Geek Mafia

I downloaded the free book on my laptop so I could read on the plane during my vacation. As far as these easy to read fiction goes, I have to stop myself from finishing the book before leaving home. Like it or not, I can finish it in a day's spare time.

The fiction is believable except for the amount of money involved. The biggest gig was $800 K, involving a whole team to do the cheating and stealing. One person can stay alive with that money for a long time, but practically in North California, where the hero resided, you can't even buy a decent house. But I understand the balance of the amount; any larger it sounded like world class thieves. Smaller amounts are more appropriate to the Mafia theme.

Firstly, I feel a certain degree of personal connection with the story. Once in a blue moon, I ran into PL in a 7-11 store. Her hair was pink (!!!) at the time, same as that of the heroine in the book. I was totally shocked. When she is taking care of herself well, long volume flowing hair is the norm. At the time I was about to entry an all-Japanese girl hostess club in LA. I was all dressed up, Japanese Mafia style. Nothing really happened as most of them are pretty young foreign exchange student types. Though I got lots of hints to invite them to play golf, and I got invitations to come back for the Christmas party.

I also have about a million to burn if I have to, and believe me it will go up in smoke in California pretty fast. I'll be also doing some gigs on my own, nothing illegal, rather than relying on a pay check.

As for the relation to prostitution, me and PL had some exchange over careers. She gave me some unique motivation to move on. I'm in a pretty good neighborhood. My neighbors respect my disposable income, perhaps I dispose of it in no time. They also respect my health care, and the worry free lifestyle based on regular pay checks. Even the local bank tellers recognized me as I deposited big bonus checks and took out grands of cash of play money from time to time. But not PL. I wouldn't say she despised my income, but when she misunderstood me that I turned from employee into my own boss, she had sparkles in her eyes. Or least she looked at me differently.

I can understand that. Even if you have only one shop, be it small, in a bad neighborhood, you got potential if you haven't fold already. Half a mil turnover is easy in LA. And for that, six figure income is nothing. Her rich boyfriend just got a qualification that well educated people will despise of. He's in the right place at the right time - and now live by the beach in multi million dollar home.

I'm the sort of lazy guy that seek immortal fame rather than wealth, which would be hard work and there bound to be someone richer than you. I didn't envy rich people as I still got the girls now, believe it or not, 20 somethings attractive flight attendent. That would be another story. But PL did give me some insight. If I have the chance to pick, I would pick a path that many more people, including PL's kind, will look up to.

And believe or not, I need some money sooner or later for plastic surgery. Not that I'm ugly or what, on the contrary. PL once slipped that I need it. One of her "friend" had it as he recently got a 30 year old girl friend. Not that his gold digger sort of girl friend demanded it. You don't want to look senior with a young girl friend hanging around you. The other day, I heard from TV ad that 70 is the new 40 for women. I doubt very much, but probably very true for men. Money do make a lot of difference in quality of life in that case.

I'm not a planner not a dreamer. What I said to PL was it's a shame not to find something to sell on the net. It's pretty easy to convince a thousand people to give you a few dollars each month. That's a pretty good 2nd job. That could easily be a few thousand giving you a few dollars more each month. PL must have taken it in by heart. But she forgot the qualifiers: that you need skill and talent to stay ahead of competition. Also, either you need a gig with long term potential, or you have to live gig by gig, like the geek mafia.

Of course I'm serious. That was what I'm going to do. But she took it seriously too. The next time we met the conversation soon turned to selling on the net, which I almost forgot I ever talked with her about that.

Girls and guys, forget about the high end stuff and even Victoria's secret. Suddenly the words Leg Avenue came out from her mouth. It was so sudden that I almost didn't recognize the label. I gave one outfit to every girl who would accept it and wear it for me, PL included. I never dreamed that she would notice the label, because she has lots of Chanel sun glasses, Chanel shoes just to mention a few. Usually, unless I'm sure that they are OK with it, I would start with the higher end stuff - something that they can enjoy it themselves, like quality lingerie. Leg Avenue is pure sex, cheap because it's like disposable items.

What happened is that she talked to a "friend" of hers who's selling them, who claimed to be able to make up to a few thousands a month. So I told her how right I was, but also discouraged her about the competition. Leg Ave had been on the net for at least a couple of years now. Of course I know these things. Anybody can sell them on eBay. But if PL hasn't get anything better to do, that's a good starting point. But she asked me what I was going to sell. Because leg Ave doesn't look promising. She signed that the print catalog is thicker than the distance between her thumb and her index finger. She didn't know where to start. I didn't tell her exactly what I'm going to do as that was too complicated for her.