The undercover (real estate ??) agent Pt.2
At around the same time I met X, I bumped into an old friend Loy (names changed). He used to be a real estate negotiator, but has since moved on to other things. Wheeler dealer, street-wise and from appearance he seem to be doing pretty well. He told me he had a buyer for Russian oil (D2) and asked if I had any contacts who can supply.
My first experience in this (black gold!!) .. obviously a big money deal, (commissions in USD), potential repeat orders that would set everyone for early retirement on easy street.
In the course of my conversations with X, he mentioned he had a contact, a key person in govt with a permit/license to supply the specs of D2 oil.
Well, the broker instincts kicked in and we proceeded to set up a meeting. After several failed attempts ( with Loy’s friend, the buyer . . some Datuk from Sabah, whom we found out later, was only a contact to the real buyer), we set up a meeting on a certain date and place. And I gathered as much info as possible how one brokers such a deal.
The meeting place was some bar house in KL where X is a regular patron, and since the location was OK to all, we confirmed the meeting time at 9pm. So, it was X, me, my friend Loy and his Indian friend/partner, and the Datuk whom we were all waiting to arrive.
(It's been decades since I last stepped into a bar but some things remains unchanged .. the same dank smell of old cigarette smoke and beer regurgitated thru an exhausted air cond system.)
As always, we end up waiting for the Datuk. He was in another meeting somewhere else in KL.
The bar room was empty except for some China girl waitress who came over excitedly (obviously known to X), stood comfy close to him and squeezed his hand in hers . Her face beaming to see him ( hmm .. wonder if his wife shows such enthusiasm here.. ).
He sort of waved her away.
Anyway, while waiting for the Datuk to arrive, they ordered some jugs of beer and I .. a Coke.
Invariably, the conversation veered to why I was not drinking beer with them. I explained my drinking choices have changed since I became born again christian; beer was really a non-issue with me. I can 'drink or not drink' as a christian, but i just chose not drink ever since I became one. (NOT that I had a problem with those who do).
Soon the topic became quite philosophical and religious; both X and Loy was equally vocal now that the beer was kicking in. And they began pretty much to run down my christian faith. I knew I was set for some verbal sparring.
The arguments were back and forth, lunge, parry, blows… the works.
There were times I was left wondering if I was just arguing with the beer . . (Beer vs Coke ??)
But in finality, my question to them. …
. . “at the end of things (when we die lah!) what would you say to God.. did you live such a pure and holy life . . that HE would accept you???” (implying we ALL need help!)
That silenced the conversation a bit… not sure if they were thinking or just taking a breather as I stared into their red (alcohol induced) faces.
Quiet.
(I looked around me… no one in sight… front door wide opened …cashier also missing. hmmn.. this is the type of movie-scene. . a paid killer would come in and gun down an informer and those ‘lucky’ enough to be with him..
. . . steady your thoughts andrew. )
.
12.30pm: .still no Datuk. We onto the 6th jug and my bladder now bursting with coke.
The religious topic continued to ramp up .. even as we stood next to each other at the urinals in the gents.
1.00 am : X ‘s friend came to join us. He looked like a typical vendor you see at the pasar malam (night market) except he wore a satchel around him, you know.. the kind the undercover Special Branch ( police) are known to carry their semi automatic. Not a word .. just drank his beer.
1.30am: finally Datuk arrives.
He looked like in the 50s, stocky and bespectacled. Walked in with his driver/bodyguard. Actually, he was a MP (Member of Parliment) in the Cabinet, friendly and well informed. My first time up close to a politician; he was likable and disarmingly genuine. Had a persona that made you feel comfortable at once.
I was impressed. And he gave us some structure how we were to do this deal…. supposing the supply side was genuine. All parties will be taken care of (ie. the commi$$ions in USD) ie. how the percentages would be divided. Apparently, he has done this before and seemed like the only one who had the prior experience of pulling off this deal.
Frankly, I was glad here was someone who has done such a deal before and seem to know what he was doing .. and seemed trustworthy.
Then easily and without missing a beat, he began to tell how he came to be in this position as an MP. Apparently he was a PK..(pastor’s kid) growing up.. His constituents in Sabah are people who had strong loyalties to his father’s church.
I listened, mouth must have fell open as he began to tell of how he came to a personal encounter with Jesus and became born-again believer. .. explaining the gospel (good news) to all of us.
I couldn’t believe my ears. Is this for real?
I made a quick glance around, and all at the table were listening attentively and not a ‘squeak’ from my fellow detractors. Only moments ago they were trying to hang me to a cross. But, now they were listening with their dandy faces like in a Sunday school class. Lol.. Such irony! Such pretence!!
(.. the world is a stage and we are all actors..?? )
When He finished his drink, he asked to excuse him as he had to catch a flight back to Sabah that night.
It was 2.30am. Very late. We paid the bill and took leave as well. Been a long night.
2.40am .. ( on way home & alone in the car .. ROFL… )
God is just too funny..! (think I might have heard a chuckle up there ..)
Epilogue:-
Oil is a commodity unlike any other because with it economies of nations are built. Because of the sanctions (embargo) on certain ‘rogue nations’ (Iran, North Korea,) oil is traded with much scrutiny.
However, in the black market, Russian oil (D2) can traded through a 3rd party country ( like Malaysia) en route to other nations not privy to trade directly because of these sanctions. The oil business is much more multi-faceted and complex than I ever imagined.
In the weeks that followed it became clear we were not able to secure the supply of D2 and soon after, the chase died.
Maybe it did not have a fairy tale ending; however it certainly was a most memorable affair to say the least!
But our God is our main supply line in High places and we’re hooked onto Him . . the tidal wave of blessings will come and it will over take us. He always lifts the humble to high places.
And to that we say Amen!
Ps. psssst ... anyone got some D2?
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