Chapter 3 The Inner Sanctum

After just coming off the high cloud I was floating on from the excitement of getting engaged I was bombarded at the office. I was trading dollar-yen at the time. I had taken a position that I was certain would pan out. I was short the yen after news started seeping out of problem with their banks. The position looked great Friday afternoon. But here I was Monday morning and I was sensing something different. I couldn't quite put my finger on it but something was amiss.

The position started to move in the opposite direction. I placed orders across the board with my three different voice brokers. I did some deals direct as well. Luckily I got out and with a small profit. I was a little disheartened and I could not understand what would be driving the prices in that direction. Then there was news of a little banking crisis of our own. It was then that I started to realize that someone had gotten wind of the news before it hit the general public or the news wires.

After the stressful morning I left the desk and started telling people in the office that I got engaged. One of the people I spoke to first of the desk was Mary, she was the very beautiful secretary of the Managing Director, Tom Weiner, of the trading group. She had a tremendous figure, a sexy walk that could stop a man's heart and she had six children. Her oldest child was my age. I remember how when I flirted with her she would always remind me that she could be my mom. But prior to Elena, I didn't care how old she was, as long as she was hot! I broke the news to her and she was happy for me and teased me about how now the world of women can relax because I would no longer be on the prowl.

I walked into the company cafeteria. I got on line and grab a half a veal parmesan sandwich and a bowl of chili. I remember that chili today, it had been so spicy. Luckily I had bottle of water to cool my tongue. Usually cafeteria food was pretty bland. All I could think was that one of the cooks must have spilled the entire bottle of Tabasco sauce in by accident. I didn't see anyone I was particularly friendly with and I felt like being alone anyway so I sat by myself at unoccupied table for four. It was by the window where I could look out on the Hudson river and let my mind drift onto other things.

While I was sitting there in my own little world I heard the room grow quieter. I looked up and suddenly approaching my table was Tom Weiner. What did he want? He then said, I remember like it was yesterday, "I need to have a talk with you". The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I can feel myself getting defensive. I said sure thing and he asked me to follow him out of the cafeteria. I had already finished eating so that was not an issue. But now I was starting to get tense.
I followed Tom to the executive elevator bank. This is a bank of two elevators that were the only ones that went to the 12th and 14th floors. Note, there is no 13th floor; this was because of superstitious builders. The elevators Door were made out of what appeared to be real cherry wood. The inside was decked out, in the same wood with brass railings and plush burgundy carpets. For ambiance there was soft classical music playing in the background. I believe it was a Beethoven piano piece playing in the background while we rode up to 14. Thankfully that helped calm me down.

Tom was quiet the whole way up. I had no idea what they could have wanted with me. I was just a position trader. I made good money and I was considered one of the best on the foreign exchange desk. But I didn’t think that would warrant a trip to the fourteenth floor. All I know was I was praying this was a good thing.
This was my first time on this floor. It reminded me of the old classic offices you always saw in the movies of the big wigs. Wood and brass and what I am sure were expensive artwork decorated the area. Tom led me to the board room.
Tom knocked on the door and we went in. There were a few traders there from our office and there were a few from some other outside firms and Fred Gould our chief executive in charge of global trading and the only trader on the top management level position.

Fred was a ruddy fellow about five feet five inches tall. He was a clean shaven guy with his hair perfectly groomed and manicured hands. He always wore suspenders and his gut slightly protrudes over the waistline of his pants. He was wearing a very classy Brooks Brother’s navy blue pin striped suit, a nice pink shirt offset with a yellow tie decorated with mini American flags. Let’s put it this way the guy looked sharp and played the part well.

He was speaking as we walked in and signaled for us to take a seat. We sat down of course. He was just finishing a presentation about some trades that they had on. He asked if anyone had any questions. I did, I wanted to know why I was in this room but I didn’t have the guts at that moment to ask.

Then surprisingly he reached down to a pad he had on his desk. He called me by name. Fred spoke loudly for all to hear as he read my resume. Not only did he know about my work experience but then he started to mention my family by name and finally he announced to everyone in the room that I had just gotten engaged. At that point I was given a hearty congratulation by all, then we were asked to be seated again.

It was at this point that my question was to get answered. Fred informed everyone that as of that moment I was now a member of our elite trading team. That I had showed tremendous skill and patience in the markets and management had decided it was time for me to join this group. He went on to describe how they met every Monday morning to discuss strategies that would benefit all the parties involved. How we were to work together for the benefit of all and how this group had been working together for the last forty years albeit with different persons and mostly the same companies.

Fred dismissed the rest of the team and asked Tom and I to follow him to his office. It was about half a blocks distance down a long hallway. There were marble busts and paintings of many of the founding members throughout. It was luxurious to say the least. Then we arrived at his office.

He opened the door and the view was beautiful. His office encompassed the corner of the building. I would say it was about 2,000- square feet. Why he needed to run a meeting in the conference room was beyond me. He could set up a batting cage in there. Just kidding, the point is the place was big.

His desk was sleek and modern, simple glass and somehow he had a computer on top with no wires easily visible as they were obviously meticulously hidden within the framework. Everything in that room had its place. He asked us to sit down in the lounge area of his office. It was off to the right of his desk. There was a full size coach, coffee table and two arm chairs. All the furniture was obviously handmade to exact specifications, with rich brown leather and brass accents. It was nicer than my parent’s living room that is saying a lot.

Once we sat down he offered us a drink. There was one of those fancy carts, you know, those globe bar carts you often see in the movies. I thought to myself how cliché. But I liked it well enough anyway. I looked to Tom for a cue. Tom asked for water and so did I.

Finally Fred began to speak. He was looking right at me. His eyes never left mine for an hour. I thought he was trying to hypnotize me. All the time he talked to me about our commitment to teach other in the team. How this is a bond that can never be broken. He told me that I was to consider all the members like family. Then finally he ended by welcoming me aboard.

I thanked him though I didn’t know if I wanted to. He hadn’t asked me to accept the position into their team; he just assumed no one would say no. I felt like I was being drawn into a cult. You know Hare-Krishna style. So now I was part of this team. I didn’t hear any details yet but I was sure that Tom would clear things up for me over the next few days.