Scrap Metal Magnate - Paperback

by Tova E. Cohen (Author)

"My husband, who is very hard-working, was recently fired. I really, really, need his resume to get to its destination ASAP. We need the money . . ." Suri admitted to a complete stranger. She looked down, a bit embarrassed. As she looked up, her blue-green eyes met his. "You do not have to do this, of course, but it would save me so much trouble. You could be my 'hero'!"To this day, Marvin is not sure what prompted him to grab that envelope. Was it pity, her sweet smile, the word "hero" or the caravan of cars behind him? Simultaneously blaring their horns! But grab it he did, with a reassuring guarantee, "I will personally see to it that it goes out with the first batch of mail!" . . . Making an effort to move away from this strange line of questioning filled with innuendos, Doev offered Louis one of his best."How about a cigar?""I don't smoke, thank you. You shouldn't either - it is not good for you."In spite of Louis' answer, Doev decided to risk the next question, "how about a doughnut?"Checking out Doev's girth, Louis concluded, this man must have had more than his share of doughnuts and other pastries, Louis mused. "No thank you, I had a good breakfast."With each passing minute, Doev was growing more and more intrigued by Louis. Although he trusted Louis more now, he still kept an eye on him as he flipped through pages and pages of both journal and ledgers entries. Refusing Doev's offer of the latest model of adding machine, he worked unaided. The man was like a human machine, running his fingers up and down the columns of numbers, mouthing the interim additions and subtractions, penciling in subtotals on the page or on his yellow pad."Well, Mr. Silverman, what do you think?""What? Are you kidding? I have never seen such a 'textbook' case of 'skimming', 'lapping', 'substitution', outright accounts receivable fraud. Where were you internal controls? At this point, it may not be any of my business, but who 'cooked' your books? . . ."Where were we?" Louis asked himself out loud with some remaining disgust. "I figure on six corporations.""Six?" Doev echoed, starry-eyed."One for your nonferrous operation. One for your ferrous operation. One for your trucks. One for your autowrecking. One for your heavy equipment and last, but not least, a trading corporation for hedging your purchases and sales via commodity and other markets.". . . "Precisely! The man of experience, not to mention a shrewd auditor! Exactly what I have been searching for forever, it seems. Pleeeze, Mr. Silverman. Don't make a grown man beg!"Silence."You're passing up $100,000?""You don't have that to give.""How do you know?""I studied your books, remember?"$75,000!""You don't have, either!"Doev wanted Louis in the worst way. "OK. $50,000 to start and stock in the new corporations." Silverman would not bend. "Mr. Silverman," "do you consider yourself a religious man?" Doev posed. "What a question," Louis responded indignantly. "Of course! And very proud of it, may I add !""Then you recall that in Parshas Lech LeChah, HaShem said to Avrom, you know, before he became Avroham, leave your land and your father's house and go to the Land I will show you . . . It was a difficult move for Avrom. . . . Sometimes you have to leave your old dreams behind. . . . I know you want to continue as a CPA but being a controller is not that much of a step down."To Doev's gratified surprise, the Torah reference actually jarred Louis to life."Are you a student of the Old Testament?" Louis inquired animatedly. "I know the whole thing by memory," Doev bragged, "in Hebrew and English . . . with trope," he added"You're a Baal Koreah ""Yep," Doev answered proudly, happy to have finally piqued Louis' interest.