I entered a large room with a big oval table in the centre, covered with magazines. There were eight men, fat, thin, middle aged and elderly, all wearing City suits, sitting in lounging chairs, briefcases on their knees. They looked sharply at me as if suspecting I was a dangerous competitor, then when I sat down, they looked away.
We all sat in silence. After five minutes, a woman’s voice said through a concealed speaker, ‘Mr. Hedger please. Room five.’
A fat, elderly man sprang to his feet and hurried out.
More minutes dragged by, another name was called, another man hurried out.
This went on until only a balding man and I were left.
‘Like being at the dentist,’ I said, lighting my fourth cigarette.
‘That’s right. I guess I prefer the dentist any day.’ He took out a handkerchief and mopped his sweating face.
I glanced at my watch. I had been sitting there now for an hour and ten minutes. Next time, if there was a next time, I told myself, I would bring some work to do.
The balding man was called. He nodded to me on his way out.
An hour and thirty-five minutes later, my name was called.
‘Mr. Burden please. Room fifteen.’
I found Vernon Dyer lounging behind a vast desk cluttered with three telephones, a tape recorder, an intercom with about thirty switches, a bowl of flowers, a bowl of salted peanuts, three onyx ash trays, a silver cigarette box and a small cigar cabinet. It was a wonder to me he had room to write a letter. Maybe he didn’t. Maybe he nibbled peanuts and dictated.
‘There you are,’ he said laughing down. I put the wallet containing the schedule, air tickets and hotel vouchers on the blotter before him, then sat down.
He took his time examining the schedule, obviously trying to find fault. He looked up suddenly, scowling.
‘Why put them in at the Pacific hotel?’ he demanded.
‘It has a fine garden, a Japanese atmosphere and it’s much quieter than the Imperial.’
‘They won’t have time to use the garden and who the hell cares about atmosphere? Put them up at the Imperial!’
‘No problem, Mr. Dyer.’
He glared at me.
‘I want the vouchers by 16.00 and not later.’
‘You’ll have them. Maybe next time you will tell me the hotel you prefer.’
‘It’s your job to know the best hotels!’
‘In my opinion the Pacific is the best.’
He flushed.
‘Change it to the Imperial.’ He tossed the hotel vouchers over to me, then looked at the wall clock. The time was 13.10. ‘Is it as late as that?’ He paused to give me a sneering little smile. ‘I’ll have to ask you to come back. I have a lunch date. Be at 15.00. Right?’
I got to my feet.
‘I have an appointment at 15.00, Mr. Dyer. I’m sorry.’
He cocked his head on one side and squinted at me.
‘With an account our size, I expect service. I want you here at 15.00.’
‘Still sorry. If it’s that urgent why don’t you come to my office after your lunch?’
We stared at each other. His eyes were the first to shift. His face was tight with anger as he said, ‘All right. All right. I’m late as it is so I may as well be later. I’ll give you instructions now.’ He took from his desk drawer a heavy envelope and handed it to me. ‘Go through this. Call me tomorrow if there are any queries... there probably will be. Don’t make out any hotel vouchers without consulting me.’
‘Okay,’ I said and moved to the door.
‘Wait. I was forgetting. I want you to be completely available for five days from next Tuesday.’
‘Completely available?’ I repeated, staring at him.
‘That’s what I said. Mr. Vidal is going to San Salvador. Mrs. Vidal is going with him. While Mr. Vidal is occupied with business, you are to take Mrs. Vidal around and show her the sights. Everything V.I.P. of course. Air conditioned cars: a suite at the hotel. Mr. Vidal wants to stay at the Intercontinental. First class air for them: economy for you. The full instructions are in the envelope.’
This was something I didn’t want to do. I knew I would be useless as a guide, not having been to El Salvador, and besides, it wasn’t my job.
‘We have a good agency in San Salvador who will take excellent care of Mrs. Vidal.’
‘That is just what Mr. Vidal doesn’t want!’ Dyer snapped. ‘He said emphatically that Mrs. Vidal was not to go around with some Latin-American dago. He wants you to do it. Any objections?’
‘Valuable as Mr. Vidal’s account is, it isn’t the only one I look after,’ I said. ‘I will see what can be arranged. We have a first class guide at Miami who would look after Mrs. Vidal.’
‘I told Mr. Vidal you would be pleased to do the job so you had better do it!’
‘If I am away for five days, there will be no one to look after your instructions.’ I was threshing around to find an excuse.
‘You have next week’s instructions in your hand,’ Dyer said impatiently. ‘There won’t be any other business until you get back.’
I gave up.
‘I’ll see what can be arranged,’ I said and left him.
I stopped at a Howard Johnson restaurant for a prawn salad and a coke. While I ate, I went through the instructions he had given me. It was an impressive travel order: first class fare, plus hotel accommodation for a week for ten people on a sightseeing, trip to London. A similar trip for five people sightseeing in Paris and a flight for two to Moscow. All V.I.P. Finally I came to Vidal’s trip. He and his wife were to leave Monday and to be met at el Aeropuerto de Ilopango and conveyed in an air conditioned car to the Intercontinental hotel. I was to join them the following day, Tuesday, and take Mrs. Vidal sightseeing. I was to be at her disposal while they stayed in San Salvador. We were to return to Paradise City on Sunday.
I drove back to the office to find Bill Olson installed. Both he and Sue were tied up with clients.
Olson looked up and grinned at me. He had aged a little since we last met: a tall, rangy man with an easy manner, a ready smile and good features.
Not wanting to disturb him, I waved and went into my office. I called Massingham. I told him about the Imperial hotel vouchers and asked him to have them sent to Dyer before 16.00, then went on to tell him about the El Salvador trip.
‘If Dyer isn’t going to bother us while you’re away,’ Massingham said, ‘then I think you should go. It’ll be a change of scene for you.’
‘But I’ve never been there and will be useless as a guide.’
‘Telex the San Salvador agency. Tell them to get out a sightseeing schedule and for them to provide a chauffeur-guide. The Vidals can’t object to him if you are with him, can they?’
‘I shouldn’t think so. Okay, I’ll do that. When your messenger has delivered the vouchers, tell him to come on here. I’ve got more business for you and Dyer wants the schedules in a rush.’
Massingham swore under his breath.
‘Now I can understand why A.E. consider him a nuisance.’
‘It’s a good order. You’ll like it when you see it.’
‘Okay. I’ll get the schedules to you by tomorrow morning,’ and he hung up.
I telexed the San Salvador agency. They replied that they would have everything laid on for the Vidals when they arrived and a chauffeur-guide to work with me.
It wasn’t until 17.40 that I was able to leave my office and welcome Olson, As we shook hands, he grinned at me.
‘Nice seeing you again Clay,’ he said. ‘How long is it? Six years?’
‘About that. How are you fixed. Bill? Where are you sleeping tonight?’
Olson looked over at Sue who was clearing her desk.