The Man I Became... Because of You (Completed)

Sudden Danger

Pete

The plans for refurbishment on the hotels were spread around the table. Pond was present as the representative of the company and he left me in a daze with how professional he was from the moment he entered the door. This was a new side of Pond to me and he was very refreshing to watch.

I knew Mae was also impressed because she would glance at Pond every so often and smile a little. She knows this friend of Ae very well and this is so unlike him.

"These refurbishment plans are outstanding. Are you sure our old hotels can support these new additions?" A board member still had some reservations.

"We carefully looked at the structure of your buildings. Your bones are very strong. Whoever built these are a great example for showcasing extraordinary skill. Because of this excellent bone structure, it is easier to build on or add to your hotel without having to change or gut too much. We also noted that all of your hotels have these level basements. We think it was to house persons during times of crisis and we want to keep that unique feature. This is why we insist on leaving at least 2 of your 5 basement levels unoccupied."

"That was indeed the intention of the basements. I am very happy that your company was able to note this." Me smiled serenely and asked no more questions. She knew that Ae's involvement in this meant she would get the best possible outcomes for improving on and advancing her hotels into the future. She knew that was going to be a period of adjustment for everyone but that was ok. We would be able to weather that storm.

Once discussions about the new plans and the hefty budget for same were discussed, the door suddenly opened and food was wheeled in. Our new chef, Tar, sweetly instructed his employees who followed directions efficiently and quickly before leaving. He turned to me with a smile and kindly greeted everyone.

"After discussing plans, I am sure that some of you are quite hungry. These samples were created in collaboration with Chef Jean. Most of these will be added to the old menu." That is the restaurant menu. It hadn't been changed since before I was born and that's saying something.

With food in sight, everyone rose to look before grabbing plates and helping themselves. I also invited Pond to dine. He was greeted kindly by Tar who vaguely remembered him from a few hangouts with Tharn and Type and the rest of the football team back then.

"Please know that sampling is not the only reason why I am here. We chefs would appreciate it if you would sample the foods with the intentions of completing this survey. We have some paper copies or you can do it online as you eat using your devices." Tar's quiet voice somehow managed to get everyone's attention. I wonder how he does it? 

"That's a great idea. I'll do it now while the taste is still fresh." One member said enthusiastically. Tar nodded and held up a sign with the site address. Everyone logged on to a device, completing the survey while discussing and commenting on the foods. Despite some amicable disagreements, the overall consensus was very positive. So much so, in fact, that the carts were cleaned out and persons used the takeaway boxes that were provided to leave with goodies. I even packed a little something for Ae too.

With everything complete and all the board members gone, Pond and Tar sat with me in the room to discuss the success of the meeting. Tar also used that time to read some of the survey answers. 

"The majority of the responses so far are great. This member even commented that despite working here, he often eats at another restaurant. He is now enticed to eat right here at the hotel if these changes are implemented."

"Now that's success." Pond agreed. Having tasted the food, he wanted to ask Tar to consider doing the cake and desserts for his wedding but he would also need to discuss it with ChaAim and he didn't know how to approach Tar. He vaguely remembered the guy as being very shy and quiet on the couple of occasions they had met. He had also been directly warned by Type that Tar was off limits and that remained in his memory too.