Relative wealth

Mark has internet at last and so we talked on Skype. Surely that is one of the most benevolent companies in the world? Distributors of free joy. Facilitators of communication. Mr Skype I salute you. If you are about to tell me that you know for a fact that they exploit kittens and use the technology to pollute drinking water then don't, please. Come at me with that another day, because this one brought enough disappointment. Mr Wesley was hyper-productive and positively charged after his I.T. triumph, showing me new designs and a first draft of his monogram stamp (see above) that I love (because he has been resistant to using his own name and this shows him starting to approach that. It looks like a brand, in the old sense of seared with ownership). What's more he was a gnomic vision in a funny brown wooly hat.

Then one of our potential investors called to say he was minutes away. I got myself together, went out to the street and fed his meter for him. But once inside, he declined my offer of refreshments and that, I sensed,  didn't bode terribly well. He got out the CF, P&L and haha BS spreadsheets. But they sat unconsulted on the table. He said it was not good news, he was afraid. The JV for film production they have ("JV??" I asked. "Joint Venture," he replied) has made a lot of progress very suddenly and they will be needing all money and focus for that. We are unfinanced. He hadn't wanted to say it on the phone, it was better face-to-face he thought.
"Should we talk with Mark?" I asked, "We can Skype."
No need, he considered, and then was gone.

I went back to the computer. Mark appeared instantly, but not wearing his funny gnome hat now, looking rather super fly. I had to tell him. We talked it through. He said he needed to go for a walk. I did too, and walked over to the garage. Tonight was a crazy roll-over jackpot on the Euro-Lottery - over one hundred million pounds. That would cover a couple of sample sets. I thought it was a pound a line so when the man asked for two I didn't have enough money. I begged him not to throw it away and said I would run back to the house and come back with the rest. Then I discovered I'd walked out without door keys and was now locked out. I stood ringing the bell to no avail. I luckily had my phone so called and that my father did manage to hear. Back at the garage, I triumphantly handed over the extra coin.

Later on, I checked the numbers. I shrugged and was about to screw up the paper. But then I read down the page - you didn't have to have EVERY number, you can just have a few and still win something! Who knew?! Holy Macaroni, Mr Wesley had two numbers and a star, which qualifies as the first rung of cash prizes. We are now funded to the degree of Six Whole Pounds and Eighty Shiny Copper Pennies! We are on our way.