Lucina said, “Ivan, please, slow down. You’re asking for a whole lot of maintenance with all of these ideas of yours. And that does not mean that they are not good ideas, but each one will take time.”

Ivan caught the irony of the moment and chuckled. He said, “You remember I told you that? And you told me that virtues, like patience, don’t make money?”

Lucina was forced to chuckle herself. She admitted, “I do remember.”

Ivan said, “Well, now that I’m fully awake on the job, I see how this thing is supposed to work. You have to be impatient and patient at the same time. If that makes any sense to you.”

Lucina said, “It makes perfect sense. We make impulsive money for today, so that we can take our time to make long money for tomorrow.”

Ivan got real excited again. He screamed, “That’s my girl! We gon’ get this money, baby! You got me turned on now!”

AT LUCINA’S COZY, small home across the San Diego Bay in Coronado, she ended her call with Ivan David and smiled. Then her smile quickly faded away. To add to his opposites of patience and impatience, she felt happy and sad. She was happy that she had chosen the right man to partner with, but sad because she still could not bring herself to trust where they were going.

She paced her well-designed living room, which featured a California stone fireplace, exotic Italian furniture, a colorful Persian rug, and international artwork and accents, while thinking deeply about her predicament.

She shook her head and mumbled, “He is running way too fast.” Then she stopped and stood still. “But is that all my fault?”

Now he scares me more than anything, she thought. Because if he decides now, like a typical businessman, that he can run much faster without me…how long will it take before I will need another new partner?

“Shit!” she cursed herself. “I should have taught him nothing. Or at least not so fast.” Then she had to admit to herself with a pause, “…But I like him.”

Part IV

Life & Money Management

Ten

Narcissism

RAYMOND AND HIS WIFE agreed to Ivan’s Monday Night Football deal. The husband-and-wife team came to the conclusion that if his football night was not as successful as he had hoped it would be, Ivan would lose a lot more than they would. A mere 10 percent of the bar would hardly break their business. So with Ivan bringing the crowd and the large projection TV screen, and paying for all of the promotion, added security, and pretty party girls to boot, unless no one showed up, which was highly unlikely, they had everything to gain from the popularity of professional ball players and their entourages becoming regulars at their lounge once a week.