Read Online It's Not Luck by Eliyahu M. Goldratt - Free Book Online

make our offers much more attractive than our competitors’. Something that we can implement fast.”
    “Yes,” Stacey agrees, “but we cannot risk doing it by reducing prices.”
    “Which means,” I add, “that those ideas must only take advantage of the products that we already produce. Maybe with slight changes, nothing major.”
    “Right,” Bob joins in, “we need real breakthrough ideas.”
    “Yes,” and to myself I add, “three of them; one for each of the companies.”

8
     
    We are about to finish dinner when the unavoidable occurs. “What about the car, Dad?” Dave asks.
    Not bad, the kid has patience. I was expecting the attack would start as soon as I entered the house. Julie . probably advised him to wait until I was relaxed and fed. Somehow it provokes me. “What about it?” I reply.
    “Can I use your car while you have fun in Europe?”
    “Fun?” I say.
    “Sorry, not fun, hard work. Can I have your car while you are away?”
    I don’t like his tone of voice, he is not requesting, he’s practically demanding. “Give me one good reason why I should?”
    He doesn’t answer.
    “Well?” I press.
    “If you don’t want to give me the car, don’t give it,” he mutters into his plate.
    I can leave it at that. I actually don’t want to give him my car, and now I don’t have to. It’s okay.
    Julie and Sharon are talking about something. Dave and I continue to eat in silence. No, it’s not okay. The negative effect that caused me to hesitate in the first place is now reality. Dave is frowning, he’s hurt, but worst of all he is convinced that it’s impossible to communicate with me. Teen-agers.
    Teen-agers.
    “You said that you will pay for your own gas and take the car in for the check-up?” I finally say.
    Dave raises his eyes from his plate and looks at me.
    “Yes, that’s right,” he says tentatively. And then, picking up steam, he continues, “And during that week, whenever Mom has to drive Sharon, I’ll do it instead.”
    “Smart move,” I laugh. “Continue in this way, Dave, maneuvering your mother and sister to your side, and I’m pushed into a corner.”
    “That’s not what I meant.” He’s blushing.
    “Wait a minute.” Sharon is not a girl to overlook such an opportunity. It doesn’t take long, and Sharon summarizes: “Hooray, wait until I tell Debbie, she won’t believe it.”
    “Neither do I,” Dave cools her down. “Dad hasn’t yet agreed to give me his car.”
    “Daddy, please, pretty please?” Sharon does what Dave expects her to.
    “I don’t know,” I say. “I haven’t decided yet.”
    “But you promised to think about it,” Dave moans.
    “Yes, I did.”
    “And . . . ”
    “And I have some open concerns.”
    “Yeah, sure.” Dave is visibly irritated.
    “Son,” I say in a firm voice, “I promised to think about it, and I did think about it. Not surprisingly I have some concerns. If you put my mind to rest about them, you can use my car while I’m in Europe. Ignore them, as if they are my problems and not yours, and I’ll refuse you pointblank. Is that understood?”
    “Yes, Dad,” he quiets down. “What are the problems?”
    “Let me show you,” I answer, and go to the study to get my papers. Returning, I hand him the first page. “To the list of positives here I have to add another one,” I say. “Your promise to be the chauffeur for your sister.”
    “Not exactly what I would call positive,” he mutters, and then he reads aloud the last point: “‘Strengthening the trust between me and my son.’ ” He thinks for a second, and then says, “That means that whatever I promise, I’ll have to make bloody sure I deliver.” With a sigh he concludes, “What’s fair is fair. Okay Dad, what are the problems?”
    “The first one, I think, is already solved. Nevertheless, let’s go over it. I’m going to Europe exactly when you have your spring break, and we all know that you want to tour Mexico . . . . ”
    “Daddy,