raised, ever so minimally.
"Well I wouldn't exactly call it erroneous... You did take the bribe after all."
"And why shouldn't I? I work hard everyday, aren't I entitled to a bonus? Don't I deserve to offer my services outside of the typically expected products arbitration can deliver?" Barry shot back quickly and defensively as 3 slow chuckles made Drake’s head bob. "And you'll drop me as soon as the report comes out, don't try to claim otherwise."
"Well," Drake shrugged, "If you get downgraded I might have no other option. Believe me Barry, I am not too keen on the idea of spending more money for less favorable arbitration outcomes."
"This whole thing is just a big mess I don't want to have to deal with! And now my retirement is in jeopardy! I can't even sell the business if I get downgraded, I'll get peanuts, I'll be destitute!"
"You could always move into an adap." Drake joked dryly.
Barry's stare burned of indignation as he spoke a bit too loudly, "Could you take this a bit more seriously Drake! Aren't we friends? I could use some support!"
"Of course, of course," Drake glanced quickly around and made a calming motion with his hand, telling Barry to take it down a notch.
Barry lowered his voice, leaned in, and continued venting. "There's too much competition these days. Remember 20, 30 years ago how easy it was? We were still the first kids on the block, and people needed us! We were running the world and should have done something to keep it that way while we had the chance. Now we're just slowly bleeding to death while these go-getters pull the carpet right out from under us!"
"Speak for yourself, bleeding to death," Drake drawled without glancing up from his menu.
"Ha! I know how your business is doing Drake, you're just as doomed as I am," Barry picked up his glass of wine and gestured to it before taking a sip, "We should enjoy this while it lasts. Pretty soon we'll be swigging little more than spiked grape juice."
Drake was annoyed, but his annoyed expression looked pretty much like his normal expression, and only slightly drearier than his "joyful" expression.
"Well to be honest, I had been thinking about the same thing. Running a business these days isn't like it was when my grandfather started NESA. No one knew what was going on back then, and people like him were able to corner the market. Took a long time for anyone to catch up."
"Yes," replied Barry darkly, happy to have Drake agreeing with him. "And before that, in the days of government, people in our positions never had to give up what we had earned. Men like us were set for life, pensions, tenure, the treasury of a whole continent at our disposal. But today, despite the years of service, we can still be pushed out and left to die in the cold like a stray dog!" Barry finished dramatically, biting into a fresh caught crab cake brought over by a silent waiter. Still chewing Barry continued, "Of course, some places still have governments. Things would be different if we were born in Korea or even Texas."
"Yea but Korea’s a shit-hole, and in Texas judges and security chiefs couldn’t pay for this dinner with a month’s salary. Even ruling those countries wouldn't put us where we are now."
"But how long can we stay where we are now?! I thought that million I put into Transcend Space Travel would pay off, but they’ve had setback after setback. They said they would be able to travel to Mars by now in under a week." He was talking with his hands, one still holding half a crab cake, and a full mouth, crumbs dropping onto the table. "I can't keep my company afloat with today’s competition! I've been racking my brain and I can't think of what to do! If only that bitch Molly would – " He stopped himself.
"Would what?" Drake chuckled.
"Die!" Barry blurted out loudly, laughing; it became apparent to Drake that Barry must have been drinking since noon.
A slightly more detectable smile crossed Drake's face. But he let a good time pass before
"Well I wouldn't exactly call it erroneous... You did take the bribe after all."
"And why shouldn't I? I work hard everyday, aren't I entitled to a bonus? Don't I deserve to offer my services outside of the typically expected products arbitration can deliver?" Barry shot back quickly and defensively as 3 slow chuckles made Drake’s head bob. "And you'll drop me as soon as the report comes out, don't try to claim otherwise."
"Well," Drake shrugged, "If you get downgraded I might have no other option. Believe me Barry, I am not too keen on the idea of spending more money for less favorable arbitration outcomes."
"This whole thing is just a big mess I don't want to have to deal with! And now my retirement is in jeopardy! I can't even sell the business if I get downgraded, I'll get peanuts, I'll be destitute!"
"You could always move into an adap." Drake joked dryly.
Barry's stare burned of indignation as he spoke a bit too loudly, "Could you take this a bit more seriously Drake! Aren't we friends? I could use some support!"
"Of course, of course," Drake glanced quickly around and made a calming motion with his hand, telling Barry to take it down a notch.
Barry lowered his voice, leaned in, and continued venting. "There's too much competition these days. Remember 20, 30 years ago how easy it was? We were still the first kids on the block, and people needed us! We were running the world and should have done something to keep it that way while we had the chance. Now we're just slowly bleeding to death while these go-getters pull the carpet right out from under us!"
"Speak for yourself, bleeding to death," Drake drawled without glancing up from his menu.
"Ha! I know how your business is doing Drake, you're just as doomed as I am," Barry picked up his glass of wine and gestured to it before taking a sip, "We should enjoy this while it lasts. Pretty soon we'll be swigging little more than spiked grape juice."
Drake was annoyed, but his annoyed expression looked pretty much like his normal expression, and only slightly drearier than his "joyful" expression.
"Well to be honest, I had been thinking about the same thing. Running a business these days isn't like it was when my grandfather started NESA. No one knew what was going on back then, and people like him were able to corner the market. Took a long time for anyone to catch up."
"Yes," replied Barry darkly, happy to have Drake agreeing with him. "And before that, in the days of government, people in our positions never had to give up what we had earned. Men like us were set for life, pensions, tenure, the treasury of a whole continent at our disposal. But today, despite the years of service, we can still be pushed out and left to die in the cold like a stray dog!" Barry finished dramatically, biting into a fresh caught crab cake brought over by a silent waiter. Still chewing Barry continued, "Of course, some places still have governments. Things would be different if we were born in Korea or even Texas."
"Yea but Korea’s a shit-hole, and in Texas judges and security chiefs couldn’t pay for this dinner with a month’s salary. Even ruling those countries wouldn't put us where we are now."
"But how long can we stay where we are now?! I thought that million I put into Transcend Space Travel would pay off, but they’ve had setback after setback. They said they would be able to travel to Mars by now in under a week." He was talking with his hands, one still holding half a crab cake, and a full mouth, crumbs dropping onto the table. "I can't keep my company afloat with today’s competition! I've been racking my brain and I can't think of what to do! If only that bitch Molly would – " He stopped himself.
"Would what?" Drake chuckled.
"Die!" Barry blurted out loudly, laughing; it became apparent to Drake that Barry must have been drinking since noon.
A slightly more detectable smile crossed Drake's face. But he let a good time pass before
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