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Authors: Di Morrissey
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inconspicuous which we can use for financial purposes. It doesn’t need to make money, you understand?’ Colin nodded as Alfredo explained. ‘What we are planning is to develop a resort, but we need someone to supervise it. Tony has made an offer for a place that’s been set up but is not doing so well, now he moves over to the casino project and we wondered if you would consider the challenge of this matter.’ Camboni’s false teeth flashed in a showy smile.
‘Does the Gold Coast really need another big resort? It’s already known as tombstone territory because of all the highrises which shade the beach by three every afternoon,’ said Colin carefully. ‘And I thought every decent strip of beachfront already had a development on it — units, hotels, low-rise resorts. Though I suppose you’re planning the ultra resort. Bigger than the Miami Miasma even.’
Camboni and Tony were unfazed by his cynical tone. ‘You’re right, you’re spot on,’ said Tony enthusiastically. He paused to sip his grappa, then continued. ‘The Gold Coast ispretty overdone. All you can do now is pull down old places and put up new ones. No, what we have in mind is quite different — we are attacking the hinterland.’
Colin gazed at him, pondering on the images of the territory to be ‘attacked’ — the lush rolling hills of farmlets where a few cattle grazed by small creeks that meandered through the remains of stands of rainforests. Just a matter of a few kilometres inland from the glitzy coast was another world where progress was interpreted by most of the locals as changing nothing.
Colin raised an eyebrow and leaned forward. ‘But it’s just smallish acreages, very pretty, but there’s nothing there. What would tourists do? Do you bus them in to the beach? Or give them lessons in how to contemplate their navel?’
No one smiled at what Colin had meant as a joke.
‘It’s a new wave resort,’ said Georgy triumphantly.
‘New age,’ corrected Tony. ‘A sort of health farm, bush holiday, and healing centre for the mind and body.’
Colin was surprised and kept silent for a moment. The scheme didn’t fit the image of Camboni and his friends. ‘How much? This doesn’t sound like an upscale place, how do you make money?’
‘It will cost heaps to do the place properly,’ grinned Tony. ’The very best facilities. We might even have a private wing like the Betty Ford Clinic. It will become a place forexecutives, high flyers in the media, the rich folk to recover from the stresses that got them there and the excesses they indulge in because they’ve made good. It will have class and style. And be useful,’ he smiled.
Colin tried to be impressed. ‘Makes sense . . . I guess. I don’t know that I know much about all this kind of stuff, I’ve been more into the old world than the new age.’
‘Don’t worry, Colin, we will have the best instructors and staff, the best of equipment and the best of facilities — the best of everything. Your role — should you accept,’ Camboni inclined his head and spread his hands, ‘we see as getting the place up and running. You have the management skills and just the right image for the project. Could be exciting, si?’
‘Alfredo I need to think about this, find out some more details and, of course, talk to Dina. And what’s this image stuff?’
Camboni smiled. ‘Colin, you’re very respectable, very . . .’ he paused, searching for the right word, ’well, one of the family. Now, move that platter of escallops, here’s the pasta.’ The matter was closed as far as Camboni was concerned. He knew Colin would do whatever he and Dina wanted him to do.
Saskia walked swiftly down the corridor towards TR’s room just as a nurse came out. She stopped and greeted Saskia a little apprehensively.
‘How is he?’ asked Saskia. The nurse shook her head slowly. ‘He’s not in a good mood. Hedoesn’t make my job easy, which isn’t helping him. We’re never
‘Does the Gold Coast really need another big resort? It’s already known as tombstone territory because of all the highrises which shade the beach by three every afternoon,’ said Colin carefully. ‘And I thought every decent strip of beachfront already had a development on it — units, hotels, low-rise resorts. Though I suppose you’re planning the ultra resort. Bigger than the Miami Miasma even.’
Camboni and Tony were unfazed by his cynical tone. ‘You’re right, you’re spot on,’ said Tony enthusiastically. He paused to sip his grappa, then continued. ‘The Gold Coast ispretty overdone. All you can do now is pull down old places and put up new ones. No, what we have in mind is quite different — we are attacking the hinterland.’
Colin gazed at him, pondering on the images of the territory to be ‘attacked’ — the lush rolling hills of farmlets where a few cattle grazed by small creeks that meandered through the remains of stands of rainforests. Just a matter of a few kilometres inland from the glitzy coast was another world where progress was interpreted by most of the locals as changing nothing.
Colin raised an eyebrow and leaned forward. ‘But it’s just smallish acreages, very pretty, but there’s nothing there. What would tourists do? Do you bus them in to the beach? Or give them lessons in how to contemplate their navel?’
No one smiled at what Colin had meant as a joke.
‘It’s a new wave resort,’ said Georgy triumphantly.
‘New age,’ corrected Tony. ‘A sort of health farm, bush holiday, and healing centre for the mind and body.’
Colin was surprised and kept silent for a moment. The scheme didn’t fit the image of Camboni and his friends. ‘How much? This doesn’t sound like an upscale place, how do you make money?’
‘It will cost heaps to do the place properly,’ grinned Tony. ’The very best facilities. We might even have a private wing like the Betty Ford Clinic. It will become a place forexecutives, high flyers in the media, the rich folk to recover from the stresses that got them there and the excesses they indulge in because they’ve made good. It will have class and style. And be useful,’ he smiled.
Colin tried to be impressed. ‘Makes sense . . . I guess. I don’t know that I know much about all this kind of stuff, I’ve been more into the old world than the new age.’
‘Don’t worry, Colin, we will have the best instructors and staff, the best of equipment and the best of facilities — the best of everything. Your role — should you accept,’ Camboni inclined his head and spread his hands, ‘we see as getting the place up and running. You have the management skills and just the right image for the project. Could be exciting, si?’
‘Alfredo I need to think about this, find out some more details and, of course, talk to Dina. And what’s this image stuff?’
Camboni smiled. ‘Colin, you’re very respectable, very . . .’ he paused, searching for the right word, ’well, one of the family. Now, move that platter of escallops, here’s the pasta.’ The matter was closed as far as Camboni was concerned. He knew Colin would do whatever he and Dina wanted him to do.
Saskia walked swiftly down the corridor towards TR’s room just as a nurse came out. She stopped and greeted Saskia a little apprehensively.
‘How is he?’ asked Saskia. The nurse shook her head slowly. ‘He’s not in a good mood. Hedoesn’t make my job easy, which isn’t helping him. We’re never
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