The Once Forgotten Penny; Chapter 1

The once forgotten penny.

John had been stout in his opposition to the acquisition of the small town stores. His nearly constant table pounding during the meeting made his investors nervous.

"I really DO NOT need any of this today!" He shouted in the closed meeting room. The walls were packed with soundproof foam and The door was solid Oak, the ceiling tiles were reinforced with foam on top of them; the room was soundproof. Keeping the employees unaware of what was said, was important, you never know where a mole digs a hole.

"I have lived here my entire life, I started this business to build this community, NOT tear it down!" John was not in alignment with the investor's ideas.

"John, look at it from our perspective. If you maximize your territory, you maximize your potential. We are not asking you to destroy your community, were asking you to make it better, build it" Seth was a weasel of a man, both in his attitude and his looks. He almost always carried a file folder with him, as if he were guarding the files with his life. Slumped shoulders and his body slightly bent forward as he walked made it look as if he were falling as he was walking, and if he were to stop he would fall flat on his face. His chin was narrow and he had a short pointy nose, always with a slight scowl on his face. His eyes were smaller than normal and closer to the bridge of his nose than most, having, almost, a snake like effect. He rarely laughed, but when he did it was a cackle rather than a rich, healthy laugh from the belly, it was almost as if he were really forcing himself to enjoy something. He was a shrewd businessman, it seemed he had no attachment to anything at all. His lone goal in life was to accumulate money. His money was the only happiness he knew, therefore, he cherished it like a Wife, he loved it.

"Gentrifying MY community is not BUILDING it! It is tearing it down! Destroying the culture of the area. Taking all that Zinc is and turning it into just another roadside town with a Starbucks and Applebee's. No more Chip's Quality Lumber,, it would be Home Depot. Chips would then become a Kroger Supermarket, and Hudson's Market would become Office Max, and Chuck's Print-o-Rama would be Starbucks or Applebee's." John was animated when he got frustrated.

Seth knew that he would eventually cave in to his demands, because there was no way the bank would lend him money to cut his own financial throat. His eyes were relaxed and he sat down at the table to exert his authority. This act of sitting down while John was walking about being animated, was a power play. His motions were not unplanned, he knew his actions within that meeting would dominate John's emotional banter. By sitting down he subconsciously instant messaged John saying, I'm not threatened by your idol threats, I know you can't get a loan, I know you will have to give in or quit, and quitting is not an option. He had done this countless times. All John had to do was to get the two biggest area industries to sell; the local mill and the lumber store.

"I'm sure you don't think that you have a choice. Because, if you do, I'm afraid that you do not quite understand how powerful my employer is. It would leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth if we were to come here, to YOUR town, and start forcing sales through all means necessary. It is far more, should I say, humane, if you were to do it, through negotiation." Seth's statement burned a hole in John's chest.

John turned to look at Seth. John sat down, as a countermeasure to Seth's power play. With a slight grin on his powerful jaw, he looked at Seth, without blinking. His brow, furrowed slightly, gave a look of confident confusion. Seth knew that look. without saying a word Seth heard "I'm not sure YOU know who your dealing with... ".

Should John take the deal and profit wildly, gaining lots of enemies while negotiating the death of his town; or decline and fight to guard his town from the investors? Tell me below.