The Billionaire and the Backpacker

Chapter 13

Ben pulled into the underground car park at the same time as Jake. They both parked and Jake made straight for the elevator.

"I'll hold it for you," he called back.

The garage attendant walked towards Ben to get the car keys.

"Morning, sir."

Ben dropped the keys into his hand, saying "Good morning to you also" He then walked towards the elevator. After three steps into that path he stopped, turned and walked back to the attendant, who straightened to attention as if something was wrong.

"Sir?"

"I was just wondering. You have worked here for a very long time?"

'Yes, sir. Is everything Ok sir?"

"Yes, but it just came to me that I — "

Jake called out from the elevator.

"You can always take the stairs, buddy."

Ben turned back to the attendant.

"It just came to me that in all the time you have worked here, I don't even know your name."

"Sir..?"

"What is your name?"

"Bill, sir."

"Good morning, Bill."

Bill turned his head slightly and flashed a set of gleaming white teeth.

"You have a great day, Bill."

Jake called out again, and Ben made a quick pace to the elevator.

"Jake, do you know his name?"

"Who? The garage man? Yes, of course, it's the garage man."

"It's Bill."

"Bill?"

"Bill is the name of the garage man."

"What are you on man? Who gives a crap what his name is. He parks the cars for us; someone's got to do it. Fred, Bill, Joe... what's it matter?"

"I was just wondering... when you think about it, how many people work in this building, even just on our floor and we probably don't know the names of more than a handful of them."

"Ben... what the hell is going on in that head of yours this morning? You're all over the place."

"Oh, it's just something that Christina said that got me thinking."

"For Christ's sake, Ben. You banged her while the plaster was still on. You're one —"

Ben cut him off with a deadpan stare.

"Cut the crap; it was nothing like that at all."

"Whoa!! buddy, sorry to stoke the fire."

The elevator doors opened, and the noise was deafening. A trader sprinted over to meet them, looking straight at Jake.

"Jake, your shorts on the Canadian dollar are three million out of the money. What do you want us to do?"

Jake's face turned white, and his voice crackled like an off-tuned radio station.

Ben looked at Jake for a response.

"Fuck, Ben... I felt it was the right thing to do."

"So you just felt it, and you went with your feelings? Is that what you are telling me?"