"Mike who?"
"Mike Daniel."
"Ah, Michel! It has been so long!" Véronique exclaimed in her alluring accent. "How are you doing? What is happening?"
"I'm doing well, Véronique," I replied. It wasn't exactly true, but it was conversational. "And how are you?"
"Très occupée comme toujours," she said. "Very busy, but happy."
"And how is Peter?"
"Ah, he still wants to kill you, I think, but he will get over this one of these days."
"That good, huh?" We both enjoyed a brief laugh.
"It is what it is," she said. "C'est tout!"
"C'est la vie!" I added.
"So, Mike, why are you calling me today?" she asked. "You must want something, no?"
"Really?" I responded playfully. "Is that what you think?"
"Oui!" She said it in the lazy, casual way. "That IS what I think."
"Okay, I do have a small favor to ask."
"Ah! I knew it!" she exclaimed. "You do not call unless you want something, no? I hope that you are not asking me for money."
"Mon Dieu! Ce n'est pas gentille, ma chère!" I protested. "Not nice at all!"
"Je regrette, Michel!," she apologized. "Tell me!"
"Now, please hear me out on this," I began, "because this is something that could benefit both of us."
"I am listening."
"Why don't you let me take you to lunch?" I suggested. "We can discuss it there."
"No, Michel, I do not have time to play games," she protested. "My business is very demanding. You tell me now, or I am not going to waste my time."
Shrewd, uncompromising, and blunt - just as I remembered.
"Okay, I found a new girl," I explained. "She looks amazing, and I want to submit her to Allegro."
Véronique was silent. I thought that the call might had been dropped. "Hello?" I asked.
"You cannot be serious, Mike," Véronique protested. It was exactly the reaction that I had expected.
"Why would I waste time with those idiots?" she continued.
"Those idiots are giving a lot of business to your competition," I observed. "Don't you think it's time to, maybe, take some of it back."
"You cannot be serious, Mike," Véronique protested. It was exactly the reaction that I had expected.
"Why would I waste time with those idiots?" she continued.
"Those idiots are giving a lot of business to your competition," I observed. "Don't you think it's time to, maybe, take some of it back."
Véronique thought for a moment. "This girl, you think she's special?"
"Do I think that she can model?" I pondered aloud. "That depends on how hard she wants to work for it. But yeah, if we put together a decent portfolio, hair, makeup, she's definitely got the goods. They're going to have to take a look at her."
"And if they reject her?" she asked.
"I'll submit her somewhere else. It doesn't matter. Either way, if we send her over, some kind of communication has to get started."
"And if they reject her?" she asked.
"I'll submit her somewhere else. It doesn't matter. Either way, if we send her over, some kind of communication has to get started."
"Okay, not promises!" she clarified. "I will meet her, and then we shall decide."
"Agreed." I said.
"So when do I meet her?" All of a sudden, my old friend seemed to be motivated.
"She's a waitress," I explained. "So, how about that lunch?"
"Okay," Véronique confirmed, "but Peter cannot find out."
"Yeah, well, that's just fine with me."
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