Common Understandings

The Public library coffee shop was well laid out with plenty of seating widely dispersed around the facility not at all uniform in its layout and with couches and bench seats and tables and also snugs that could seat up to eight people. Adjacent to the long window were some bar-leaner's with high stools on each side or that were placed next to the windows so you could sit looking out at the city street. I was purposely early so I chose a two seat bar-leaner in a secluded area away from prying eye's. Joe arrived bought himself a coffee, and wandered over and to my surprise went through the drama of asking if he could sit with me. I played the game and welcomed him.

It was obvious that he was carrying something in his hand which he placed on the table, it was the memory-card from a cellphone, he placed it in front of him, “I was expecting Virginia to be here Mike seeing as she has the evidence that I would need in exchange.”

“Oh, Joe I'm sorry I never realised that that was the circumstance, if you're willing I'll give her a call.”

I did and she said she was on her way, promising I would tell her what was going on when she arrived. She was obviously taken aback to see me sitting with Joe, but once she spied the card on the table she put together what was going on in a flash, her cheeks reddened as she realised our little ruse with recording Joe's conversation had been tumbled, “Damn, I thought we were being so subtle and not obvious.”

“Oh you were, it wasn't until I was working out who and where you guy's fitted in that I realised you had been holding your cellphone all night, we do have a security camera in the bar, the tape of which has been wiped I might add, anyway a quick review of the tape and I saw you operate the phone when I started my spiel.”

“So Virginia, would you be prepared to exchange like for like?”

“Yes, I would have no problem with that at all Joe, It is wiped, deleted as Mike wanted it gone last night but I will still give it to you if you would like.”

“Oh so could I see for myself?”

“Of course Joe, here I'll pull up the log history and you can check for yourself.”

As Joe looked through Virginia's phone, I explained that we did not need the information on her phone as it served no purpose, we had all we needed to know from the conversation we'd had with him and that any problem we thought we may have had, or equally that he had, Joe had assured us he was correcting.

“Oh so Mike I'm guessing you understood more about what was going on without me saying, is that right?”

“Yes, it was plenty clear, it was why we moved quickly, I really didn't need our little problem overlapping in your situation, It may well of been messy.” Joe could see the logic in what I was saying, although if I'd done anything stupid I'm sure it would have been a good cover for what was really going on.

“Okay Mike, Virginia, do you have any other, er, problems with any other of the circumstance's.”

“You said that you had a reliable source help locate me, us. Is this a problem that may give us further need to worry.”

“No. absolutely not. The source may have had involvement in your problem but believe me it was small in comparison to the problem it presented to me and my business interest's. I know that the source will not cause any more problems. So our business is complete then?”

“Around our common problem? I believe there is no concerns at all with what was undertaken, we see no reason at all to be anything other than totally satisfied with the outcome and yes Joe, there really is no need to ever dwell on this business again.”

“I was pretty sure that we would end up seeing eye to eye on that subject, Mike, Virginia. I'm glad we've met an understanding even at an informal and oral level.” He handed the memory card to Virginia.

“Okay Joe, so we all agree that all parties are more than satisfied with the outcome.”

“I think we are Mike.”

So we all three shook hands, Joe had a wide smile on his face and with a quick nod to us both he turned and strode off, three steps later and he stopped and half turned so we could see his profile, “Are you two sure you don't want to buy my bar? .....no, well think about it anyway.” He turned and walked away.

“Mike I need a coffee.”

“Nope, Ginia, I don't care what fucking time it is, I need a whiskey.”