Driving again. Driving was all it seemed that he ever did anymore. But, that was the life of a salesman though, the life he had chosen, the life that had bought his family's home, and fed them all these years. He was a very successful salesman too, his companies best, the plaque on the wall of his office said so. But, what had it gotten him? Money? Yes, there has been a lot of that. But, money didn't really matter as much as successful people like to pretend it does. Money is necessary sure, but in his drive to be successful to provide his family with the life that he wanted for them had, over time, just driven them further away.
How many times had he taken this boring trip? It seemed like at least a hundred. This boring ass dive from St. Louis to Louisville trying to close the biggest deal of his career. Gabe always hated this drive, it seemed to go on forever even though it only took a little bit more than four hours. It was a mind numbing four hours, nothing but empty flat fields filled with oil pump jacks, and billboards to look at. It was only a half hour flight to Louisville from home but, being cheap like he always had been, he drove it every time.
Gabe knew that on this trip he really should have flown, despite his desire to save money. Big executives always needed to be wined and dined for the close. Especially on a huge contract, and this particular big wig, Lavall Fatcandice, needed it even more than most. Gabe knew that before Fatcandice would ever put pen to paper on this deal there would be excessive greasing of the wheels. Even though this final trip had been the last of more than ten, Fatcandice was a very big believer in ass kissing. Especially when his was the ass that was being kissed. So closing this deal with him would mean not only the normal big steak dinner, but plenty of lap dances at strip clubs, and also plenty of bourbon, the expensive kind, on the rocks of course.
So, on his company's dime, he and Fatcandice had hit the town hard. A little after midnight and over a thousand dollars in liquor and girls later, Fatcandice was satisfied, and he finally inked the deal. Right afterward, Fatcandice called for his car, he shook Gabe's hand, and departed the tiny strip club. Satisfied that the deal was finally done, Gabe headed home. He hadn't drank nearly as much as old Lavall had, but he had drank a little too much to be trying to make the drive home tonight. He knew he should have stayed an extra night in Louisville but, he just missed his wife so much that, aside from his better judgement, he had decided to go ahead make the drive right after the deal was done. He missed his wife terribly, and he wanted to surprise her by arriving early. So despite his buzz and heavy eyes, here he was making the now familiar, but boring, drive in the dark so he could be back home to Susan.
How many times had he taken this boring trip? It seemed like at least a hundred. This boring ass dive from St. Louis to Louisville trying to close the biggest deal of his career. Gabe always hated this drive, it seemed to go on forever even though it only took a little bit more than four hours. It was a mind numbing four hours, nothing but empty flat fields filled with oil pump jacks, and billboards to look at. It was only a half hour flight to Louisville from home but, being cheap like he always had been, he drove it every time.
Gabe knew that on this trip he really should have flown, despite his desire to save money. Big executives always needed to be wined and dined for the close. Especially on a huge contract, and this particular big wig, Lavall Fatcandice, needed it even more than most. Gabe knew that before Fatcandice would ever put pen to paper on this deal there would be excessive greasing of the wheels. Even though this final trip had been the last of more than ten, Fatcandice was a very big believer in ass kissing. Especially when his was the ass that was being kissed. So closing this deal with him would mean not only the normal big steak dinner, but plenty of lap dances at strip clubs, and also plenty of bourbon, the expensive kind, on the rocks of course.
So, on his company's dime, he and Fatcandice had hit the town hard. A little after midnight and over a thousand dollars in liquor and girls later, Fatcandice was satisfied, and he finally inked the deal. Right afterward, Fatcandice called for his car, he shook Gabe's hand, and departed the tiny strip club. Satisfied that the deal was finally done, Gabe headed home. He hadn't drank nearly as much as old Lavall had, but he had drank a little too much to be trying to make the drive home tonight. He knew he should have stayed an extra night in Louisville but, he just missed his wife so much that, aside from his better judgement, he had decided to go ahead make the drive right after the deal was done. He missed his wife terribly, and he wanted to surprise her by arriving early. So despite his buzz and heavy eyes, here he was making the now familiar, but boring, drive in the dark so he could be back home to Susan.
