head mechanic there and I've been with the company for almost twenty-five years. Now it seems this situation calls for someone to blame, and I'm that someone."
Fernando nodded again and took out a small pad. "Do you mind if I write some notes?"
Roger shook his head. "Not at all."
"Continue."
Roger cleared his throat. "After the last meeting at the offices I got the distinct feeling that the CEO of the company wanted to take me down. Then someone told me I should probably get myself an attorney. So, here we are."
"Well, in circumstances such as these, it's never a bad idea to be safe."
"Circumstances such as these?" Roger took a sip of his beer.
Fernando looked away and around as if making sure it was safe to talk. "Roger, this is big money. Not only for the corporation but for the city. The park brings in not only a lot of revenue through taxes, but it's a tourist attraction, which I don't have to tell you is big money for everyone involved. But now that there's this tragedy it will greatly hamper the cash flow for the business and the politicos. People aren't going to be running to a park where people died, especially as horrifically as this. Right?"
Roger took a nother, longer sip of beer and nodded. "Yes. That seems true."
Fernando continued. "T o make the public happy the corporation is going to pin this on you so they can say they found the bad guy and it's safe come back to our park."
"But I didn't do it! " Roger said forcefully.
"That, my friend, is irrelevant. You are simply a face to pin this evil on. No one really cares if you did it or not. They want to read in the papers that someone was convicted. That makes them feel like it's again safe to go on the rides. And the fact that you are the head mechanic, they can make up whatever story that will fit. It doesn't have to be the truth."
The food came and Roger was suddenly not hungry. Fernando dug into his cheeseburger. Roger sat there and looked at the food.
Fernando chewed slowly and Roger waited. "Roger, that's why you have me. I'm going to make sure everyone knows you had nothing to do with this. On top of that, I am going to get you damages for libel."
" So, what should I do?"
Fernando paused and smiled at him. "Nothing, my friend. You simply stay low-key. Do n't go out on the town. Stay home. Let me get the ball rolling. I'll be talking to the lawyers for the corporation to find out the situation. I already did some background work and I know a couple of them professionally. Let's find out what we're dealing with and then I will know more about our process of moving forward. But Roger..."
"Yes?"
"Don't worry. I'll take care of this. And don't talk to anyone about anything without talking to me first. Clear?" Fernando pushed his plate away. "I am serious. If anyone contacts you about anything to do with this situation, you refer them to me." He took out a card and handed it to Roger. "That's my cell number on there so you can call me anytime. I'm here for you, buddy."
"Thanks. I appreciate it." Roger felt a bit of relief knowing that someone was behind him. While Fernando did rub you a bit, he was smart, that much was sure. Roger had to trust someone, might as well be this guy. "So do I write you a check?"
Fernando shook his head and waved Roger's statement away. "My friend, money can be handled another day. Do you know my pricing? I think I sent you an email with the information including how it breaks down, right?"
Roger nodded.
"So, okay, I'm going to do some work and I'll give you a call in a couple of days."
Roger stood up. "I'm going to head home and I'll be there. You have the number."
"I do."
Roger started walking away when the waiter came up with the box of his lunch. He held up the bag towards Fernando. "Thanks for lunch."
"No problem." Fernando watched Roger walk out of the restaurant and slightly shook his head. He figured that La Rosa and Roger might be an item and that made him just the slightest bit jealous. But then he
Fernando nodded again and took out a small pad. "Do you mind if I write some notes?"
Roger shook his head. "Not at all."
"Continue."
Roger cleared his throat. "After the last meeting at the offices I got the distinct feeling that the CEO of the company wanted to take me down. Then someone told me I should probably get myself an attorney. So, here we are."
"Well, in circumstances such as these, it's never a bad idea to be safe."
"Circumstances such as these?" Roger took a sip of his beer.
Fernando looked away and around as if making sure it was safe to talk. "Roger, this is big money. Not only for the corporation but for the city. The park brings in not only a lot of revenue through taxes, but it's a tourist attraction, which I don't have to tell you is big money for everyone involved. But now that there's this tragedy it will greatly hamper the cash flow for the business and the politicos. People aren't going to be running to a park where people died, especially as horrifically as this. Right?"
Roger took a nother, longer sip of beer and nodded. "Yes. That seems true."
Fernando continued. "T o make the public happy the corporation is going to pin this on you so they can say they found the bad guy and it's safe come back to our park."
"But I didn't do it! " Roger said forcefully.
"That, my friend, is irrelevant. You are simply a face to pin this evil on. No one really cares if you did it or not. They want to read in the papers that someone was convicted. That makes them feel like it's again safe to go on the rides. And the fact that you are the head mechanic, they can make up whatever story that will fit. It doesn't have to be the truth."
The food came and Roger was suddenly not hungry. Fernando dug into his cheeseburger. Roger sat there and looked at the food.
Fernando chewed slowly and Roger waited. "Roger, that's why you have me. I'm going to make sure everyone knows you had nothing to do with this. On top of that, I am going to get you damages for libel."
" So, what should I do?"
Fernando paused and smiled at him. "Nothing, my friend. You simply stay low-key. Do n't go out on the town. Stay home. Let me get the ball rolling. I'll be talking to the lawyers for the corporation to find out the situation. I already did some background work and I know a couple of them professionally. Let's find out what we're dealing with and then I will know more about our process of moving forward. But Roger..."
"Yes?"
"Don't worry. I'll take care of this. And don't talk to anyone about anything without talking to me first. Clear?" Fernando pushed his plate away. "I am serious. If anyone contacts you about anything to do with this situation, you refer them to me." He took out a card and handed it to Roger. "That's my cell number on there so you can call me anytime. I'm here for you, buddy."
"Thanks. I appreciate it." Roger felt a bit of relief knowing that someone was behind him. While Fernando did rub you a bit, he was smart, that much was sure. Roger had to trust someone, might as well be this guy. "So do I write you a check?"
Fernando shook his head and waved Roger's statement away. "My friend, money can be handled another day. Do you know my pricing? I think I sent you an email with the information including how it breaks down, right?"
Roger nodded.
"So, okay, I'm going to do some work and I'll give you a call in a couple of days."
Roger stood up. "I'm going to head home and I'll be there. You have the number."
"I do."
Roger started walking away when the waiter came up with the box of his lunch. He held up the bag towards Fernando. "Thanks for lunch."
"No problem." Fernando watched Roger walk out of the restaurant and slightly shook his head. He figured that La Rosa and Roger might be an item and that made him just the slightest bit jealous. But then he
Similar Books
