A Fool's Journey: Book IV, The Emperor
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About this ebook
After leaving his landscaping job, Benjamin Porter wanders into a retail apparel store at a nearby mall. Full of confidence he credits to Em Patricee, he applies for a job and is hired as a part-time salesman. Having learned how to read people from Craig Marse and role-playing from Joan Ponti, Benjamin Porter quickly displays a talent for selling trendy fashion to naive young men with disposable income.
Surrounded by men vying for power and control in one way or another, Benjamin learns the art of politics. His district manager, regional manager, store manager, and even his father, all make demands particular to their needs, and Ben meets every challenge. But his loyalties are tested when his quick rise up the corporate ladder threatens one of the power brokers.
As a new assistant manager, he stumbles upon an embezzling scheme and positions himself for a takeover. But who can he trust with this information? If he misplays his hand then he’ll only succeed it getting himself fired. Ben turns to his friend, Matthew Cohen, the manager who hired and mentored him, as an ally.
As tension builds and battle lines are drawn, Benjamin prepares to make his move only to discover the intrigues of this corporate world are complex and strangely intoxicating. He becomes seduced by the fashion world, the woman, the money, and his newfound power.
But the dynamics of the company change suddenly when an unexpected event occurs that puts Ben in a potentially disastrous position. Did he pick the right “emperor” to align with and help him climb the corporate ladder?
Mark Pannebecker
I'm an author of literary fiction and the founder of the St. Louis Indie Book Fair.I'm trying KDP for Book V, The Hierophant and Book VI, The Lovers, so those titles won't be listed here. You can go to my website or Amazon (www.amazon.com/-/e/B00TI17DO8) for copies. Thank you.
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A Fool's Journey - Mark Pannebecker
A Fool's Journey
Book IV, The Emperor
by
Mark Pannebecker
Copyright 2017 Mark Pannebecker
All rights reserved
Smashwords Edition
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
Thank you for downloading this Ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your continuing support.
Developmental Editor: Tina Farmer
Content Editor: Blythe Terrell
Copy Editor: Carye Moses
Cover Art and Author’s Photo by Sarah Clayton
Special thanks to Sarah Clayton for her support
and Sarah Marchant for her assistance
Table of Contents
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
Book V, The Hierophant
About A Fool's Journey
About Mark Pannebecker
I
Benjamin Porter wiped the sweat from his grimy forehead with the back of his dirty hand then slid back under his truck. His father, William, smoked a Salem and looked on as Ben’s legs disappeared under the ’64 Chevy Stepside.
Hey, Bill, what’s the kid doing now?
Don Crawling, Porter’s next-door neighbor, offered William a Budweiser.
Yankin’ the transmission.
Hey, Ben, how’s it going down there?
Ben’s scraped knuckles were red with blood, and a black eye was forming where a wrench had slipped off a nut and struck him at the edge of his eye socket. He’d bruised his head after banging it against the oil pan, engine block, and chassis. His hair was matted with grease and a little blood. Fine, Mr. Crawling,
he said to the feet in his view as he squirmed farther under the truck. His shirt caught on a bolt and ripped. Goddamn it.
Ben saw a pair of Boondockers approach and recognized John Molly, the neighbor on the other side of the Porters. What’s he doing now?
Pulling the trannie,
Don answered. Ya wanna Bud?
Sure.
Gonna have it rebuilt,
William said. Paying more for that than he did for the whole damn truck.
Well, it’s his money,
Don said. Right?
Yes!
Benjamin repositioned himself and adjusted the height of the hydraulic jack. It’s all my money, all my truck.
The three men chuckled.
They made him full-time at work last month,
William said. Now he’s got more dollars than sense.
They laughed again.
Yeah, keep laughing. I know every one of you would buy this off me in a second.
"Where, at that fashion store?" John asked.
Men’s clothing store, yes,
William said.
It’s called Roman’s,
Benjamin called out from underneath. If you need a nice sports coat, Mr. Molly, Mr. Crawling, come in, I’ll give you a discount.
He spends all his money on clothes and this truck.
William gently brushed ashes from his cigarette off the fender.
Well, your truck is looking good, Benjamin,
John said.
Over the past year and a half, Benjamin had slowly improved his canary yellow truck, making it instantly recognizable. He and his oldest brother, Fredrick, had pulled out dents, cut out rusted areas and welding new metal in its place. They Bondo-ed, sanded, and primed the body. His father had helped him with tune-ups, setting the gap on spark plugs, timing, oil filter changes, and transmission fluid changes. Dennis, his other older brother, had helped him replace the rotted truck bed with new, thick cedar planks. Most recently, Ben had tinted the windows, added wide whitewall 35-inch tires, and new rims. Ben’s half-ton truck was, in fact, looking good.
Damn right it is. Thanks, Mr. Molly.
Benjamin made a final adjustment to the jack supporting the transmission and quickly removed the last two bolts