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Chapter 49
I leaned back in my chair in the heart of Smokey's Web site offices. Gerda's emails had a chilling quality to them. They showed how people were drawn into Bruno's web and then some of the ways he kept them under his control. Gerda was now working for Bruno and living in his accommodation. How long would it be before she felt more loyal to Powerful Bruno than to Pathetic Barry.
A strange thought then occurred to me. Could she already only be passing on what Bruno wanted me to know? Was she writing to me only under his specific instructions? I dismissed this as paranoia - but only for the time being.
Jennifer too, lived in a small apartment. Did she have the same arrangement with Bruno as the one that Gerda now enjoyed?
So much was uncertain. It was as if I was playing chess with a force so powerful that it did not need to defend itself against me but instead let me do what I wanted knowing it had nothing to fear and that I would eventually only hurt myself and my friends.
The big question was why I was engaging in this seemingly pointless exercise at all. Jennifer had hardly made any effort to spend any time with me and Gerda had voluntarily joined the enemy for the easy life. If they didn't like the beds they were lying in, surely it was their own business. I had done the work he had hired me and was no longer involved.
It occurred to me that perhaps it was time for me to stop thinking about what everybody else was doing and start getting myself a life. Suddenly, Dynamic Barry reappeared full of decision-making power and the determination for immediate action.
So I telephoned Ron.
"Hi how's it going," his voice had a guarded quality.
"Pretty good," I replied. "The web site is going well, visitors are rising and a lot of them are from the local London area."
"Yeh, tell the ones from China and Bangkok not to come on the site and use my bandwidth. Every time one of downloads pictures of the strippers, it costs me money."
Typically Ron had had been doing his homework. I wondered where he was getting his information. He certainly was right and I had been aware of this hole in his business plan for some time but had omitted to enlighten him. Fortunately, however, I had a solution ready.
"I've been thinking about that for some time." (Well, a few moments every now and then!)
"It took me some time but I think I've come up with a solution. All we do is to make the entrance to Smokey's Web site password controlled. Signing up for a password can be free..."
"Now don't get too hasty, young Barry..." said Ron, cutting in. There were two words in Ron's vocabulary that he really hated. The first was 'waste' and the second was 'free'.
"Why don't you let me finish," I said quickly, hating the way he had interrupted me.
"Your other idea where we used the amateur strippers was a good one. Don't go spoiling your record now by talking about 'free'. Unless of course you're talking about free to me in which case it's they different matter."
I knew I had to get Ron to stop obsessing about this word 'free' so he would listen to the rest of my proposal (which included me going off on holiday).
"Maybe I used the wrong word. Perhaps I should be more precise. What I really mean is..."
Ron cut in again.
"Barry, will you stop going round the mulberry bush and spit out what you mean to say before I put this phone down and talk to somebody sensible."
I told it all in a rush.
"We give access to Smokey's Web site in exchange for the names and addresses of the subscribers and their subscription are only accepted if they come from the London or UK area. You can choose what you think is most appropriate."
"Could I sell their names and addresses to businesses who want to send them mail shots?"
He sounded hopeful and I could see his eyes at the other end of the telephone lighting up with cash register currency signs. This was looking better. He would soon be at his happiest and then I would put my request in for holiday leave.
"As long as you tell them how you are going to use the information, that should be all right. You can call it an 'opt in' mailing list. In return for access to the entertaining real-life drama of Smokey's Bar, they agree to receive emailed details of lots more entertainment opportunities you have identified."
"And I can give away a free password with every drink they purchase up the bar which would really get them coming in. I'm beginning to like the sound of this. But would it need a lot of programming?"
"For a top flight programmer, it would be a breeze!"
"It would take you quite a while then," said Rod suspiciously. He was cottoning onto the idea that I was leading up to something.
"With absolute peace and quiet and no distraction from anything, I could have it done in a couple of weeks."
"And where would you do this work without being distracted?"
"Well I rather thought..."
"Here it comes..." said Ron, mildly.
"I rather thought I could do their work during my holiday break in the South of France, starting immediately."
There was a pause at the other end of the line.
"Who's going to look after the offices while you're away?"
"They'll be all right, I can lock them up."
"I tell you what, Barry. You look after the programming upgrade and I'll sort out somebody to watch the office."
I wasn't too keen on Ron letting people in that I hadn't approved but I was keen to get off to the south of France so I decided not to argue the point.
"Can you get them round today so I can go off and get started?"
"It's a deal," said Ron. "Happy programming!"
I was free!
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