the physical plant in west Broward County.
Santangelo asked whom Empt had in mind as architect and general contractor for the factory.
Luther replied that there were several good local firms he had dealt with before. Rocco Santangelo said that he would like to recommend a Miami-based builder with whose work he was familiar. His prices were reasonable, and he always met schedules.
Luther said he would prefer to give the work to contractors he knew in Palm Beach County.
Santangelo said he really would consider it a personal favor if Empt would agree to use the Miami builder.
Empt said that was out of the question. He said that he and his partners were risking three times the amount being loaned by Santangelo, and associates, and they had to be allowed to make business decisions they felt to be in their own best interests.
Santangelo said that was true, but in this particular case, he had to insist that Empt and his partners defer to his wishes. There were reasons he could not go into, but employing the Miami builder was essential.
Empt, beginning to bristle, said no, absolutely not. They would select their own builder.
Then there was silence. At that point Holloway thought the whole deal was about to fall apart. Santangelo's eyes were, if possible, colder and emptier than before. And Empt's face was bright with his stubborn anger.
But then Ronald Bending spoke up boldly. If he wasn't nerveless and amused, that was the impression he gave.
"Gentlemen, I really don't believe you appreciate what is at stake here."
The two visitors slowly turned to him.
"South Florida is not New York," he told them. "It's a lot of little towns, and the counties are just as important. Everyone knows everyone else. We all take in each other's laundry. All the money people know one another or have mutual friends. Now you go to build something—a house, a factory, a swimming pool, whatever—you go to local people. A friend, or a friend of a friend. That's how you buy your car and insurance. That's how you spend your money. You understand? It's all local. Then not too many questions are asked. No one gets too curious. No one gets envious. You're paying your dues. Bill, am I right?"
"That is correct," Holloway said.
"Now then," Turk Bending went on smoothly, "we bring in a Miami builder and all the local people get sore. 'What's wrong, we're not good enough for you guys?' That's what they'll say. Then they'll start ^asking, 'What the hell are you building out there anyway?' And a lot of these guys are in local politics. We'll need favors—you know? Permits and variances and so forth. So what's the sense of getting their balls in an uproar? Let's face it: we're not building a public library; we're going to process porn. So doesn't it make sense to keep a low profile? And we do that by spreading the bucks around locally. We don't want to get our neighbors sore at us before we even get started."
The three partners looked at Rocco Santangelo. He turned his head to his companion.
"Okay," Jimmy Stone said in his low, lifeless voice.
After that, they all relaxed and had another drink. Arrangements were made for delivery of the $250,000 in cash to Empt. They were given a Miami telephone number where messages for Santangelo could be left. He promised to return their calls promptly.
Empt suggested that while the new factory was being erected, and equipment ordered, he could start processing porn films in his existing facility. This would, he said, serve as a trial run and provide valuable experience for the time when they would go into full production.
"We'll start with cassettes," he said. "Then, if the new disk players catch on, we'll add disk processors. The important thing is to stay on top of the market, but not put all our eggs in one basket."
Santangelo approved of this cautious approach and said he'd have a print of a new porn movie delivered next week. It was a twenty-minute film in color, called Teenage Honeypots.
The meeting ended soon
Santangelo asked whom Empt had in mind as architect and general contractor for the factory.
Luther replied that there were several good local firms he had dealt with before. Rocco Santangelo said that he would like to recommend a Miami-based builder with whose work he was familiar. His prices were reasonable, and he always met schedules.
Luther said he would prefer to give the work to contractors he knew in Palm Beach County.
Santangelo said he really would consider it a personal favor if Empt would agree to use the Miami builder.
Empt said that was out of the question. He said that he and his partners were risking three times the amount being loaned by Santangelo, and associates, and they had to be allowed to make business decisions they felt to be in their own best interests.
Santangelo said that was true, but in this particular case, he had to insist that Empt and his partners defer to his wishes. There were reasons he could not go into, but employing the Miami builder was essential.
Empt, beginning to bristle, said no, absolutely not. They would select their own builder.
Then there was silence. At that point Holloway thought the whole deal was about to fall apart. Santangelo's eyes were, if possible, colder and emptier than before. And Empt's face was bright with his stubborn anger.
But then Ronald Bending spoke up boldly. If he wasn't nerveless and amused, that was the impression he gave.
"Gentlemen, I really don't believe you appreciate what is at stake here."
The two visitors slowly turned to him.
"South Florida is not New York," he told them. "It's a lot of little towns, and the counties are just as important. Everyone knows everyone else. We all take in each other's laundry. All the money people know one another or have mutual friends. Now you go to build something—a house, a factory, a swimming pool, whatever—you go to local people. A friend, or a friend of a friend. That's how you buy your car and insurance. That's how you spend your money. You understand? It's all local. Then not too many questions are asked. No one gets too curious. No one gets envious. You're paying your dues. Bill, am I right?"
"That is correct," Holloway said.
"Now then," Turk Bending went on smoothly, "we bring in a Miami builder and all the local people get sore. 'What's wrong, we're not good enough for you guys?' That's what they'll say. Then they'll start ^asking, 'What the hell are you building out there anyway?' And a lot of these guys are in local politics. We'll need favors—you know? Permits and variances and so forth. So what's the sense of getting their balls in an uproar? Let's face it: we're not building a public library; we're going to process porn. So doesn't it make sense to keep a low profile? And we do that by spreading the bucks around locally. We don't want to get our neighbors sore at us before we even get started."
The three partners looked at Rocco Santangelo. He turned his head to his companion.
"Okay," Jimmy Stone said in his low, lifeless voice.
After that, they all relaxed and had another drink. Arrangements were made for delivery of the $250,000 in cash to Empt. They were given a Miami telephone number where messages for Santangelo could be left. He promised to return their calls promptly.
Empt suggested that while the new factory was being erected, and equipment ordered, he could start processing porn films in his existing facility. This would, he said, serve as a trial run and provide valuable experience for the time when they would go into full production.
"We'll start with cassettes," he said. "Then, if the new disk players catch on, we'll add disk processors. The important thing is to stay on top of the market, but not put all our eggs in one basket."
Santangelo approved of this cautious approach and said he'd have a print of a new porn movie delivered next week. It was a twenty-minute film in color, called Teenage Honeypots.
The meeting ended soon
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