Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25357 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
“You know what it’s like to be oppressed?” Danielle asks curiously. “But you’re staying in the presidential suite.”
I shrug.
“Well, right now, I’m a man of means. But my origins aren’t so glamorous. My parents were never in the picture, so I grew up in an orphanage, and trust me, it wasn’t a great experience. There was a lot of unfair treatment and straight-up abuse that went on. It isn’t easy being in the system, but when I was old enough to start working, I got out. I actually got my start as a traveling shoe salesman.”
Danielle giggles.
“Really? I didn’t even know those existed anymore.”
I nod, amused.
“They don’t. But it was a solid job and I was always on the road meeting people. While I was traveling, I met an Orthodox Jew who’d been in the diamond business for decades. He took a shine to me, and taught me everything there was to know about becoming a successful salesman and turning a profit. Moishe, his name was. He was like a father to me.”
Danielle nods.
“That’s incredible. I’m glad you found a father figure through your work.”
I nod.
“I’m still close to Moishe, although he’s long-since retired. But I celebrate Passover with his family every year, and still call on his birthday too.”
Danielle’s eyes widen.
“Goodness, did you convert to Judaism as well?”
I chuckle.
“No, although I have the utmost respect for the Jewish religion. But no, I’m pretty much an atheist. Or more accurately, I’m spiritual, but not religious, is how most people put it these days.”
Danielle nods.
“But how did you go from selling shoes to diamonds?”
I shrug.
“Through Moishe, of course. It’s not that different, really. It’s about creating perceived scarcity of a rare good. Of course, diamonds are very different products from shoes, but women pay two thousand dollars for a pair of boots that could sell for forty at your local Pay-Less. As a result, I took my sales skills and applied them to the precious gem industry, and it worked. Now, I own several mines in both Africa and India, as well as a thriving wholesale business.”
Danielle blinks, a half-eaten croissant in one hand.
“Goodness, that literally sounds like something straight out of a movie! From orphan to successful businessman. Wow,” she shakes her head. “You should be really proud of yourself.”
“I am,” I laugh. “But I’m also thankful to those who saw my potential and helped me hone my craft. I’d be nowhere without Moishe and his family. Enough about me, though. I have a bad habit of talking endlessly about my business, so don’t encourage me,” I wink. “What about you? You work as a maid at Hotel Nova. How did that come about?”
Danielle sighs.
“Well, my story isn’t anywhere near as interesting as yours. I graduated high school last year, and now I’m a maid. That’s pretty much all there is to it.”
“Oh, come on,” I smile. “You can make it sound a lot more interesting than that. Think of it as if you’re a saleswoman. Part of making the sale is just telling an intriguing story.”
“What exactly am I trying to sell you?” she teases before letting out an light laugh.
“Yourself! You’re trying to sell yourself to me. You’re trying to make me think, ‘Hmmm, she’s interesting, I need more of that.’”
“Are you implying that you don’t already feel that way about me?” Danielle asks in a arch voice while crooking an elegant brow at me. She shimmies her shoulders just a little and my eyes immediately flicker down toward her big breasts as they bounce.
She giggles again and I growl. “Careful. You wouldn’t want to cause a scene in the restaurant, would you?”
“Depends on the scene,” she sasses before sending me a teasing look. “Fine, let’s see…I’m a nineteen-year-old maid from New Jersey. I’ve lived in the Tri-State area my whole life. I just finished up with school, but I didn’t think that college was the route for me, so I found a job instead. I didn’t have any clear career choices, so I took this position as a maid and … well, I really can’t make this sound interesting no matter how hard I try,” she says in a rueful tone. “Clearly, I wouldn’t make a good saleswoman.”
“Well, do you like working in housekeeping?”
She thinks for a moment.
“I don’t know,” she states. “The job is easy enough. I like cleaning and organizing, and I can listen to music while I do it, so it’s fine. For the time being, I’m okay with my job, but…”
“But?” I raise a brow.
She shrugs her shoulders. “But I don’t want to do it forever.”
“Well, what do you want to do in a few years' time?”
Danielle pauses.
“That’s the problem,” she murmurs. “I have no idea. I haven’t found my path in life yet, and it’s not like there are tons of employers knocking on my door either. It wasn’t even easy to get the job at the Hotel Nova. I must have applied to a million places, including McDonald’s and Starbucks. Even they didn’t have any openings.”