Kimiko Ch. 01

During my senior year in high school, my economics teacher thought it would be a neat little exercise to have us students learn about the world of investments. So she had a couple of local stock brokers come in and give us a couple of presentations. Mutual funds, the stock market, penny stocks, treasury bonds, junk bonds, the works. The number of choices were mind boggling! All with different risk and reward potentials.

All this had a purpose however. Our teacher then gave us an assignment to put together an investment portfolio with an imaginary $10,000, along with the reasons why. With a couple of weeks to go, I started looking at various choices and finally settled for the balanced investment approach; some in mutual funds, some in money market accounts, and some in stocks. Of the stocks, I selected three stocks; one being a blue chip that returned steady dividends, one that I thought one would turn over periodically, and one that was a long shot that I thought a patient investor might, just might (!?) make money at.

Well, my paper got a B-, so it probably wasn't such a great investment strategy! Its short term earnings potential was moderate, and it proposed an unknown earnings possibility with the 'long shot' investment. So what! At least I got a B-.

Got through college without much fanfare; graduating in computer sciences. At that time, it was still pretty much wide open as to where the industry was going. But I figured that technology would be one of the significant drivers of our lives in the future so stuck with the curriculum. Glad that I did.

Anyway, I seemed to take to computer technology and infrastructure design and did well in school. At least well enough to land a fairly decent job upon graduation. I became a technology designer for a hardware manufacturer located in Silicon Valley. Yep, a technology designer working in 'Chip City'!

What's a technology designer you ask? Good question! I asked the same question when I was hired. But since I was looking at a reasonably good starting paycheck, I wasn't going to question it too much. As it turns out, technology design really interested me!

What it is, is the art of taking advancements in technology and seeing if they can be melded together in such a manner so as to address a future market need. That's how laptop computers, PDA's, routers, digital cameras and other stuff came about. And I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

So there I was, with a dream job, making more than a few bucks in the process, but working my butt off six or seven days a week. And the travel! I had to be able to pick up and go at any moment. It wasn't uncommon to be called to New York or Chicago at any given moment! Video conferencing was still in its infancy development stage at that time. But that did eventually make it into the real world, didn't it!

When I was around 25 or so, I was doing my tax returns before the annual deadlines caught me unprepared again! My investment income was horrible. I decided that I really needed to take my liquidity and invest it into things that would give me a suitable return. So I dusted off my old high school investment paper and gave it a quick look see.

Well, I still didn't see anything wrong with it so I went to see a broker the next day over my lunch hour. He gave me a couple of mutual funds to take a look at along with their cash management account details. He also gave me a couple of stocks that he considered long shots, if I wanted to take the risk.

I took a look at the stuff that night and decided to plunk down most of my cash into a mutual fund, a lesser amount in their cash management account, and enough in stocks to buy 1,000 shares in a small computer manufacturer that seemed to have potential. It was listed at 9-3/8 on the broker's informational sheet so I figured that it was cheap enough that it made the risk affordable. We all know this company as it really went big time later!

After the paperwork was done and the money transferred, I promptly went back to work and forgot all about the investments that I had made. Good thing the mutual funds were managed by someone else! Anyway, the funds and the cash management account returns were ok. And I lost track of what the stock was doing but I figured that I would keep it for a rainy day anyway.

Anyway, the hustle and bustle of the job was exciting in the beginning however it became tiring after 10 years or so. Plus, with me on the road so much, and not knowing where I was going to be from week to week, it was hard to establish a meaningful relationship with someone of the opposite sex. Something that I regretted.

It wasn't so much that I wasn't getting any. But the occasional one night stands and casual link ups left me empty afterwards. The sex was great! The babes tended to be younger with lots of energy. But relationships were generally not high on their agendas. So after a night of great sex, I would usually feel unsatisfied and disappointed. I guess we were just using each other to get off! So I lost interest in one night hook ups.

Back to the here and now........

So here I was at age 44. Spent 21 years with the company that I started with. They had been good to me but the bubble was about to pop. At least I could see it coming. We had attracted too much attention with our success and we were about to be acquired by a larger company. Actually, it was that same company that I had invested in years ago.

They wanted the patent rights and trade registrations to a couple of our products that had turned golden! What better way to acquire them then to acquire the company that owned them. Not only do you get access to the patents and trade registrations, but you also get access to the company's earnings and cash flow! Well the acquisition was history before anyone had an idea of what was going on.

With the acquisition unfortunately came the layoffs. The redundant departments were the first to be let go. Then those of us who were high on the salary matrixes were next. And with my 21 years, I was really high in the salary matrix. So I had become another nameless statistic in the world of M&A's; that's mergers and acquisitions to those of us who haven't been 'touched' yet!

They wanted me to stay however at a much reduced compensation level. I felt that was a lot of bull! I didn't give my all to the company to now be treated like chattel. So I applied for and received full retirement even though I lacked the age. At least I met the years of service plus age requirement to qualify for retirement. Although I had to wait until age 60 to begin receiving benefits, my monthly income would be about $5,000 per month, not including social security benefits, assuming that it wouldn't be broke before I started drawing my retirement.

On my last day of work, I was asked to report to Human Resources where I was met by some personnel flunky who must have been all of 22 years of age. And he had the gall to remind me that I had signed a non-compete agreement when I was first hired by my original employer.

I promptly told him to stuff it up his ass and walked out. On the way out I informed him that if the company chose to enforce that archaic agreement against me, that he could expect to be talking with my attorney. No smart ass was going to tell me what to do! The hell with him and the hell with this company! I guess I caused quite a scene as I departed! Everyone was looking at me as I strode down the hallway and into the next available elevator!

I was so pissed I decided on the spot to cash out all of my company stock that I had purchased years ago! Perhaps it was going to be more symbolic than anything else! After all, the sale of 1,000 shares of stock wasn't going to set the world on its edge! Well, at least I would get my satisfaction; well at least some satisfaction.

So I picked up the phone and called my stock broker. Ok, at least some guy at the brokerage where he used to work. My original broker apparently left some years ago, but I guess I really didn't care or take notice. Anyway, long story made short, I found out that my 1,000 shares had morphed over the years!

After a number of stock splits and stock dividends, my 1,000 shares ended up being more like 100,000 shares! Plus I had apparently elected to reinvest all of my dividends so that was thrown into the pot as well! So after all these years, my investment in the company was more like 150,000 shares!

So I cashed them out! It felt good! Because of the number of shares I owned, I had to file some sort of SEC form to give the company advance warning of my intent to sell. Plus I had to wait a week before I could sell. Don't ask me why. I just wanted to dump the stock. So I signed and the broker filed the report.

Amazing! The next day I received a call from the company's investor relations department inquiring why I was selling. So I told them that I needed some funds to live on since the company had just laid me off! Ha! It was sweet however bitter at the same time.

Well after a week had gone by, the brokerage firm called me up to inform me that they had my check waiting for me. But as the amount was so large, that they felt it prudent that they withhold 30% for taxes. I did some rough math in my head; 150,000 shares at $30 per share came out to $4,500,000 ~ HOLY SHIT!!! And 30% of that was $1,350,000!!!! ~ HOLY DOUBLE SHIT!!!! That left me with a check of about $3,150,000! HOLY TRIPLE SHIT!!!!!

I had become a millionaire overnight! I went down to the brokerage and picked up my check. I guess my hands must have been shaking as I took possession of it! I don't think I've ever seen that amount of money in my entire life!

I took the check down to the bank and paid off my mortgage, all of my charge cards, and still had more than $2,750,000 left over! I just stuck it into a money market account and decided that I better think this over before I blew it all on meaningless stuff. One of my better decisions.

Unfortunately, the world soon knew that I had come into some serious cash. I thought banks were supposed to keep their customer information confidential but I started to get hit up by every insurance agent, realtor, investment advisor, and the like! So I stopped answering the phone and decided that a trip was in order until the buzz died down.

Over the years I had made several trips to Honolulu to see clients. I usually stayed at a hotel right next to a large shopping center, just before you get into Waikiki. I didn't like the traffic and the crowds of people there but I also liked the convenience of being close by to restaurants and night spots. So that hotel did just fine by me. Nothing extravagant however decidedly a level up from Business Class. So I booked a trip to Honolulu for two weeks. I figured it would be nice to kick back someplace where no one knew who I was.

The flight over was ok. I figured since I'd be there for two weeks that perhaps a rental car would come in handy so I picked one up along with instructions of how to get to the hotel. The gals at the rental counter were pretty helpful in providing me with directions that were pretty complete.

After about a half hour of fighting traffic, I made my way to the hotel and left the car with the valet. When I checked in, I discovered that the hotel had upgraded my room to one of the business class rooms. That meant that I had a small Jacuzzi in the room and access to their pool, fitness equipment, and a continental breakfast each morning in their penthouse lounge. Pretty cool.

By the time I got myself settled into the room it was about six in the evening. So I decided to go find someplace to eat. The guy at the concierge desk gave me a ton of options in the immediate area that I could walk to. As I was scanning the list of restaurants, I couldn't help but overhear the conversation that another guy at the desk was having with a young Japanese gal. She must have been in her late twenties, perhaps a little over five feet, and on the slim side. Plus she was cute! Very attractive. She was dressed in blue jeans, a nice blouse that hugged her body and sandals. Pretty much designer wear. The Japanese are very into name brands and stuff.

Anyway, she knew enough English to carry a conversation with the concierge as I could hear her asking the guy at the concierge desk about places to eat. I figured since she and her friends were also looking for someplace to eat, that perhaps we could keep each other company. So I walked over to them;

"Gomenasai (excuse me)," I said. I know just about enough Japanese to get myself in trouble.

She looked at me a little startled but acknowledged my presence, "Hai (yes)?" she responded.

"I understand that you were looking for someplace to eat tonight?" I asked.

"Hai, I want find nice place to eat. Maybe not to expensive?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Well, perhaps we can help each other as I'm also looking for a place to eat tonight. Would you be interested in helping me look for somewhere to eat?"

She looked at me not knowing what to think. I could see indecision in her eyes.

I figured that I needed to put her mind at ease so I added; "I was thinking of finding a place to eat where the local people eat. Nothing fancy, then return to the hotel. What do you think?"

"Let me talk with friends please." and she turned to the phone on the concierge's desk and called her friends. After a brief conversation, she replied, "I think you are very kind to offer, but we are three all together."

"Three all together? Oh, you mean there are three of you?"

"Yes please. Sorry, but we all friends so we all together. Is ok?" she looked a little apprehensive thinking that it might be a problem.

"Yes, it's ok. Not a problem." I turned back to concierge and they gave me the name and address of a local restaurant nearby that they all ate at themselves. The driving directions seemed simple so I figured that I could take us all there in my rental.

"Ok, let's have dinner at a restaurant nearby. I think we can go dressed any way you want so I'm going in my shorts and shirt. What time do you want to go to dinner?"

"We can go anytime you want. Now is ok." She replied, smiling a little more comfortably now after seeing that I was also staying in the hotel. "Oh, my name is Kimiko," she said.

"Thank you Kimiko. My name is Todd and I'm a tourist also!" I smiled as I extended my hand which she shook. When our hands touched, I was taken by the softness and warmth of her hand.

She smiled back at me, then turned back to the phone and called her friends. It took them about 5 minutes to get down from their room. Kimiko and I used the time to get better acquainted with each other.

She was part of a group of tourists that had been stranded by their tour organizer. Pretty shitty deal, but it happens. Their tour guide met them in Osaka, got everyone on board the airplane and accompanied them here. Got them all checked in and had been ready to escort them to dinner when the guide got a call on his phone. After a brief but heated conversation on his phone, he told them that the company had just folded and so he was leaving since he wasn't getting paid. And he just split.

That had happened the day before. Luckily for them, the hotel rooms had been paid for and they all had their return airline tickets in hand. So they weren't necessarily stranded. It's just that they were kind of stuck for the rest of the week. So some of them decided to just go back home while the rest were left to do their own sight seeing. She and two of her girl friends decided to make the most of the days that they had remaining on their vacation also. They figured that this was probably their only trip to Hawaii and so they might as well see as much of Hawaii as they could.

By this time, her friends had joined us and we introduced ourselves to each other. Besides Kimiko, there was Ai and Mikan. All three were from Osaka and had grown up together. Ai was Kimiko's cousin. Ai and Mikan were a couple of years younger than Kimiko. Both were just as cute as Kimiko with Ai having a slightly bigger bust than Kimiko, and Mikan being slightly taller than both.

As we left the lobby to retrieve my car from the valet, the three were busily chatting away with each other. I could see by the frequent glances in my direction by Ai and Mikan that they were interrogating Kimiko about me. Probably questioning Kimiko's sanity in allowing me to take them to dinner. At one point Ai playfully slapped Kimiko on her arm which caused both Mikan and Kimiko to laugh out loud! As I turned to them, Kimiko turned an interesting shade of pink; she was blushing which gave both Ai and Mikan another reason to laugh at her expense.

As I raised my eye brow to them, Ai explained; "Sorry Todd-san. But we very surprised by Kimiko agreeing with you take us dinner. We tell her that she just want American boyfriend!" At which Ai and Mikan had another laugh!

Kimiko got embarrassed at this point and scolded both girls in Japanese, then turned to me, "Todd-san, please I sorry. But my friends rude sometimes."

"Kimiko, I will not be upset so long as all of you enjoy your dinner with me tonight, ok?"

Kimiko smiled, "Domo (thank you), Todd." Then turned to her companions and chastised them again, although both Ai and Mikan continued to give her a bad time!

Well the valet finally drove up with my car and brought it curbside. We all jumped in with Ai and Mikan in the back seat and Kimiko in the front. She didn't have a choice as both Ai and Mikan pushed her into the front seat and shut the door on her! They were having a good time already!

Kimiko continued to blush at their behavior. I reached over and took her left hand and squeezed it gently, "It's ok. I'd like you to sit in the front with me if you don't mind."

Kimiko looked at our joined hands, then squeezed my hand back and smiled at me. She then turned back to her friends in the back seat, stuck out her tongue and made a face at them! We all laughed at that!

It took us about a half hour to find the restaurant. It was located close to the Honolulu harbor area and featured seafood of all types. The restaurant was called Sam Choy's after its founder who was one of the local chefs who made it big. I had purchased one of his cook books on one of my prior trips and anticipated that the food was going to be simply great! And it was!

As we ate, they asked me whether I was a tourist or not as it appeared that I knew something about the restaurant and wasn't afraid of driving here. I told them about my prior work as a technology designer and having been to Honolulu on several occasions. But that this trip was a vacation just for me!

All the girls worked in Osaka as general clerks. Ai and Mikan had boyfriends back home however Kimiko was single. Ai told me at dinner that Kimiko had helped to raise her from when they were small. Ai's parents both died when Ai was five and Kimiko's family took her in. Kimiko's mother passed away when she was in high school which left Kimiko, as the daughter, to now assume the responsibility of taking care of the household that included a younger brother and her father. Ai felt that Kimiko never had a chance to have a little fun on her own so this trip was for Kimiko whether she knew it or not.

Kimiko told Ai to not say anything but Ai insisted. Kimiko chastised her again, however Ai pouted and asked if there was anything wrong in telling me their story? Kimiko just shook her head.

Ai then asked if I could recommend places for them to see and visit. I decided right then and there that I would try my best to give all three of them a vacation to remember!

After dinner was done and we were in my car driving back to the hotel, I asked that they meet me back in the hotel lobby lounge so we could talk about places to visit. They wanted to refresh themselves so we all agreed to meet there in thirty minutes. We exchanged room numbers so we could call each other if needed.