James St. Clair, his man of Business...

Iaeiros Argyris first called up his 'man of buisnes' when he was in the states, James St. Clair, a mortal but a very useful one. His father and mother were pagans, but not anti-tech. When he had been struck deaf by a vicious double ear infection as an infant they had raised him using sign language till the age of seven, when cochlear implants had come out of medical trials and they had gotten him implanted with two, restoring his hearing. James St. Clair had sworn himself to Aesculapius cause then, and now was glad to serve one of his most famous physicians as an attorney and general affairs management specialist. He was of course paid well for this service, Iaeiros Argyris had him on an exclusive retainer, but it was a few leading dreams Aesculapius had sent him that had made him willing to accept the offer.

"Yes, Mr. Argyris, how may I help you?" James asked.

"James, how many times do I have to tell you? Call me Iaeiros, we know each other well enough by now to move past these formal terms." Iaeiros said with a sigh but then launched into the matters at hand. "I've been called away to Nigeria for several months by my S.O. so cancel all my speaking engagements and inform Medicine Sans Frontiers that they have me at their disposal again for the next few months wherever they need me in the Yoruba speaking areas of Africa through the end of the monsoon season as long as they use my talents as a surgeon to their fullest capacity, not as a glorified primary care doctor. Also have my jet fueled and ready for a transatlantic flight in about three hours, I am going to buy some gifts for Awọn Iyaafin Ninu Awọn Odò." Iaeiros stated, and he could hear his actuary taking notes.

"By the way Mister Argyris, I have gotten a Yoruba speaking Beninese expat to translate that phrase for me when are you planing to tell me your girlfriend's NAME? Why do you always call her 'The Lady in the River'?" James asked.

Aesculapius sensed danger and decided to treat it with a measured dose of the truth. "Firstly, what I chose to call my S.O. is none of your business James, but since you have decided to pry her name is Ibú Akuaro, and be content with that information: dig no further. Secondly, answer me, why don't you call me Iaeiros?" Aesculapius asked.

"Because I can't pronounce it..." James admitted sheepishly.

Iaeiros was taken aback. "You can't pronounce it? I've lost count of how many times have I said my name in your hearing and you can't pronounce Iaeiros?" He asked.

"Yes sir, I keep getting tripped up by that string of vowels at the beginning." James admitted, relived that it was at last out in the open.

"We will work on that then, but for now you can go on calling me Mister Argyris since that seems to be one you can pronounce," Iaeiros said. "Anyway, do you have everything else in hand?" He asked, looking at his watch as he took the elevator to the garage.

"Yes, I think so," James said, but cleared his throat. "Canceling the speaking engagements will cost you quite a bit," he informed his employer.

"I don't doubt it, but if all goes well in Nigeria that won't be a problem," Aesculepius replied, and pulled out the keys to his brand new Metallic Kelly Racing Green reproduction 'Volkswagen Thing'. "Anyway, see to it: if you have to, pull some money out of the hedge funds, they are under performing anyway," he said as he got into the driver's seat. "I have to go now James, I will speak with you via sat-phone when I get to Nigeria," Iaeiros declared and hung up, then pulled a cheap black prepaid 'burner' phone out of his glove compartment, closed the door, and locked it...