Who is Jack Winter ( Part 2)

The Chinese ambassador, Lin Fang, sat opposite Jack Winter in an oversized leather armchair. He was a small man and the large chair made him look like a child. His little legs weren’t long enough to reach the floor so they just swung in the air. Winter on the other hand was a big man, he filled his chair. He also sat on two cushions so that he was much higher than Lin Fang. It made him feel powerful, in control.

The ambassador was reading from a file labelled “Proposed Trading Embargoes and Taxes.” After a few minutes he looked up and shook his head.

“Mister Winter, I think it would be very unwise of you to carry out these proposals. We would have to retaliate of course and then impose our own.”

Jack shrugged his shoulders and had an apologetic look on his face.

“I know, I know, Lin. But the Foreign Secretary and the PM are all for it. They think that there are just too many Chinese imports coming in and you fellows just aren’t taking enough of our goods.”

“But your goods are far too expensive, we can buy cheaper elsewhere. It does not make good economic sense for us to buy them at a high price. My country has an enormous appetite for consumer goods but they have to be at the right price Mister Winter. If you enforce some kind of Import tax on our goods then we will simply stop any of your goods coming into our country.”

Jack Winter smiled.

“You see Lin, that’s just my point. It would hurt you much more than me because you have much more to lose. If we stopped buying Chinese goods think of the impact it would have on your economy. If truth be known, you rely heavily on our trade.”

There was an uneasy silence for a brief moment. Jack stood up and wandered over to a large oak cabinet.

“Can I offer you a glass of twelve year old malt Lin?”

The ambassador looked at his watch. It was nine forty five.

“It’s a little early for me Mister Winter.”

“Nonsense Lin. It’s never too early for a good scotch!”

He opened up the cabinet and took out a bottle of whiskey and two crystal glasses. He filled them both with the golden liquid.

“It’s my birthday today Lin.”

The ambassador smiled.

“Many happy returns Mister Winter. In which case I will toast your health.”

Jack handed him a glass.

“Cheers.”

They touched glasses. Jack downed the contents in one large gulp. The ambassador decided it would be good manners to do the same. Jack sat back down, but before he did he refilled the ambassador’s glass.

“I hear you are refurbishing the embassy later this year Lin, sounds like a big job, must come to a large sum, have you awarded the contract yet?”

Lin Fang looked confused. They had been in the middle of talking about proposed trade embargos and now Jack Winter was asking him about the embassy.

“Err yes Mister Winter. September I believe. Not really my priority though to be honest.”

“Ah but it should be Lin. First impressions and all that. When people come into the Embassy they should feel impressed, it should have a sense of grandeur, the way it looks is very important. All of these things can be achieved with the right furnishings. So then. Have you awarded the contract yet?”

“No, I think we are still at the Tender stage.”

“Good, good. Let me give you the name and number of a HIGHLY recommended company. The owner is a personal friend of mine and would be EXTREMELY grateful for the opportunity to be included in the Tender.”

He gave a business card to the Ambassador.

“Thank you Mister Winter. Now about these proposed trade embargos. As I said before it would be very unwise for your government to try to go through with any such ideas, because…”

Jack butted in before he could continue.

“I am sure that I can persuade my superiors to think again about them, especially in light of the fact that you MAY be giving a very large furniture order to a good friend of ours in September. Does your wife drive Lin?”

Again Lin Fang looked confused.

“Yes she does. Why?”

“Does she have a Porsche?”

“No, she drives a Nissan.”

“Well, well, we can’t have that now can we. I think she’d look rather fetching in a Porsche, don’t you?”

The Ambassador nodded. The two whisky’s had made him rather light headed. He began to realise what Jack Winter was implying.

“Yes, yes, she would. A red one. She’d look very good in a red one!”

“Perfect. I think we can safely say that the proposed trade embargos will go away, you will have excellent new furniture in your Embassy and Mrs Fang will look great driving a Red Porsche in September.”

Jack stood up and stuck out his hand. The meeting was over.

As soon as the room was empty Jack Winter took the file and put it into his briefcase, he then removed a phone from his pocket and dialled a number.

“Hi Patrick, expect a call from a Lin Fang from the Chinese embassy. I’ve managed to get you onto the Tender list. Don’t fuck it up. I’ve told him you’ll get his wife a Porsche once you’ve been awarded the contract. We’ll talk about my cut later when you buy me lunch at the club. See you at seven. Don’t be fucking late!”

He hung up just as his assistant, Roger Dumfries, walked in.

“How did it go Minister?”

“Excellent thank you Roger. I’ve convinced the Chinese not to go ahead with any trade embargoes against us. Can you make sure that the Foreign Secretary and the PM know about this ASAP?”

“Of course Minister. What on earth were they thinking of trying to impose a tax on our exports, it would cripple us. The PM and the Foreign Secretary will be very pleased.””

“And so they should be Roger. It took a lot of persuading I can tell you. The ambassador wasn’t going to back down but I managed to save the day.”

“Well done Minister.”

Roger Dumfries noticed the whisky bottle and the two empty glasses on the table. Jack noticed the disapproving look on his face.

“Bloody Chinese. I asked him if he would like a coffee and the cheeky bugger asked me if I had anything stronger. He came out with some nonsense about it being his birthday. I thought it wise just to go along with it. You know what these Chinese are like about manners.”

Roger smiled and nodded his approval.

“Smart move Minister. Especially as you were trying to get them on our side.”

Roger turned and walked out of the room. Jack waited for the door to close then poured himself another glass full of scotch. He took some blues and greens out of his inside pocket and put them in his mouth then washed them down with the malt.

The scotch and the pills had its usual effect. He felt a stirring inside his pants. He needed to go to the executive toilets next door and have his mid- morning wank.

The day was going according to plan…