Lucille Nailed It Ch. 07

Lucille described her concept for a bi-monthly publication called Living DECOR and published by a subsidiary company to be formed in which she would be principal shareholder and Irma could take up shares, up to forty-nine percent if she wished.

Lucille would produce a business plan, estimates of costs and income and a four-year strategy plan to bring the new publication into profitability. Irma would be on salary as general manager with total responsibility to recruit and train people and gather the other resources she needed.

"Our first cover/lead feature will be on the theme of pushing those venetians into the background and bringing the room alive. We shall establish a sister-publication with a similar content either in New York, Milan or Paris – we already have such a formula working on my fashion magazine.

"The capital that you and I and anyone else invests in our private company will more than cover our establishment costs and after say two years I estimate you will have at least doubled your investment even if it's $75,00 and that's without drawing on your salary."

"Would you like to do this?"

"Very much so; I'm almost expiring now with excitement."

"When?"

"I go home and talk to Bert tonight, and if he'll back me into this venture then I'll hand in my resignation in the morning."

"Excellent, then if you get that far I'll invite you and your husband to our commercial 'house warming' this Friday night at my warehouse which I'm naming MagWorld."

"That's a rather unusual name."

"It's in keeping with a theme."

"Great and that will become part of your image. I'll see you Friday night."

"But you haven't asked your husband."

"Oh I'll cuddle up and ask him while he's watching sport: he rather likes me doing that. Then I'll pop the question and with his mind on popping me he'll say yes. But because of the large amount of money involved I'll remind him of what he's said before I phone you knowing he's a bit of a gambler and will want to support my business ambitions. You are an exciting woman to be around Lucille."

* * *

The warehouse was handed back at 4:00 Thursday afternoon to Lucille who was accompanied by Chrissie; Mo was attending a Publisher's Convention in Perth.

"This is an exciting moment for me," Lucille declared, watched by the workmen as a crew hoisted up the big sign over the entrance, matching a big sign on the frontage and a sign strapped to the far end of the roof, naming the premise MagWorld.

"It will become known as MadHouse, especially amongst stressed staff, predicted Chrissie, standing beside Lucille as the van arrived from the liquor wholesalers with liquor and nibbles for the completion celebration.

Chrissie pointed up to the deconstruction at the city-end of the building. "What's going on way up there?"

"Workmen began today on the conversion of that area into my new apartment."

Chrissie looked mystified.

"What's wrong where you've are now?"

"This is the place for me."

Chrissie though for a moment and then said, "Then have you any objection if I ask daddy to buy your other apartment for me as an investment – I think I should stay with you till I really get my weight down and worm those sketches out of you?"

"Um, there is a man who rather is looking forward to moving in with me."

"Fine let him move in and I'll move in with Digger because he's be pestering me again."

"That won't work. You stay in my apartment and I'll put this guy off until I move in here. It won't be too difficult to ensure."

Chrissie on a strict diet sipped her wine, looking longingly at beer being glugged down by the guys.

"You name the price you want for your apartment and I'll get a sales agreement drawn up, with settlement times for when your apartment here is ready."

"Okay, the price I paid plus five cent is what I want."

"Daddy will pay more than that; don't be weak."

"Weakness doesn't come into it; what I paid plus five cent payable to me, or no deal."

Frowning, Chrissie said, "I'm sure are learning a lot of things from you, Lucille, but making money is not one of them."

Lucille waggled her finger.

"Young woman, I'll make heaps of money legitimately, not by cheating or extortion or doing shady deals. You will benefit from watching very closely."

They joined the men, Lucille introducing Chrissie to building development consultant Tony Modotti and Ollie Johannick the building contractor.

"Hi, guys," smiled Lucille. "I have a buyer for my apartment already. Is there any chance of my suite up there being ready by the end of next month?"

Ollie looked at Tony who said, "You approve the plans this week and I'll take them in myself and get them approved on fast-track."

Tony said, "Ollie – get your guys to refurbish the flooring and sarking (wood lining) and get it back in place, replace all the doors and windows frames with aluminum but going floor to ceiling two meters either side of the corner facing the harbor and city; you'll need to grab an engineer's design for the steel framing for that – get him to inset the windows so the steels bears weight externally and take really good care with the flashings."

"Fax me his drawing as soon as you get them and I'll add it to my stuff going through building consent, but don't wait for the paperwork to come through. Ask the engineer to add 10% strength above his safety margins and get the work done."

"Ah what about the contract?"

"This is one of those handshake jobs Ollie," Tony said.

"Once you have my plans and specs and I have the consents you can work out a price for me to approve – but remember, this one is mate's rates. Lucille didn't quibble about what we charged her for the warehouse conversion."

"Thank you," Lucille said. "I shall be recommending you guys to my business associates and admiring visitors."

On Friday morning Lucille worked on the 'Lucille 2' issue and twice went to the lawyer's office to sign papers; it was all happening.

The papers being signed including the an application to place Lucille's present three companies under the holding company Graham Inspired Holdings Limited and the parent company logo would be an artistic representation of the type of turbans Mrs Graham always wore; if no-one but Lucille recognized the icon she wouldn't be bothered as the symbolism was meant only for her.

As she stood Maggie James her lawyer said, "There's one more thing Lucille a Mervyn Drake phoned; your application for permanent residency has been approved but to meet a technicality in immigration law you must leave and return to Australia for it to take effect."

"Hop over to New Zealand for the day and congratulations on your imminent change in status."

Lucille shrieked and rushed around the desk and hugged Mrs James.

"This sort of thing gives you a good feeling, does it?"

"Does it what; how did it come through so fast?"

Mervyn said it was a case of having friends in high places. "Apparently you know Angus McKeon."

"Well, I have met him once but I know his daughter very well."

"Christine?"

"Yes, but she prefers Chrissie."

"I see. It says on Mr and Mrs McKeon's covering letter supporting their character reference of you that they would appreciated approval being granted expeditiously as you are about to become their daughter-in-law. It's signed by Angus and Geneva McKeon."

"I'm helping Chrissie..."

"Perhaps I should not be told anything more about this rather unusually expansive manner in endorsing an applicant Lucille – but I should be told nothing more, Welcome to Australia citizenship, my dear; you will be advised of the citizenship ceremony in due course. You'll make a lovely Australian."

Back at the office Lucille told Chrissie the news and she was even more excited than Lucille but was asked to keep it confidential until a couple of days before the citizenship ceremony.

Lucille tried to call Angus McKeon, but was asked to leave her name, number and nature of her business and one of his assistants would call her back.

She told Chrissie of her frustration and she dialed a special number straight through to him and said Lucille wanted to speak to him.

"You lying bastard (bastard often is used almost as an endearment in Australia) you lied in that letter of support for me becoming an Australian resident"

Angus laughed and said, "It worked then Lucille, you're becoming one of us?"

"Yes and thanks; you shouldn't have taken the risk of misleading the authorities. Bye."

She called Geneva who was thrilled and said she was looking forward to the party that evening.

Sue West, editor of FashionUP said at the front cover design meeting attended by Sue (chairman), Lucille (consultant). Angie (designer) and Chrissie (Lucille's personal technical assistant). Sue said that she, Angie and Chrissie had looked through the selection for cover illustration and had come up with three choices and invited Lucille to select one.

Lucille looked at them and said the problem was there were all good photos but none was outstanding.

"What do the big overseas magazines do when this happens?" Sue asked.

"They get creative. I need to repay a favor; is there any Ashleigh Avon editorial in this issue?"

"Yes, she's putting out a new range – evening wear. One is a stunning purple gown on an Oriental looking model with skin like porcelain," said Angie – who suggested blowing up the pic and using it from the bust up."

"Get me the photo."

Chrissie raced back with it and Lucille took it without comment, acting as if she were in another world. Actually it was in another dimension. Everyone watched nervously and suddenly realized Lucille was back to normal, smiling serenely.

"May I take over on this one Sue?"

"It's all yours, please use magic!"

"Right Angie take Chrissie with you for a learning experience after phoning Ashleigh to meet you at Baker Advertising with that model in that dress and wearing a single chain gold necklace high on her neck. Try to get them there within the hour. Baker's have a tropical beach set up. Get them to loosely wrap a python over an overhanging branch over the water and toss a couple of crocs into the water and get the model waist-deep into the slime."

"It will ruin the dress," Angie wailed.

"Depends what the slime is made out of. Just tell Ashleigh to trust me – although it doesn't really matter as it's a sample dress, already written off. Get going you two!"

"Sue phone Baker Advertising, hire the pool and a photographer for an hour from 11.30 – tell them we want a python and two semi-submerged crocs. Then scamper back here. I need to be out at MagWorld supervising preparations for tonight."

Sue came back, thumps up.

"Right, work with a graphics designer and get the typeface looks good for this theme – something different, not too gimmicky and very readable.

"Jesus," Sue said in awe. "Ashleigh is just going to love you to bits. Bye."

The wording Lucille had handed her read:

The Ashleigh Avon new label 'Gowns by Ashleigh' reputably sticks with a girl when she needs it. We put Ashleigh's claim to test...

Sue phoned the print controller's office and increased the print order for the 'Lucille 2 edition' by 20,000 and then visited the distribution manager requested that she advisers all resellers to increase their order on this month's issue of FashionUP by 20% as the cover was be a stunner and inside was a major article about the recklessness of having inappropriate sex in the sea, sand, lake and riversides in Australia, land of the creepy-crawlies.

"Oh my God," the manager wheezed. "You journalists try to take the fun out of everything these days."

An hour later advice went out to everyone that the circulation of FashionUP would hit a new record this issue and at 4:00 the distribution manager phoned Sue to say the faxes were flooding in with orders increased by up to thirty percent, with very few resellers declining to heed the call for action.

"Of course you'll push through another print run."

"No Gladys, the print run on Monday is the final one for by this company as at 5:00 tonight the magazine transfers on sale lock, stock and barrel to Lucille's company," Mary said. "You must know that – a memo was sent to everyone."

"The memo wasn't about distribution – I only read the ones about distribution, publishing dates, holidays and the Christmas Party. I trash the others."

"Goodnight Gladys. It has been lovely working with you. I'm off to my hairdresser."

More Coming