Wen Ti Bu Da: To Make a Difference

By Russ Duvall

Duke always believed he was destined to do something great but could not nail down just what his dream looked like. He spent the 80s building commercial bridges between the United States and China. As a result, he established friendships with many Chinese and a positive reputation with some of the top leaders of the government of the PRC. The TianAnMen Square disaster forces him to return to the States. He starts his life over, but a different scenario will bring him back to China and makes itself known through one of the old friends from those years.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 30, 2013
• ISBN: 9781493129294

Russ Duvall

An early pioneer who helped open China to the West, Russ Duvall lived and worked in Beijing for nine years, from 1983–1991, establishing one joint venture and consulting for other interested US companies. A native Hoosier, Duvall is a graduate of Indiana’s Wabash College and of Chicago’s Keller Graduate School of Management, a Division of DeVry University, with an MBA-With Distinction. Following decorated service in the Navy, he built a successful career in general and airport logistics operations management. He now lives with his wife in Indianapolis.

Book preview

Another Door Opens

Never, never, never again! Duke blurted out as his feet touched the carpet inside the San Francisco International Airport terminal. That’s the twenty-sixth—and last—trip to China I will ever make in my lifetime!

He had said it, he had meant it, and he had lived it for nearly twenty-five years. After wasting most of the decade of the ‘80s trying to establish effective commercial contacts and contracts between the United States and China—and having had it all blow up in his face after TianAnMen Square—Duke had returned to his Kentucky home chastened and bankrupt.

As the years passed, he softened a little and entertained the notion of one more trip, just to see how things had changed. At times, his mind had wandered back to those high goals and lofty dreams he had embraced.

How he wished there had been a way—how he wished he could find a way even now—but then he just shook his head and got back to grinding out a living. China was in the past and best forgotten.

Having made all those trips in nine years, Duke had become a seasoned international traveler. He had been as comfortable in the Tokyo, Taipei, Manila, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Beijing airports as he was at SeaTac, LAX, San Francisco, or O’Hare. He knew which Customs line was the fastest in each city. He even knew some of the Customs officers by name, and they knew him. He had been a player.

When it all went in the dumper, Duke just wanted to erase every memory of those days. It was as though he believed that eliminating the reminders could eliminate the failure. There was absolutely no way that he would ever give the slightest consideration to returning to China to do business. That he knew for sure!

Yet here he was—six miles up—in a Delta Airlines’ jet, on his way to San Francisco to catch a flight to Hong Kong. He shook his head. How in the world had this happened? Why was he off to China again?

Reclining the seat as far as it would go, he leaned back against the headrest, closed his eyes, and reviewed the chain of events for the twentieth time. Maybe this time, he would remain calm enough to get some planning done on how he was going to approach this situation.

Up to now, all he had been able to do was work himself into a passionate frenzy, thinking of all the wonderful things he might do, and then had that frenzy replaced by a sense of near-panic that, just like it was over two decades before, he would not be able to do any of them.

He began again, taking deep breaths to get his body under control: It had all started with that phone call.

This Duke Wright? the definitely Asian voice had asked.

This is he, Duke had responded. The caller seemed far away—for a good reason. He was halfway around the globe.

This Du Ren Xi, he said, and Duke nearly fell out of his chair. How long had it been since he had heard that voice?

Mr. Du! Duke bellowed into the phone. How are you?

I fine, came the answer.

You are speaking English! Duke exclaimed. When did you learn?

I try many year learn, Mr. Du told him. I know English words good now, but still speak bad. Can understand?

I understand you perfectly, Duke assured him. Where are you calling from?

I Guangzhou, Mr. Du told him. Duke immediately had a picture in his mind of that wonderful city in southern China—so close to Hong Kong and so far, geographically and philosophically, from Beijing. I want you come Hong Kong, Mr. Du was saying, meet me, talk, make world better. Stay one month. Go Beijing. You come next week, yes?

Duke had smothered a laugh. This was so like Mr. Du. In all their dealings during those many years, he might take awhile to decide what needed to be done, but when he finally set a course of action, then it was damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead for him.

And now, here he was, calling after more than twenty years of silence, fully expecting Duke to drop whatever he was doing and fly to Hong Kong for a month. It sounded very familiar—so very familiar that Duke started feeling those twisting pangs in his stomach again, and he had to bite his tongue to keep from saying no before he had even asked one question. But Duke could not turn his back on this man who had tried so hard to help him succeed those many years ago.

So it hadn’t worked out. It wasn’t Mr. Du’s fault—and Duke had finally come to accept that it hadn’t been his fault either. The fact was that the leaders of China’s government had made the fateful decision. They used military force to end the students’ occupation of TianAnMen Square and the demonstrations for democracy in June 1989. It was that decision that had ruined Duke’s business plans and his personal finances.

But throughout those long months and years, Mr. Du and he had worked so hard to find ways to build bridges between the United States and China. So many times, they had agreed on how critical it was to just keep trying, despite all the negatives they had to deal with. Duke knew that was a main reason he nearly got sick when he thought about his entire China experience.

When the last grains of rice were gone, when no more foreign investors could be persuaded to fund the continuation of the effort, Duke had packed his bag and flown home. Admittedly, the only way he could buy the ticket was by using his frequent flyer miles—on Northwest Airlines, back then—but, at least, he had the option of leaving. Mr. Du and his other close Chinese friends had not had that choice. They had had to stay there and continue fighting. Some of them had died in their effort to bring China out of the dark ages.

It was almost as if Duke thought he should have stayed and, if necessary, died in China to live up to the high standard of commitment that Mr. Du and the other Chinese had demonstrated. But he hadn’t stayed, and he hadn’t died, so now, the least he could do was listen to what Mr. Du had to say. How did you find me? Duke asked.

I talk Ms. May, Hong Kong. She help find, Mr. Du informed him. The picture of May digging out telephone numbers from the past and making calls from Hong Kong to various people in the States and finding out how to track him down was one that Duke had no trouble forming in his mind. She had been so resourceful and so helpful in their efforts.

She had been born and raised in China. Then she had married an American at a time when such an act bordered on treason and was practically never approved. When all the other foreigners left Beijing after the tragic events of the night of June 3 and 4, 1989, even though he had stayed throughout the period of turmoil, Duke had encouraged her to take her children and go to Hong Kong with her husband, Bill. He had been so thankful that she did. Things wouldn’t have been very easy for her in Beijing in those months following the TianAnMen Square disaster. He had always wondered if they had ever gone back. He doubted it. How is Ms. May? Duke asked.

She fine. You see come Hong Kong, Mr. Du promised.

Well, I certainly would like to see her again, Duke told him, and I certainly would like to see you again too. But I don’t know how I can do it. And what do you mean ‘make the world better’? Tell me more about what you want to do and how I could possibly help.

You tell many time you know how make China modern and when China modern, world better, Mr. Du reminded him. Now, I make you ideas true. Tell all and how do. Come next week. Must go fast.

After all these years and all the things that have happened in the meantime, Duke admitted, my ideas might have to be totally revised, or they may no longer be applicable. You’ll remember I told you then that there would have to be some big changes in China, and I didn’t see them happening any time soon. And we would have to raise an enormous amount of money.

From what I’ve read over the years, he continued, even though there have been many more contracts between China and Western companies, I don’t think any of those basic changes have occurred. I think things have just returned to the same stagnant status they were in before TianAnMen Square. Plus, back then, we were just trying to raise enough money to keep our joint venture and our consulting business going. We couldn’t even do that. I can’t see how we could raise all the money we would need to implement my ideas now. What makes you think we could do it?

Things different China now. World not know. Cannot speak more, Mr. Du stated firmly, reminding Duke of just how secretive things had been in those early years of the opening to the outside world—when a foreigner had to assume that all phone conversations were being taped and analyzed—because they were.

Apparently things hadn’t changed much in that area. You must come, meet, face-to-face, private. We talk. You tell what must do. We decide if can do, Mr. Du concluded.

Of course, this is exciting, Duke told him, and if there is any possibility that we could do it, I would be very interested in discussing how I could help, but I am not in a good financial position. I cannot afford to buy a ticket to Hong Kong or pay for the meals and hotel for a month.

My work in China all those years cost me everything I had, he went on, and everything I could borrow. I’m still trying to repay those loans. I just don’t have the money. Plus, I don’t see how I could take a month away from my job without getting fired, and I can’t afford not to get a paycheck for a month. I’m very sorry.

Cost no money, Mr. Du informed him. I pay.

Duke was speechless. This was ridiculous. You know I would never want to be impolite in speaking with you, Duke said hesitatingly, but may I ask where you have obtained enough foreign currency to afford to pay for a flight to Hong Kong for me and my stay there for a month?

No money, Mr. Du assured him. Fly CAAC, stay, eat China hotel.

Ah, CAAC, Duke thought. Now there’s a flight to look forward to. CAAC—the Civilian Aviation Administration of China—was China’s flag airline. As far as he knew, it was certainly not their policy to fly anyone for free. So he asked, But who is covering the costs?

They pay, Mr. Du said flatly.

Why would ‘they’ pay for me to come to Hong Kong? Duke asked.

I tell them you only foreigner I ever meet always want in you heart help China and make modern, Mr. Du explained. They agree you best foreigner talk to.

And who exactly are ‘they’? Duke asked.

He wasn’t surprised that Mr. Du did not name names, especially if he was concerned about the telephone line being tapped, but he was caught off guard when Mr. Du said the one thing that could convince Duke of the seriousness of the call. ZeroNoHow.

It was their private code to refer to the highest leaders of China’s government. They had come up with it using the letters of the name of the compound where those leaders lived in Beijing—ZhongNanHai. By saying this, Mr. Du was stating that he was acting under the direct orders of the top leaders of China! Duke was more than skeptical—he was rock-solid certain that this could not be true!

Then he remembered one of the favorite sayings that he and his fellow foreigner-pioneers had used back then when they were the point men opening China to the Western world: Hey, this is China!

It had been the all-inclusive explanation for the changes, reversals of position, and weird and incomprehensible actions that they met every day in their dealings with the bureaucracy. It meant that anything was possible in China if the Chinese thought it would be to their benefit.

Although inconceivable those twenty-plus years before, Duke had to admit it was possible that Mr. Du had worked himself inside the power structure of China. It was just as possible as the fact that he obviously hadn’t gotten himself executed in the past two and a half decades.

What if Mr. Du was now in a position of influence? What if he could persuade people in power to make the changes that were necessary? What if Duke was being offered a second chance to have that positive impact on China, the Chinese people, and the world he had dreamed of having? If there was even the slightest possibility of this coming true, how could Duke pass up the opportunity to learn more about it?

All those years before, every night before Duke had climbed into bed after another wearying day of butting heads with the Chinese, he had asked God to show him the way to make all his efforts pay off. When the sky fell after TianAnMen Square, Duke had decided this, apparently, wasn’t God’s plan for his life after all, so he went home.

Now, with this voice from the distant past opening a new, totally unexpected door, Duke found himself wondering if this was God’s way of telling him that the plan hadn’t been cancelled—just delayed.

He remembered an old joke about the guy who fell off the cliff, but by grabbing a branch that was sticking out from the cliff face, he avoided falling to his death. But he was in big trouble. He was losing his grip, and all there was below him was two thousand feet of air—then smack!

The guy had never been much of a religious person, but he was out of choices. So he looked up at the sky and cried, Is there anybody up there? No answer.

His hands were getting sweaty, and he could feel them slipping. So he tried again, in a more desperate tone, "Is there anybody up there?!" Still, no answer.

Now, he was down to his last chance. His fingers were cramping, and the dirt was falling down on his face. So he screamed, IS THERE ANYBODY UP THERE??!!

From the clouds, a deep voice said, Yes. What do you want?

SAVE ME! SAVE ME! the man cried.

Do you believe? the voice asked.

What do you mean ‘do I believe’? SAVE ME! the man shouted.

Do you believe? the voice demanded to know.

OK! OK! Yeah, sure, I believe, he agreed. Now SAVE ME!

Let go of the branch, the voice directed.

The man leaned his head back and looked up at the sky and said, "Is there anybody else up there?"

Duke sucked in his breath, said a silent prayer, and let go of the branch. OK, he agreed, I’ll come. I don’t know how I’m going to arrange it with my boss yet, but I’ll figure out some way and let you know when I can come. How can I contact you?

No contact, Mr. Du said. Ticket San Francisco CAAC counter. Leave Thursday, 6:00 PM. Meet Hong Kong. Welcome you come back China. Thank you help China.

But I don’t live in San Francisco, Duke reminded him. I live in Kentucky, which is more than halfway across the country from San Francisco. The ticket to San Francisco will cost money I don’t have. But the line was dead!

Mr. Du had hung up! He would be waiting for Duke at the Hong Kong airport. With no way of contacting Mr. Du, Duke had only two choices: don’t go or figure some way to pay for the flight to San Francisco and get a month off from work. Then he thought of one more option—get in touch with May!

Twenty-plus years earlier, this was an everyday, brainless task for him, dialing an international call, but now, Duke had to refer to his telephone directory to even relearn the process and to get the country code for Hong Kong. He wasn’t sure if there had been any changes in the telephone system in Hong Kong after China took it back in 1997—he hoped not, since that was one of the reasons foreigners used to take breaks from China and go to Hong Kong—to take advantage of their very up-to-date telecommunications network. Now, he wasn’t even sure if they had directory assistance or whether the operators would still be speaking English or whether now they spoke Mandarin or Cantonese.

Much to his delight, the telephone system worked as well as ever. He got May’s number and dialed it, his fingers nearly shaking as they hit the buttons. Wei?! she answered.

Oh, brother. Duke thought. Does that ever bring me back?! That was how you answered a phone in China—by saying ‘way’, which was the equivalent of hello—who is calling? May?! he nearly yelled, forgetting that these lines were between the United States and Hong Kong, not within mainland China, where you had to scream to even be heard. This is Duke Wright!

Duke! she exclaimed. How wonderful to hear your voice—and you don’t have to shout. This is Hong Kong—not Beijing. I thought I might be hearing from you, since I helped Mr. Du get your phone number in—where is it—Louisville?

Yes, Duke responded, I live and work in Louisville now, and Mr. Du told me that he found me with your help. But I’m still in a complete state of shock. I don’t know if he told you what this was all about, but it boils down to the fact that he wants me to come to Hong Kong to meet him. He’s already arranged the flight—on CAAC from San Francisco leaving next Thursday.

I finally agreed to come, he continued, but then I started to tell him that I wasn’t sure when I could come, and that I had to find the money to buy the ticket from Louisville to San Francisco. But he hung up as soon as I said I would come.

He’s expecting me, Duke went on, in Hong Kong next Friday night, late, or early Saturday morning. I haven’t looked up the flight number yet, so I don’t know what the exact ETA will be, and he didn’t give me any way to contact him. I’m in a real fix on this, and I was hoping that you knew how to get in touch with him. Also, I’d like to get your input on what this is all about.

Yes, we talked a little, May informed him, but mainly I just helped him get your number. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to contact him. He calls when he is in Hong Kong, but he always just stays at one of the government hotels. As far as I know, he still lives in Beijing, but it seems he travels a lot.

He said he couldn’t tell me much about why he wanted to talk with you, she continued, because he is operating under the strictest security on this project. I know you’ll remember how secretive he could be in the past and that, sometimes—in fact, many times—what he said turned out not to be correct, but I’ve learned that those situations were never under his control.

What he told us was what he believed to be factual, May went on, but then others changed things, so it appeared to us that he didn’t know what he was talking about. I can tell you that there have been a lot of big changes in China in the last twenty-four years—psychological, philosophical, and political—and most of it is for the good. None of this has been reported in the media, because it’s all ‘nei bu’ stuff. Do you remember what that means?

I do remember, Duke assured her. Nay boo—that stuff which no foreigner could be told, but which all foreigners had to abide by, right?

You’ve got it, she told him.

I always thought that most of that was just a way to force foreigners to do what the Chinese wanted them to do without having to give the foreigners any reason, Duke told her.

That’s how many Chinese politicians and businessmen used it, back then, she concurred, but there truly are a lot of inner-circle secrets that are restricted from anyone except the Chinese.

So, do you know what Mr. Du’s position is now? Duke asked.

No, I don’t, May answered, but you’ll remember that titles are thrown around in China like rice at weddings. Regardless of title, the most unlikely person in the room may be the one with the most power.

No matter what his title may be now, she continued, it does appear that he is in constant and direct contact with the very inner circle of China’s government. If that’s so, he may be in a position to get just about anything approved. If he says he wants to talk with you about your ideas, it means that the people at the top are very interested in them. I remember that you told me in several of our talks in Beijing that one of the main reasons you even came to China in the first place was that you believed it was what you were meant to do with your life. I know things didn’t work out back then, but maybe this delay was part of that plan, and now you’re supposed to jump back into the fight. Maybe that means you will have an opportunity to really help China. I hope so, and I hope you will come.

May, Duke confided, you’ve hit the nail on the head. I was just thinking that this could be a sign that my dream of making a difference in China may not be dead—just rescheduled by a couple of decades. I mean with Mr. Du getting into a position where he can make things happen in China and contacting me and wanting to discuss how we could put my ideas into action, I’m just flabbergasted!

Well, then I’d say you don’t have anything to decide, do you? May concluded. If this is your life’s plan, you should just get on with it.

May, Duke said gratefully, you have just put it all into proper perspective for me. Thank you so very much.

Not at all, she said. We’ll be looking forward to seeing you soon.

As he had hung up the phone, Duke was stunned. He was becoming convinced that there was, indeed, a greater power at work in all of this. There was no way it could be coincidental. He was going to Hong Kong, and he was going to make a concerted effort to revive his ideas and help China move out of the past and into a bright future.

Now, all he had to do was dream up some way of announcing to his wife that he was going to Hong Kong on the unlikely possibility that Mr. Du could help him bring his ideas to fruition. That was going to be something to witness. He could hardly wait to see what brilliant explanation he came up with to solve that problem.

You’re going to do what???!!! Have you lost your mind???!!! That’s what she should have said. That’s what Duke was prepared for her to say. That wasn’t even close to her reaction, and Duke just realized that much more why he loved her.

I’ve wondered when it would finally happen—if it would ever happen, Lynn said. Since the day you came back from China, I’ve watched the memories of that part of your life eat away at your self-confidence and your self-esteem. I’ve seen it make you almost physically sick. In fact, I’m not so sure that some of the illnesses you’ve had since then weren’t a direct result of your thinking about what happened and what could have been. I don’t think you will ever put that experience into proper perspective unless and until you go back there and face it head-on and put a satisfactory closure to it.

One of my biggest concerns, she continued, has been that your dad’s heart trouble could be, and probably is, hereditary, plus you don’t take care of yourself well enough to avoid those problems, and you may be facing the same situation he did before long. If you follow his pattern and only live to your midseventies, you don’t have very much time to get it done. I would hate it if you still had not dealt properly with this—the biggest issue in your life. I’m not looking forward to us being separated again for long periods, but I am also not looking forward to us being together for the rest of our lives while you still have this ache in your heart. Go! Put the dream to bed finally or reawaken it. Either way, we’re going to be much happier in the end.

Duke kissed her so deeply and held her so tightly and for so long that she almost turned blue. Whew! she gasped, when she could finally draw breath again. I guess you like my response.

More than I can ever tell you, he said. You’ve known all along that I was unhappy. It’s taken this to force me to be honest enough with myself to face that fact. Now that I’ve faced it, I know I have to resolve it. I am so glad that you understand.

But a whole month? she questioned. Why does he think it will take a month for you two to decide whether or not you can proceed?

Don’t you remember, Duke pointed out to her, all the key steps in our getting the joint venture going? Every time there was another step to take and we asked how long it would take, they always said ‘one month.’ I think it’s the standard answer to the question. Even if it’s only going to take a day or if it might take a year. I think I would have been shocked if he had said any other time period. I don’t know how long it will take, and I doubt if he does, either.

Well, I know Mr. Du said they would take care of all expenses, Lynn told him, but we will have to pay for the ticket to San Fran, and you’re going to need some money in your pocket, just in case, plus we will have to cover the month’s loss of your salary—assuming you even have a job when you get back. You can charge the ticket on the credit card. If they don’t reimburse you for it, which they probably won’t, we should still be able to take care of it over time. And you may as well buy a round-trip ticket now with an open return date. I don’t see how they will be able to fly you all the way back to Louisville on CAAC, so you’ll need the other half of the ticket to come home.

As for the cash and the money to cover the loss of your salary, she continued, Pop gave me a CD for Christmas ten years ago. I had put it in our retirement fund. It just happens to expire the day after tomorrow, and I have not yet given the bank any instructions on what to do with it. I’ll cash it in. Given the timing, it kind of makes you wonder if this just may be part of the bigger plan too, doesn’t it?

It had gone so wonderfully with Lynn that Duke carried an unrealistic air about him the next morning when he went in to talk to his boss.

You’re going to do what???!!! Have you lost your mind???!!! Kris exclaimed. Why in the world would you want to go back to that place? he challenged him. From what you’ve told me, that was the worst experience anyone could ever have. And now, you’re going to jump back into that quagmire? I just don’t understand what’s driving you. And besides, what am I supposed to do about covering for you for a whole month? What am I going to tell the Airport Authority?

Duke knew that Kris’s concerns were legitimate. The Airport Authority was certainly not going to like hearing that he was going to be absent for a month. Duke’s employer, Maghlan Airport Logistics, was under contract to the Airport Authority of the MidAmerica International Airport, located near Louisville, Kentucky, to provide logistics support services.

This involved receiving and distributing all the goods and merchandise which arrived every day to supply all the concessionaire operations throughout the terminal. They also received and distributed materials and items for the Airport Authority itself, airlines, rental car companies, even the TSA. This contract had come about through a series of events that began by the Airport Authority seeking out Donna Maghlan, President of Maghlan Logistics, and asking her to submit a proposal to provide such services in the new terminal facility, which was then under construction.

At the time, Duke was working as the Warehouse Manager for Maghlan Logistics, directing the activities of the staff in a three hundred thousand square-foot warehouse in Louisville. When the request from the Airport Authority was received, Donna asked Duke to take a look at it to see if it was something the company could do. It didn’t take him long to determine that not only could the company do it, but he was also convinced that it was something the company absolutely should do. And he could see that if the company could do this in one airport, why not in many others?

He prepared the proposal for MidAmerica International, which was accepted. A contract was negotiated, signed, and approved by the Airport Authority Board of Directors. Then, they had to decide who should manage this new operation. Donna and her co-owners, brother Kris and sister Nancy, agreed that Duke was the right person. So he turned over operation of the warehouse to his replacement and devoted all of his time to the airport project. After nearly a year of work, he launched a 24/7 operation when the new terminal facility was opened.

Over the course of the next year, as they fine-tuned the MidAmerica International operation, it became clear that the Maghlan team had done it right. The concessionaires and the Airport Authority showered high praise on Duke and his team. As the first anniversary of the opening was celebrated, Duke began devoting more and more of his time to researching the potential for providing these same services in other airports. To ensure that the operation at MidAmerica International continued to provide the high level of service that the Airport Authority and the concessionaires had come to expect, Duke instituted a program to develop his replacement as manager of that operation. This program had been in place for about two years, and Mike, Duke’s choice as his replacement, was progressing nicely in his development when Duke got the call.

Kris, Duke offered, "this is exactly why I proposed the Master Succession Plan two years ago and why you approved it. Remember, we called it my big bus theory—that is, ‘What happens if Duke gets hit by a big bus?’ Yes, we were doing it in preparation for my spending more time on other airport opportunities, but we also saw it as a safety net just in case something bad did happen to me. Well, this is better than my getting hit by a big bus. At least, I have a few days to formally turn things over to Mike before I have to leave."

As for the Airport Authority, he continued, we tell them the unvarnished truth—that I had to go back to China, so you implemented the plan that we, as good managers, had prepared to deal with such a contingency. We presented the plan to them at one of the quarterly business review meetings, and you’ll remember that they were quite impressed with how proactive we were. And we’ve given them progress reports at each meeting since. I don’t think there’s any reason for them to be particularly upset. They may not be deliriously happy about my being gone, but I don’t think they’ll put up as much fuss as you may fear.

I should also point out, he concluded, that I may not be gone for a whole month. I don’t know how long this is going to take. I could be back in a week.

Or, Kris replied, you may not be back at all.

That had taken Duke by surprise. Certainly, he had considered that possibility, at least on the intellectual level, but he hadn’t brought it down to the practical application the way Kris just did. Yes, Duke agreed, that is a possibility.

In the days that had remained before his departure, Duke had talked several times with Donna and Nancy, as well as several other managers of the company. All of them had grilled him on the necessity of making this trip. Finally, they all understood that this wasn’t a whim, and that Duke was committed. On the last day, Kris told him, We will do what we can to keep your job open, but I can’t guarantee it. If you can get back earlier, that will certainly help, and you can consider yourself still an employee of this company until I tell you differently. As for your salary, we will continue it and just charge it against your paid time off account. You have never taken most of the hours you earned, anyway, so you’ve got quite a bank built up."

I certainly appreciate that, Kris, Duke told him. I know that I’m causing you some real problems with this, and I wouldn’t do it if it weren’t absolutely necessary for my mental well-being. I’ll try to wrap it up as quickly as I can.

Well, Kris said, I would hate to lose you, but helping you is the least we can do after what you have done in creating an entirely new market segment for this company and getting it off to such a great start at MidAmerica International. I can only say thanks.

And Duke had packed his bags and climbed on the plane.

Let’s Go Sell to the Chinese

Lying there with his eyes closed, he let his mind roll back through the years—back to the very beginning. When was it? How had all this started? With another phone call.

Is this Duke Wright? the voice had asked.

This is he, Duke had responded.

This is Don Bradley, the voice had informed him. I’m an executive recruiter in Kansas City, he began, and I’m calling to ask you if you’d be interested in becoming President of—

Yes, Duke had answered, without letting Don finish the sentence.

Well, I guess that answers that question, Don said. Would you like to know ‘of what’?

Of course, Duke replied, laughing at himself. It’s just that I believe I am ready to take on presidential responsibilities and have been checking into every opportunity that’s come to my attention. You’ll forgive my abruptness, I trust. Can you tell me more about the situation?

I can tell you the company is a manufacturer in the electronics communications industry, Don responded. It is profitable, with annual revenues of about four million dollars. It is located a ways out of Kansas City, in a very nice town of about seven thousand. It’s privately held. The founder and majority stockholder is an inventor with more than forty patents. He has been serving as President, but he wants to return to devoting all of his time to research and inventing, so he has engaged us to find a President. That’s about all I can say over the phone. When you come to visit us, assuming our discussions are satisfactory, you will have an opportunity to meet with him at the company.

Thus had begun the process of Duke and Lynn relocating from Chicago to Gelah, Kansas, so Duke could take over as the President of SCOPE Electronics. As it had turned out, Duke relocated first, and Lynn stayed in Chicago and put their home on the market. After six months of weekend commuting, the house sold. They packed the car, hooked on a U-Haul trailer full of Lynn’s plants, put a dog in the front seat and the other in back, and set out for the sixteen-hour drive.

In the course of those six months, Duke had made some very startling discoveries. First of all, while the recruiter had said that SCOPE was profitable, it turned out that the financial statements on which he was basing that comment were not up-to-date.

Duke learned SCOPE only prepared financial statements every quarter, and it took about two months to prepare them. Then if there were any problems that required investigation and