Visions – a New Enterprise: Joseph Walker Series

By Andre F. Downing

This is the first book in a series which is based upon the life of Joseph as found in the Bible, the book of Genesis, chapters 28-47. It is a gripping story that begins with his father’s relationships and the influence it had on Joseph. From him growing up with his brothers to being sold into slavery, to the finality of becoming second in command to Pharaoh. This book is a creative take on what this story would be like in the twentieth century.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jun 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664232457

Andre F. Downing

Andre Downing has spent 30 years in Information Technology working for both fortune 100 and 500 companies in the Midwest and on the West Coast. Whether contributing to the development of internal web-based applications or leading a team of developers to create state of the art integration between applications, he has provided leadership and continuity in an industry fraught with change. It has always been important to Andre to ensure people are inspired, empowered, and to have the knowledge that would prove to improve delivery, drive strategic change, and develop potential leaders Andre lives with his family in St. Louis, Missouri. His pass time is spending time with his wife of 28 years and children; 6 boys and 3 girls, ages ranging from 7 to 27.

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Copyright © 2021 Andre F. Downing.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means,

graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by

any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue

in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

WestBow Press

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expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-3175-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-3176-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-3245-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021908445

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/12/2021

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Part 1   Contemplation

Chapter 1   Breaking News

Chapter 2   Master J and the Furious Four

Chapter 3   The Trip to Remediation

Part 2   Reflection

Chapter 4   Memories

Chapter 5   The First Vision

Chapter 6   The Second Vision

Part 3   Missing in Action

Chapter 7   The Reveal

Chapter 8   Closing the Deal

Chapter 9   Grief Stricken

PREFACE

This book has been six years in the making. The general idea is based upon the life of Joseph as found in the Bible, the book of Genesis, chapters 28–47. It is a gripping story that begins with his father’s relationships and the influence they had on Joseph. It begins with Joseph growing up with his brothers. Eventually, his brothers sell him into slavery in Egypt, and the story ends as Joseph advances to second in command to Pharaoh.

The premise of the story is how an underdog can find success in life, one I very much identify with. My influence came from Pastors Albert and Mildred Clay who both taught me the scriptures and lived as examples before me. This book is an interpretation of the way Joseph’s story might have played out in the twenty-first century. I took some literary liberties but attempted to stay true to the context of the story as provided in the Bible. It was my desire to present the story in a way that people will be able to identify with. I want you to go on a journey with me in reading this book. I think it is a fun read. It is my hope that you will find yourself rooting for this underdog and wanting to see him overcome and achieve greatness. My desire is that you will find yourself booing the antagonists and ultimately finding a way to forgive them.

My experiences in this life thus far have led me to develop a creative side, something I wondered if I would ever truly achieve. After six years of writer’s block, I could not imagine what to write, but I knew the inspiration would come. Whether you are an avid reader of the Bible or have never picked it up, I hope you can relate to this story and find some pleasure in these pages. Although this book is a fictional tale and my interpretation of the story of Joseph, I hope you will see scenes that reflect some portions of real life.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I want to thank my family members. They have been the backbone of my life since I married in 1992. Although it seems like a lifetime ago, I still remember the young woman who chose me to be her life partner. Thanks to Albertina Clay-Downing for being the love of my life. I could not have had a better life experience. All of the ups and downs, pulls and pushes, agreements and disagreements led me to a deeper understanding of life and why being in love is more than just an emotional connection; it is a decision to commit. You made me want to keep the promise: for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

Thank you to my children: Damian, Amos, Victoria, Kezia, Leah, Demetrius, Andrew, Matthew, and Zachary. You have challenged me to be the father you needed and to be a man the world could value. Because you took interest in me and the teachings you were receptive to, I was able to put my all into this book.

Thank you to Pastors Albert and Mildred Clay (God rest their souls in the earth). You taught me the Bible, inspiring me to reach beyond my station, challenging me to become a better individual, and encouraging me to believe that I could "..do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13).

I would also like to thank the many colleagues and coworkers who supported me in my corporate experiences. Through the hard work we performed together as I worked alongside you, I was able to perfect my abilities in information technology. The myriad of experiences I have gained also added to the creativity contained within this book.

Finally, I would like to thank those of you who have decided to purchase and read this book. I hope this book reaches out to you and brings you into its pages and makes you feel as if you know these characters. I hope you can feel their excitement, love, pain, anguish, hopes, and dreams. If you find any similarities between the characters and yourself within these pages, that was by design. It is my hope and dream that you will be able to put yourself into the shoes of any of these characters. And stayed tuned! The next installment of the Joseph Walker series will be coming to a bookstore near you soon.

PART 1

CONTEMPLATION

CHAPTER

1

BREAKING NEWS

So many things to think about with so few actions that can be taken, thought Joseph. Waiting for the right time to broach the subject with his father, Joseph took his time scribbling on paper the points he wanted to make to soften the assumed impact. Having been the bearer of bad news on so many occasions, Joseph felt that all he could do was introduce difficult situations that needed immediate resolution. Looking out the window, he saw that the snow flurries had turned into flakes. Snow was accumulating on the windowsill. The thermometer showed seventy degrees inside, but the computer screen saver indicated that it was fifteen degrees outside. The swirling snow kicked up by the howling wind prompted Joseph to reflect on growing up in St. Louis where the weather in January was often schizophrenic. It could be forty-five degrees one day and twenty below zero the next.

Joseph’s thoughts drifted back to his childhood. The smell of freshly baked apple pie just out of the oven was one of Joseph’s favorite memories. He knew hot chocolate would soon follow. Dusting off his coat from the endless bombs of snowballs he had been pelted with over the course of a hard day of playing with the other boys in the neighborhood, Joseph ran to the table only to be denied access to the endless array of cookies, muffins, and other treats Mother always displayed there. You know the rules. Wash your hands and face after coming from outside, his mother said every time he came through the door. Joseph knew the lyrics to this familiar song, but he loved hearing his mother say it, as he recognized the denial was temporary. Joseph was dutiful in making sure he got rid of every spot of dirt. When he returned from the washroom with a big smile on his face, his mother said, as always, Let me check your hands, your face, and behind your ears. Then she tweaked his nose, asked him to take a seat at the table, and provided him with the treats he desired. That day, apple pie and hot chocolate would be a sublime pleasure.

With his legs swinging in anticipation of consuming such delights, he immediately said the shortest grace he knew: Jesus wept (John 11:35).

Overhearing this grace, Mother asked, Why did he?

Because he was sad, Joseph replied as he shoveled the first bite of pie into his mouth to avoid having to answer any more questions.

Mother had now been gone for fifteen years, and there had not been any time to enjoy such simple things now that he was director of operations for the company his father, Jacob, had built over the last thirty-five years. Joseph gathered his things, including the scribbles he had made on the points to present to his father.

With tons of work to do, Joseph often scheduled meetings with his father after the usual evening of conference calls and late meetings. It was Thursday, and the day had begun to wind down at around six thirty as usual, though he knew Jacob was just getting started. It was eight fifteen as Joseph got into the elevator and headed to Jacob’s office on the fifth floor of the first building Jacob had purchased. He had immediately turned the building into the headquarters for the enterprise that had quickly grown through acquisition. As the elevator was on the rise, so were Joseph’s thoughts as he wondered how he had got there.

Joseph had often contemplated why he had been chosen from among his brothers to do a job he never felt qualified for. He had earned his degree in computer science and had his eye on writing the best software that would integrate enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems with data visualization to provide dashboards for senior and executive management. He believed he could have gotten venture capital to seed his fledgling vision. He knew he would eventually be able to go public with the software titan he had built. He saw himself as the new CEO of Joseph Walker Enterprises, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Jeff Bezos, Satya Nadella, and Michael Dell. Having learned his work ethic from