Big Ben(d) Ch 04
Sam takes some personal steps in New York
All characters described in this story are over 18. The scenarios are fictional, but are quite representational of corporate finance--at least before COVID. Β© 2025, Brunosden, All rights reserved.
Sam Crocket has been assigned to stand-in for the EVP of Elon Oil at preliminary, but important, finance negotiations in New York. After bunking together at a corporate retreat, he and Brock (Adamson), another junior employee in another department, have had almost two weeks of non-stop sex. Brock is beginning feel a little proprietary. Sam feels something too, but he realizes that Brock was his first male sex partner, and he is very anxious to make good on his first real professional job. Actually, Sam really has no choice. His boss has spoken. He is on his way to New York. And Sam is pretty sure that Roger has set him up--but he assumes that he is being set up as a sex partner, maybe a sub of Roger, his boss. He's left Brock in El Paso after yet another night of hot, young sex. The fact that the hard airline seat was a constant and pleasant reminder of the last evening didn't help either. Brock had really pounded, and Sam had really taken it.
In Sam's voice...
I arrived in New York, checked in and headed for the Goldman conference room--where the first round of document review was beginning. I introduced myself to our lawyers--a partner and two associates, who were matched with a similar number from Goldman's lawyers on the other side of the table and another group representing Morgan who were theoretically just observers at this stage. I knew that we would ultimately be paying for all of them, but even at extraordinary rates, aggregating thousands of dollars per hour, it would be a small part of the total acquisition package. Banks would take a cut; Goldman would take a bigger cut. Besides me, Goldman had two young analyst-bankers, and Bob Brandt (a Goldman Managing Partner) popped in from time to time. Morgan had three lawyers from yet another firm, one senior, two junior and Morgan bankers. More than a dozen people working on boilerplate--what a waste!
I think the RobertsAllen partner (our guy) was a little put out that Elon had sent such a junior guy (me) to the meeting. He had been expecting Roger Bannister. But, there wasn't much he could do. I was the client.
This was not a contentious meeting. All the attorneys knew each other and had been through this all before. The documents were mostly boiler-plate, developed by lenders and borrowers over dozens of years. Matt and Roger had provided me with outlines in El Paso. There were no surprises. Later we would get to the negotiable pressure points--where Goldman's hunger for the fees on this deal and Morgan's desire to lead a large lending syndicate would be matched against our corresponding hunger to acquire Murray Oil. We spent hours, well into the dinner hour, with sandwiches brought in, reviewing the general structure, the reps and warranties, the financial terms etc. By nine, we had a skeleton of a deal, an agreed "second" draft, with maybe a dozen open issues--including all of the most important--the interest rate, the success fees and the pay-back requirements.
I returned to the hotel and called Roger (it was seven in El Paso). He picked up immediately. I outlined the day. "Pretty much as I expected. Tomorrow will be more of the same. But, during the day make a list of the open points--and if Goldman tips its hand, keep note of that too. Morgan is really predictable--and probably almost immovable. Their participation is based on past deals and Fed rates. Focus on Goldman. We'll talk tomorrow. Good work, Sam. By the way, how about Brandt?"
"He came by several times--and invited me to dinner tonight, but I begged off since we were finishing so late. He's insisted that he won't take a 'no' tomorrow."
"Again, as I expected. Well, keep him happy. I need him."
Then I had a Facetime chat (and actually quite a bit more) with Brock. We both came quickly as we jerked together to a rock piece he had on in the background and the oral encouragement of a partner. Each of us had a front row seat to the other's fountain of release from towering phalluses. Ah, the wonders of modern cellular technology! Toward the end of the call, he asked whether I had opened the package. I propped the phone and went to get it, and opened it as he looked on. At first, I didn't recognize it. Obviously a sex toy from the penis shape, but too small to be really useful. Then it hit me. It was a fucking cage--with a silicon-covered metal ring to which a cage could be snapped on--which would lock it automatically. I looked up at his face on the little screen. He was smiling and dangling a key--apparently the only key to the device.
"You've got to be kidding. Not a chance, bro. Not a chance."
Brock went silent and blushed deeply. He realized, I think, that he'd gone too far. "I don't mean that you have to put it on now. But, I wanted to give you an out if you get cornered by Roger--or the Goldman guy. I know how passive you are in these situations and how much you want to please that guy."