J R

  —Didn’t ask for a lot of damn gossip I said how’d this bunch get in there!

  —Yes sir he, they allowed this Skinner person to put up a small interest in another company against a loan to take up the Duncan option sir, when he couldn’t meet the loan they exercised the option, seized his collateral and terminated his management con . . .

  —Get something out of you’s like pulling teeth what’s this collateral.

  —A small interest I think it’s five percent sir in a company called General Roll, a small company out here in Astoria that makes . . .

  —Don’t matter if it makes paper dolls this same bunch grabbed up twenty percent of it here a while back in an estate tax bind you sit here talking about wallpaper and some fool encyclopedia this is what they were after the whole damn time, family owned outfit this twenty-five percent might control it that so hard to figure out Beaton?

  —Yes well no sir but it’s just a small comp . . .

  —Don’t matter if it’s as big as your thumb it’s sitting there on this old patent claims suit with JMI never read your damn law journals? Why the devil you think Stamper picked up JMI in that Dallas mortgage deal think he needed a million used jukeboxes? Get hold of this end of it in this receivership there’s the whole punched tape industry by the short here young woman plug that in Beaton get me the price on Diamond.

  —Yes sir but that’s nurse what is it . . .

  —It’s this monitor to monitor the patient’s heart so the pacer can be adjusted to . . .

  —Told them to bring in a Quotron where the devil is it.

  —A what did he say?

  —Quotron damn it can’t she . . .

  —It’s a machine to get current stock prices on nurse it was supposed to be . . .

  —Like this little television? It’s out there they said to don’t use it it might interfere with the monitor just lie real still sir.

  —By God lie here not know the price of anything what was the damn Dow when you came in Beaton?

  —Two eighty sir they opened on another heavy selling wave but the . . .

  —Two eighty by God where the damn bargain hunters call the ow!

  —Just a small needle lie still sir . . .

  —Hello operator trying a line here . . .

  —See it’s mainly like a precaution on account of the patient’s age if the pacemaker’s set wrong it could send him into . . .

  —Why I want you to look right into this General Roll outfit hear me Beaton? What happens in most damn families probably split ten ways by now ready to cut each other’s throats this twenty-five percent probably do it, want that cleared up before this hearing examiner’s word comes down Stamper thought they stood a damn good chance leave us standing there with JMI in one hand and . . .

  —This picture’s not Emily at all it’s some revolting nurse what’s that smell.

  —Got that clear have you Beaton?

  —To a yes sir to a point but the, how we can expect Mrs Stamper’s cooperation on the JMI end she’s been quite belligerent since the . . .

  —Don’t need to know a damn thing about it does she? Crawley handled those Dallas mortgages picked up the JMI stock in his street name didn’t he?

  —Yes sir but . . .

  —Could you move your briefcase sir I think maybe the patient had an accid . . .

  —Right in with the rest of this street name collateral Crawley handed the bank when we were trying to bail him out of those damn bellies here what are you doing there young woman where’s that damn phone, told Monty to call as soon as he . . .

  —It’s that package they just brought in nurse, open it.

  —Like the Trimline phone with the Touch Tone Mister Katz? Have it in antique beige, aqua . . .

  —Antique by God stand there asking damn fool questions just put in a damn phone!

  —Company regulations have to ask the subscriber if . . .

  —Look put in any of them just the quickest you can will you? I was going to say sir the estate’s lawyers have asked for an accounting and Mrs Stam . . .

  —It’s this old cheese it came for the patient, it smells like . . .

  —It’s a Stilton you ninny who sent it.

  —I had it sent ma’am, I knew he enjoyed . . .

  —The patient can’t have any now sir he’s . . .

  —That’s no reason I can’t is it nurse? Get me a plate.

  —Installation on a WATS line operator? Authorization’s three five nine sev . . .

  —I said get me a knife and plate!

  —By God somebody get her a spoon give her the whole damn jar Beaton? Want to hear this auditor’s report get this whole thing settled before I go up hear me?

  —WATS line operator party name Katz that’s c, a . . .

  —Beaton!

  —Please ask the patient to lie still he’s . . .

  —Yes sir I was going to say indications that Mrs Stamper expects to litigate the . . .

  —Litigate her damn head off she’d already filed for divorce hadn’t she? Damn fool married six months tells her I don’t know what you’re going to do but I’m going fishing, clears out for the Indian Ocean so she leaves a note don’t know what you’re doing but I’m getting a divorce wants to litigate let her litigate with Crawley, join the rest of that gang trying to get blood out of a turnip lawyers know what’s good for her they’ll keep her out of court before that National Parks stunt of theirs comes up, fool movie million damn zebras running around tried to make it look like some conservation project Crawley’s a big enough damn fool probably believed it himself, told you to call Frank Black on this new House bill didn’t I?

  —Yes sir but in light of this consumer group’s action to force him to register as a lobbyist I thought you might want to wait until this X-L Lith . . .

  —Wait till this bunch takes over the damn country? By God Beaton you’re getting softheaded, only one damn consumer group it buys something or it don’t buy it what the devil you think a market economy’s all about, tell this bunch to go read that act again section three hundred eight no requirement there makes him a lobbyist don’t pay him a lobbyist fee do we? Pay him a retainer for legal services what do you call this X-L Lithograph appeal a damn teaparty? Fined triple damages and costs in a pollution suit when this Mooneysomebody’s drunk don’t even show up to defend it told Frank Black to get a reversal come up with a consent order, lawyer yourself that what lawyers are for?

  —Yes sir but . . .

  —Always some damn but, you just get onto him hear me? Want to be damn sure this new House bill bars any more judicial reviews of this environmental nonsense on this gas line consortium Stamper’s people put together before we pick up their offer on this Alsaka subsidiary, damn fool explosion that bunch set off out there’s got every bleeding heart in the country wetting their damn pants tell that young woman to get me a handkerchief, monkey putting those phones in where the devil’d he go . . .

  —Under the bed sir I think he . . .

  —Didn’t ask what you think just get them put in what’s all this you’re waving around.

  —Yes sir you asked for the auditor’s report on J R Cor . . .

  —Can’t waste time listen to it all now just want to know if they got the damn figures straightened out, told me down at the bank they never saw such accounting procedures, head of the company himself two places off with the damn decimal half the time SEC have him on fraud?

  —No sir I understand they were unable to establish evidence of intentional wrongdoing since the errors were as frequently to the company’s own disadvantage as not and the generally unortho . . .

  —Had an accountant didn’t they?

  —Yes sir but apparently he was unused to dealing with transactions of these magnitudes, he seems to have been retained simply because he was the brother-in-law of the head of their public relations firm which in turn had been retained by his brother their general counsel Mister Piscator who is now handling Pomerance Associates’ suit against the parent as
a substantial creditor, so that the entire . . .

  —Didn’t ask for a lot of damn gossip Beaton take care of them like everybody else what the devil’s this, flimsy damn tissue blow a hole right through it said a handkerchief didn’t I? Perfectly good linen handkerchief in my coat there young woman told you to bring that stockholder letter Beaton, supposed to go out today it’s not even finished?

  —I have the final draft right here yes sir, do you . . .

  —Quit wasting time gossiping and read it then.

  —Nurse leave Mister Katz alone and get me some crackers.

  —Got this WATS line open operator try the hey man this Doris?

  —Beaton what are you waiting for.

  —Yes sir. Agreement in principle concerning the restructuring of debt and recapitalization of the company was executed by the company and a banking consortium of the company’s principal lending . . .

  —Know that part get to the next paragraph.

  —Hey man I thought you on long lines . . .

  —Your company’s new management proposed, as an alt . . .

  —Damn it Beaton what’s going on down there.

  —Katz you mean him he’s right in the bed here man, got a call from Wash . . .

  —Beaton!

  —Here give me that! hello . . .? Yes sir he . . . this is Beaton yes sir he’s right here. Mister Moncrieff sir, he’s . . .

  —Hold it to my ear damn it! can’t hear him under there can I? Monty . . .? No got your desk cleaned out there yet . . .? No going up in a few minutes got Beaton in here on damn it hold that close can’t blow my nose across the room can I? what . . .? Got Beaton up here on it now trying to reach Broos find out what the devil’s holding up this damn loan guarantee before we . . . don’t know yet waiting to hear on this cable transport scheme, comes up with something I want that Diamond tender to . . . shouldn’t have a problem Zona up here usual gracious self eating her way through a five pound Stilton says Boody’s all taken care of hold on, Beaton? Didn’t tell you to quit reading did I? Quit when I tell you hear me? Monty . . .?

  —Yes sir proposed, as an alternative to straight liquidating bankruptcy, that the company file a petition seeking an arrangement with creditors under chapter eleven of the Bankruptcy Act. A chapter eleven proceeding is one which permits a debtor to continue in possession of its property and to operate its bus . . .

  —Saw all that in the paper Monty damn nonsense nobody ever won an interview why the devil’d you give them one, used to dealing with these nickel and dime politicians down there can’t make up a new scandal try to rake up an old one see what they printed about me last week? Took off on this management contract with Pythian interlocking directorates went back a hundred years to the Bitterroot strike dragged in everything but the damn kitchen sink, leftwing press want to make it sound like this smaltite contract’s why you’re quitting what’s the damn difference a contract’s a contract, just want to be damn sure this one’s honored see that smelter we built them over there’s declared surplus sold back to Typhon, ought to be in operation right now finished their fool war country’s running like a company town labor pool pulled in from . . . what? Place next door there Malwi yes I told Blaufinger to annex it while they were at it favor to . . . No no favor to Zona, having some trouble here parking her damn car simplest thing just to hold on what’s that Beaton?

  —The suspension from trading of the company’s common stock and nine percent convertible subordinated debentures, at which time the securities of the company were delisted due to the company’s inability to meet listing requi . . .

  —Monty? didn’t hear you got Beaton here babbling about this debt restructuring damn it Beaton hold it to my ear think I hear with my chin? was what . . .? Annexed told them just to go in and . . . how the devil’d that happen said there wouldn’t be any resistance, Blaufinger didn’t think they had a damn slingshot between them said these Uaso troops just walk in and . . . well by God . . . Well by God decima . . . what? Poor buggers where’d they . . . thought they were real? Where the devil’d they get them never heard such a . . . don’t know damn it means we’ll have to drag in labor from Angola or some other damn hold on, what the devil do you want.

  —Just sign here Mister Katz?

  —Here here give me that I’ll sign it. There. On that date . . .

  —Monty? How secure’s this damn phone you’re on . . .

  —City National Bank, the trustee under the indenture applicable to the nine percent convertible subordinated debentures declared an event of default and demanded payment of the outstanding principal amount together with the accrued int . . .

  —Figured those deposits someplace upriver from the brewery where they get the trace of cobalt puts the head on their beer, damn fools tip their hand file for the mineral depletion allow . . . I know that no damn reason to broadcast it is there? Already hanging you with this Typhon contract cobalt stockpile’s the whole damn basis for it, broadcast this every damn leftwing paper in . . . resignation don’t take effect till tomorrow does it? Any damn reason you can’t just stamp the whole damn thing classified before you clean out your desk there? Don’t any . . . Management no don’t know a damn thing about it good earnings record probably got it in to raise capital hold on, Beaton? Paragraph in there on this brewery sale?

  —Yes sir it’s the next para . . .

  —Well read it.

  —Yes sir. The operations of Wonder Brewery are continuing normally. The company has received and is entertaining several inquiries looking to the sale of this subsidiary. The chapter eleven proceeding poses certain technical difficulties but there does not appear to be any reas . . .

  —Strike it out. Monty . . .? No just sit on the whole damn . . . shouldn’t make any trouble no, heard they locked him up chasing police around the brewery there with a damn gun right now just sit on it maybe tie it in later on the sale to this pipeline outfit soon as Broos gets this loan guaran . . . taking the original offer Stamper made before he went down that’s right Alberta Western sites mining clai . . . Don’t care how damn low it was bona fide offer wasn’t it? Think we . . . because his outfit’s already spent forty million studies surveys hearings impact statements litigation with these damn ecologists still haven’t laid a damn inch of pipe . . . banking consortium underwriting every damn penny that’s why, sell off this Alsaka subsidiary to them lock stock and barrel only way to keep the damn reins on it . . . SEC why should the damn SEC interfere, recapitalizing the parent company settle the creditors save the damn stockholders something, have to raise capital don’t we? Cash flow level’s projected to hold this paper complex together Triangle handful of satellites no damn reas . . . know that yes still mostly timber harves . . . well by God, Beaton?

  —National Bankruptcy Act filed with the court a proposed arrangement with unsecured creditors specifying the manner in which claims against the comp . . .

  —Beaton!

  —In order for yes sir?

  —Know anything about these damn mining claims? Monty says they just handed down a decision invalidates every damn one of them who the devil . . .

  —Yes sir you may recall suggesting I initiate an action when they declined Mister Stamper’s original offer. I was able to demonstrate that the claims laws clearly envisage placer mining which presumes large amounts of available water, whereas the entire area these claims comprise is dry as a . . .

  —Monty? Beaton in there demonstrating again he . . . know you did yes, he . . . know it damn it forgot about it, any damn reason you can’t leave a memorandum reverse your position before you clean out your desk there? Want this whole piece to hang together Alberta Western sites right straight down through the . . . Know it yes just that damn reserva . . . just arrested those damn Brook brothers didn’t they? Picture in yesterday’s paper had them dragged out of BIA in there tearing up the peapatch after that show they put on at the res . . . FBI what . . .? Stolen car count all the damn FBI’s ever good for, always find another fool salesman damn well
think assault on a federal marshal they’d be . . . Claims to the whole damn thing wiped out weren’t they? Supposed to revert to the Bureau of Land Management but they’re in here suing Alsaka and the parent on those leases and damages biggest damn claim the company’s got against it, leftwing press fanning the damn flames end up with a jury seen too many fool movies hand them every damn penny they . . . Win it they’d have the money to bid it in buy the whole damn thing back heard one of them on a phone tape shouting he’d . . . what? By God no didn’t authorize didn’t ask for it Monty how big a damn fool do you . . . don’t know no tapes just turned up, phone at their uptown headquarters Beaton couldn’t even find the damn place borrowed a couple of half-baked detectives from Zona came up with a lot of damn bits and pieces worst damn job of . . . Talking about what . . .? Don’t know no Beaton’s heard them have to call you back, wade through this foul-mouth secretary they had up there bring those tapes with you Beaton?

  —Holders of the company’s yes sir, nine percent convertible subordinated debentures provide for the issuance of eight shares of common stock for each one thousand dollar princip . . .

  —BIA what? Have to talk louder Beaton holding the damn phone a mile away is . . . wards damn right they’re government wards, been feeding at the public trough since Custer’s last . . . good, damn good way to . . . need every damn cent they can get, handle it that way never even get near Appeals Court stop the whole damn thing in its tracks who’s . . . good yes straighten Broos out when I get him Stamper’s people scratching around said just lowgrade coal told them to talk to that little Jew on the power commission might gasify it set up a . . . who Stamper’s outfit? Beaton no hasn’t told me a damn word about it standing here bab . . . shouldn’t be no just make damn sure Bureau of Land Management’s signed this ninety-nine year lease with them before you clean out your desk there, less damn publicity the better Beaton here tells me that damn Stamper woman’s kicking up her hee . . . Crawley? what’s . . . Know he handled it but . . . Don’t have a damn thing to do with this operation Monty no Stamper set him up on that National Parks stunt tried to get into the Everglades hundred thousand acres drilling rights Seminoles and Mickeysuckies sitting on there, district next door supplies fresh water to Miami broken down retired population only fun’s flushing toilets lease that out they’d hand them their scalps damn it Beaton trying to mash my ear off? Told you Crawley don’t know his elbow from . . . can’t help it damn it crybaby called me too said he was being thrown to the . . . know that Monty but by God pulls a stunt like this goes under peak of this crisis in investor confidence no business getting into those damn bellies in the first place did he? Expects the Exchange to put up twenty-eight million bail him out doing their damndest down there right now just to hold things together, may get up two or three million settle his clients with eight or ten cents on the dol . . . No damn choice Monty let these small investors up to two three hundred thousand go under bank feeling the pinch had to put all Crawley’s street name collateral everything Wiles could salvage into Emily Cates and Francis Joubert way the damn market’s sliding faster we redeem them pay both foundations back the bet . . . Had to pull Wiles out didn’t we? So damn much underwriting bring charges like that against him and Crawley see the whole thing go like a stack of dominoes, SEC in there wetting their damn pants just slapped their wrists on this know your client rule damn fools both of them get up at that hearing say they never laid their damn eyes on him heard even his own fool directors said they’d never . . .