There was a knock at the door of Scott Peterson’s bedroom. It was early – too early. As Scott rose from his bed, a fax machine placed high on a shelf clicks into action. A fax arrived and fell to the floor.
Another knock. In walked Ross Mackelvoy, a short, balding hunched man. Scott didn’t know it yet, but Ross had also sent the fax.
“Scott, your father is dead.” said Mackelvoy, “I am deeply sorry for your loss.”
“Hang on, I just got a fax” Scott said, interrupting him.
Scott turned, lit a cigarette using a soldering iron and began to read the fax aloud.
“Scott, your father is dead. I am deeply sorry for your loss. Ross.”
Scott appeared unflinching in his appearance.
“Crap! James!” yelled Scott, ignoring Mackelvoy who had leaned in to listen.
A few hours later, Scott sat down on the couch, ready to watch TV.
The door opened, and Les, the family butler entered, along with Erica, the company lawyer.
“Master Scott, is now a good time to talk, sir?” asked Les.
“I guess.” said Scott.
“Erica here from the company has come to talk to you about your father’s wishes.”
“Let me guess: he wants me to run his pig-dog of a company, and you’re here to talk me into it?”
Erica butted in: “Actually, no. Your dad was well aware of your dislike of his business, and this may surprise you, had no succession plan for you. His considerable shares in the company will be yours – providing certain criteria are met of course.”
“What kind of criteria?” asked Scott.
“Well, for one. Your father requires you to go to Newtown College.”
“In Boston?! No way! I have no interest in preppy rich kids and their petulant bullshit.”
Les looked unhappy with the situation. He had been with the family for many years and had watched Scott grow up.
“If I may sir… you may not like the idea right now, but there is a plan for Zoo-Lu to donate a significant amount of money to Newtown, which would make your time there a far more pleasing experience than you realize.”
“So you’re telling me I have to go to college and I have to be the one kid who’s father bought a building in order to force my hand?”
Erica opened a file containing several legal documents and placed them on the coffee table in front of Scott.
“You don’t have to go. Zoo-Lu will provide you with a senior level management job, and you can continue to live here in Seattle and work.”
“Work for Zoo-Lu? Never. What you guys do is barbaric!” he scoffed.
Erica winced. This wasn’t going to be easy and she already had Mackelvoy breathing down her neck.
“If you don’t go to college, and you don’t work for Zoo-Lu, you’ll be forced to sell your father’s shares, move out of this house, give back all the things you’ve become accustomed to – your electronics equipment, your computers, your video games… even James would return to Zoo-Lu.”
Scott shrieked: “You can’t take James! He’s part of the family.”
Scott looked down at James sitting next to him on the couch. James was an adult male orangutan who was amusing himself by watching cartoons. Scott pointed at James, and James pointed back at Scott. They did this a lot, as if they had a connection commonly shared by twins or the telepathic.
“Ms. Smith – Erica – I have to agree with Master Scott – James is certainly a part of this household and this family. Taking him away would be a mistake!”
Erica had him by the balls.
“Oh, and you’d lose your butler too. With no need for a family butler, Mr. Roberts would no longer be needed and would be relieved of his employment.”
“You’d take everything I have, and everything I love if I don’t tow the corporate line? Jesus, Zoo-Lu really are a bunch of assholes.”
“Be that as it may, Mr. Peterson – you have until the end of the week to decide. I’ll see myself out.”
Erica turned on her heel walked out of the living room, and then out of the lobby, and finally out of the front door of house, slamming each door as she passed through it.
“Right. Yeah. ‘Decide.’ Well, Les.. It appears I have no choice. Pack up my stuff. I’m moving to Boston!”
“Very well sir.”
“Oh, and Les… just one thing. James is coming with me!”
