Around 9:00, in the p.m., one warm Spring evening, a few hours after Azir had returned from his trip, Michael met up with his business partner at a quaint, 50's style, silver dining car restaurant, the Silver Palm, off Milwaukee Boulevard, a favorite of a great many of the populous. Azir had been waiting a while as Michael was stuck in a bit of traffic on the nearby Kennedy Expressway. Michael entered the small diner, the aroma of slabs of ham on the grill, and frying bacon, permeated the air the familiar scent very pleasing as he went over to the table in front of a long window. Azir smiled, looking much darker, super tan from the sun, looking happy and well rested from his travels. Even though Azir had been kept waiting, and Azir hated to be kept waiting, he smiled warmly as he stood, shaking Michael's hand saying a bit sarcastically "So nice of you to join us."
The two men sat as the friendly waiter came by taking Michael's order. "I'll have a 3 Little Pigs, with onion rings and a Pabst Blue Ribbon." He said, not needing a menu, as he had been coming to the Silver Palm since his first year of Med-School back in '82. Azir was no fool, and, even though the contents of the world famous sandwich was not exactly allowed by his religion, for he was devout and a strict vegetarian, however, irrespective of this, Azir ordered the same exact thing as Michael. Azir concluded this act was a mere sin against his body, and not a sin against his gods. Now, as the chef prepared their meal; which consisted of, thin slices of grilled, smoked ham, topped with a deep fried breaded veal cutlet, with three, thick slices of pepper bacon, and two fried eggs, smothered in melted Gruyere cheese, all served between two slices of a grilled brioche bun and, as all the locals do, wash it all down with a couple of cold bottles of Pabst, Azir and Michael chatted about their time off and then the subject turned to business.
"Listen," Azir said a twinkle in his eye as if he had just discovered a secret of the universe "I have a question for you." he said with a note of excitement.
"If you have a question, then I'm sure I have an answer." Michael said in his usual way.
"What if I told you we could make twice as much money everyday, without having to work any extra hours?"
"Well that would be amazing!" he said a bit incredulous. "How?"
"First, let me answer your question with another question." Azir paused with a serious look asking Michael candidly "How much do you still owe on your student loans at Northwestern?"
Michael was shocked by Azir's question, for his loan was not something he was proud of, nor did Michael like discussing his finances with anyone. So Michael hesitated for a moment while Azir gave him a knowing look as if to say 'come on and tell me, you know you want to'. So Michael ordered another round of beers and then he said with a sigh "$120,000.00."
"Damn Son!" Azir said choking a little on his beer, as he had no idea it was that much. "Fuck that's a lot of money! How long were you in school? Twenty years?" Azir laughed but Michael did not for he was embarrassed and far from amused. "Listen, I shouldn't laugh, and it really is none of my business."
"A lot of that is interest, penalties and fees for late payments, I'll have you know!" Michael retorted in his own defence.
"Okay, so we have a number.., an amount.., but let's break it down." Azir said as he leaned forward "If you wanted to pay that off in ten years, that's.., $12,000.00 a year. If you paid it down in five years, that's $24,000, for five years.., of course that is not even factoring in interest and penalties. And, of course, you have your living expenses, rent., insurance, car payments, whiskey, and women etc, etc..." Azir paused.
"Yes, and?" Michael replied uncertain where his friend was going with his line of questions.
"Well, what if I told you I have found a way where you could pay off your loan, and all your other debts in one year?"
Here the waiter brought forth from the kitchen the mouthwatering, towering, lovingly prepared sandwiches, and after the waiter gave them a stack of extra napkins, Michael leaned over his enormous plate of food and said to Azir "I think it sounds too good to be true, but you have my full attention."
The two men sat as the friendly waiter came by taking Michael's order. "I'll have a 3 Little Pigs, with onion rings and a Pabst Blue Ribbon." He said, not needing a menu, as he had been coming to the Silver Palm since his first year of Med-School back in '82. Azir was no fool, and, even though the contents of the world famous sandwich was not exactly allowed by his religion, for he was devout and a strict vegetarian, however, irrespective of this, Azir ordered the same exact thing as Michael. Azir concluded this act was a mere sin against his body, and not a sin against his gods. Now, as the chef prepared their meal; which consisted of, thin slices of grilled, smoked ham, topped with a deep fried breaded veal cutlet, with three, thick slices of pepper bacon, and two fried eggs, smothered in melted Gruyere cheese, all served between two slices of a grilled brioche bun and, as all the locals do, wash it all down with a couple of cold bottles of Pabst, Azir and Michael chatted about their time off and then the subject turned to business.
"Listen," Azir said a twinkle in his eye as if he had just discovered a secret of the universe "I have a question for you." he said with a note of excitement.
"If you have a question, then I'm sure I have an answer." Michael said in his usual way.
"What if I told you we could make twice as much money everyday, without having to work any extra hours?"
"Well that would be amazing!" he said a bit incredulous. "How?"
"First, let me answer your question with another question." Azir paused with a serious look asking Michael candidly "How much do you still owe on your student loans at Northwestern?"
Michael was shocked by Azir's question, for his loan was not something he was proud of, nor did Michael like discussing his finances with anyone. So Michael hesitated for a moment while Azir gave him a knowing look as if to say 'come on and tell me, you know you want to'. So Michael ordered another round of beers and then he said with a sigh "$120,000.00."
"Damn Son!" Azir said choking a little on his beer, as he had no idea it was that much. "Fuck that's a lot of money! How long were you in school? Twenty years?" Azir laughed but Michael did not for he was embarrassed and far from amused. "Listen, I shouldn't laugh, and it really is none of my business."
"A lot of that is interest, penalties and fees for late payments, I'll have you know!" Michael retorted in his own defence.
"Okay, so we have a number.., an amount.., but let's break it down." Azir said as he leaned forward "If you wanted to pay that off in ten years, that's.., $12,000.00 a year. If you paid it down in five years, that's $24,000, for five years.., of course that is not even factoring in interest and penalties. And, of course, you have your living expenses, rent., insurance, car payments, whiskey, and women etc, etc..." Azir paused.
"Yes, and?" Michael replied uncertain where his friend was going with his line of questions.
"Well, what if I told you I have found a way where you could pay off your loan, and all your other debts in one year?"
Here the waiter brought forth from the kitchen the mouthwatering, towering, lovingly prepared sandwiches, and after the waiter gave them a stack of extra napkins, Michael leaned over his enormous plate of food and said to Azir "I think it sounds too good to be true, but you have my full attention."
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