On Friday night, just three days ago, I pulled into Toby’s Bar and Grill at around 7:30pm. I was dead tired after spending the previous two days in The Big Apple, finalizing the negotiations with a large international bank.
When the day had started, I was pessimistic that we would ever reach a deal, but it seemed that the outstanding obstacles started falling like dominoes, shortly after our Friday meeting started.
By noon, there were only two sticking points left. We decided to take a break and go out to lunch alone. I found a nearby Jewish deli and ordered a sinfully large pastrami and swiss on rye and enjoyed every bite.
When we reconvened at 1:30, George Willis, the lead negotiator from the bank said, “We’ve made a ton of progress. I propose we split the difference on the last two points.”
George passed a paper across the conference table and I read what he was proposing. It most definitely wasn’t splitting the difference, but was easily within the bounds of what my partners and I would accept to win this large contract. I scratched my initials on the page and George said that he’d email a formal contract to me on Monday. After shaking hands, we all went in different directions.
I went back to my hotel, packed and checked out. I considered staying in the city for the night, because my fiancée Trish was away for the weekend with her two older sisters. They were staying at one of Connecticut’s giant Indian casinos. They planned to spend their days at the pool and spa and their evenings in the finer bars and restaurants.
Instead of another night away from home, I headed to Grand Central Station and caught the Metro North train to New Haven. By 7:30 I had driven up I-91 toward Hartford and exited the highway. I was heading through the always popular downtown West Hartford. I decided to stop for dinner.
I was sitting in Toby’s bar area, when I spotted my two future sisters-in-law, through the bar mirror, sliding into a horseshoe shaped table. Their husband’s slid in next to them.
The immediate knot in my stomach and pain that seemed to spread over every inch of my body, told me that my wedding plans, exactly eight weeks away, were in trouble. My sisters-in-laws should have been at the casino with Trish.
After catching the bartender’s eye, I said to Michael, “I need to go outside for a while. I promise I’ll be back.”
“No problem Chris. Do you mind if I put your drink on the shelf and open up this spot?” Michael asked, as he reached for my glass.
I nodded in agreement and left Toby’s. I sat in my car, in the back of the parking lot and I sketched out in my head, what I needed to do.
I called Trish and she answered, “Hey Love. How is the Big City?”
“It’s the same as always. We finished up a successful negotiation and I’m heading out for dinner. I wish you were with me!”
“You’re so sweet Chris. I miss you too. We’ve had a ball all day. We lounged at the pool and sipped drinks. I have a nice head start on my wedding tan. I’m meeting my sisters in a few minutes for dinner.”
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