henry thought this would be a good place to start from.
Lucas then drove Henry to Greenford, to what was a large site, larger than their Heathrow warehouse. Henry thought this was too large for a first venture, though it may be more suitable should the business develop. After a brief debate, Lucas accepted Henry’s views, before driving to the third site at Ealing.
The site here was along a busy main road – ideal to attract clients. The area was more cosmopolitan than at Rayners Lane, and the environment a little more down-market. Would it attract the right sort of clients, Henry thought to himself? Were they concerned with the environment or about they’re lifestyle? Would they be interested in a non-polluting, cheaper-to-run motor?
Henry and Lucas debated the remaining two options, each of which had their own merits. Ealing was nearer to Heathrow airport, and was busier, but noisier and with more traffic. Rayners Lane didn’t have the same hustle and bustle, but was quite busy none the less, and seemed more up-market. In the end, it was assessed that Ealing was perhaps too busy and noisy, so they decided to go for the other site to sell Major Motors in south-east England.
First of all, though, Henry had to go to the local council to arrange a lease of the property. As it happened, however, it wasn’t quite as simple as that. First of all, the property formerly belonged to a failed business, so he had to go the respective administrators. Secondly, the owners of the property were owed payment on the original lease by the business which had collapsed. Therefore, the owners of the property had to agree a new lease before receiving payment of the lease owed by the collapsed business.
Arrangement of the former Woolworths at Rayners Lane took longer than anticipated, and was still not sorted by the time the remainder of the CAC vehicles were due for California. Henry wanted to go on the flight with these, but decided to stay back to chase up the lease. Instead, he sent Lucas to California on his own.
When Lucas arrived at Sacramento airport, he wandered around the concourse looking for Frank, before he felt a tap on his shoulder.
“Hi Luke, is that you?” a voice said from behind, as Lucas turned around.
“Hi there, you must be Steve?” he queried. “I didn’t recognise you at all.”
“Oh no matter,” Steve said to him. “Last time you came here you were sleeping off the jetlag, so you may not recall me too vividly. Where’s Henry – buying duty-free items, I suppose? ”
“No, he decided to stay back this time,” explained Lucas. “He’s sorting out a few problems with the business.”
“Oh? What problems are they?” Steve asked.
“Nothing major,” said Lucas. “We are in the process of expanding our business. He’s sorting out a lease on a new showroom on the outskirts of London.”
“Oh yeah, I remember Frank telling me something like that a little while ago,” said Steve. “Mind you, I had thought it would have been sorted by now.”
“So did we,” replied Lucas. “Unfortunately, the property was leased by a company which went bust, so Henry’s consulting a revised lease with the administrators.”
“Well, at least I have some good news for you over here,” Steve informed him.
“Oh, what’s that?” asked Lucas.
“Your cars are selling well,” said Steve. “The idea of solar energy is getting around.”
“Which cars are you referring to?” asked Lucas. “The Major Motors cars we sent a few months ago, or the CAC cars from a few weeks ago.”
“Both actually,” Steve told him. “We’ve leased two new showrooms, one in San Francisco and one in San Diego, both of which have sold our CAC models. The Major motors are here in Sacramento.”
Steve then looked at his watch.
“That reminds me, do you know when the vehicles are to be unloaded?” he asked Lucas.
“Not too long, as I was given to understand,” Lucas told him.
“Do you mind if we go to the cargo bay?” Steve requested.
“What, now?” queried Lucas.
“I’m sending the first eight to be delivered to San Diego,” said Steve. “They need to leave here early – they’ve a long way to go.”
“Okay then,” agreed Lucas. “You don’t mind if I get myself something to eat, in the meantime?”
“No, go ahead,” said Steve. “I’ll be waiting here for you.”
While Lucas went to the confectionary store at the airport, Steve contacted the transport agency, and ordered the first of three vehicle transporters, which he had booked a few days earlier. When Lucas returned, he and Steve headed for the cargo bay.
“Have you found new salesmen, or should I say salespersons?” Lucas asked Steve on their way to the cargo bay. “Or have you sold them online?”
“Oh we’ve taken on a few new salespersons,” said Steve. “Several dealers have been laying off staff, so we haven’t had much problem recruiting new salespersons.”
“I thought the recession never hit California?” queried Lucas.
“That’s what Frank likes us all to believe,” admitted Steve. “Some parts of California aren’t affected at all, but others have been seeing a downturn in sales, though not as badly as many other states.”
“Are you going to open a showroom in LA?” asked Lucas.
“We want to, but the leases are too expensive,” said Steve. “We’re currently in discussion with a local dealer to sell our stock, instead. It’s just persuading the damned dealer that our cars are sustainable.”
“I’d have thought a dealer would have jumped at the opportunity of a new deal, particularly at a time when the main three manufacturers in the US are in such a bad way and needing national bail-outs,” Lucas commented.
“I know, I know,” muttered Steve. “Many dealers have strong links with manufacturers and are reluctant to give us any leeway.”
”Where’s Frank today?” asked Lucas. “Has he sent you instead, while he’s waiting in his plush new office?”
“Oh no, Frank’s actually in Colorado at the moment,” explained Steve. “He’s in the process of selling his old house. You do know he’s already bought a new house just outside Sacramento?”
“Yes, Henry told me,” said Lucas. “Do you have a house here, or are you staying with Frank for now?”
“I’m staying with him for the moment, but I’m hoping to go back to Texas sometime,” Steve told him.
“Do you miss your family?” asked Lucas.
“I always ring my wife everyday, and we exchange messages on email, but I do miss her,” admitted Steve. “Actually, I’m hoping that CAC Motors will eventually expand into other states. Frank’s promised me a place if we do.”
“Wouldn’t you all prefer to move to California than remain in Texas?” asked Lucas.
“Sure we would, but that depends on various factors,” said Steve. “We’ll see what develops over the next year, as our children are coming to the end of their education.”
“Forgive me, but don’t you think you’re being a little optimistic just now?” commented Lucas.
“I know where you’re coming from, but I’ve every confidence this business will expand,” replied Steve. “Precisely how much and how long it will take, remains to be seen.”
“Do you think it may be a bit of a way off, just yet?” Lucas queried.
“For the time being, perhaps,” sighed Steve. “We never give up hope, though. People perceive American Man as a greedy, money-grabbing businessman, but I know that’s just not true.”
“Perhaps that’s the old vision of American Man,” Lucas suggested.
“Possibly, possibly,” said Steve. “We now have a new President, with new ideas, and who wants to help the world’s environment.”
“He certainly seems a lot better than the old President,” said Lucas.
“I’ve every confidence that the American people will purchase our CAC motors, and gas-guzzling vehicles will be a thing of the past,” added Steve. “I’ve spent enough time traveling about this state to know that, Californian’s at least, would prefer a vehicle that is less reliant on fossil fuels and is much more cost effective.”
“Aren’t you a little worried about the car manufacturers and energy companies getting together against CAC motors?” asked Lucas. “After all, they’re reliant on each other – cars depend on oil and oil companies sell much of their product for cars.”
“I think there has never been a better time for a company like ours to develop,” said Steve. “Motor manufacturers are so concerned with their state of business that they need national hand-outs. They won’t be looking out for a business like ours. Besides, we have the Governor of California behind us.”
“True, I suppose,” Lucas commented. “When will the transporters be here?” he then asked Steve as he looked at his watch.
“They shouldn’t take too long,” Steve told him. “I want to get one load of vehicles sent as soon as possible, as they’re to be delivered to our showroom at San Diego.”
“That’s a fair distance,” said Lucas. “I suppose there are flights out there?”
“There are plenty, but it wouldn’t really help, bearing in mind the time it would take to get them off one plane and onto another, and then unloaded and picked up again at the other end,” said Steve. “We think it isn’t really worth it.”
“I suppose we could send some direct to San Diego,” suggested Lucas.
“Now who’s getting ahead of themselves?” Steve laughed.

As they got to the cargo bay, they could see that three of the CAC vehicles had been unloaded. Lucas went to check them, before he pulled out the set of keys from his briefcase, and took out those for the appropriate vehicles. As a fourth vehicle was unloaded, Steve could see a transporter at the gates of the cargo bay, so