The Downfall of a Company

Submitted into Contest #42 in response to: Write a story that ends in the past.... view prompt

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General

TRANSCRIPTION: MAY 22, 2020, 1:00-2:00pm

VENUE: Medical City Hospital


BOBBY: Okay, so I know what you’re thinking.


How did I, the head architect of Philippinae Castellum Tower, ended up in a hospital because my own building collapsed in front of me?


Well, it started three months ago, when the pandemic forced us to stop operations. We were 60 percent done with the building, but there were still a lot of changes and improvements we can make. So I tried to convince the people giving us the budget to use the money in a way that would make it more effective, right? The problem is, they said they would, but nothing happened. We continued to ask for the money, they said they would give it to us, but nothing happened. So, I did what I had to do. I checked for the bank account statements and there was money going around. The problem is, the money isn’t going to the project. I raised it up again to the board of trustees, and we ended up having a huge fight. So, I threatened them that if they didn’t use the money properly, I would have to bring this up to court. Because after all, we don’t want a building collapsing, right? Right. So, they finally agreed to meet up the week after to give us the money. But that week (this week) arrived, and we met at the construction site. I waited for an hour. Nobody was there. And suddenly, the building started making this awfully loud noise. Dust started appearing everywhere, and before I knew it I was on top of all of the debris. So yeah, I’m not saying that they were the ones who caused it, but you know, what are the odds?


ALLISON: No ignoramus, it started around a year ago, when the company was given the choice to vote for their new board of trustees. Okay, so let me explain. In the Board of Trustees, there are twenty-four members. I know, they’re many, but whatever. Let me get to the story. Now, this is how it works. 24 members. Twelve of the members are being replaced every three years. So that means there’s a batch of old BOT and new BOT. And all of them, for some reason, are being chosen by the workers in the company. But, obviously, there are tons of requirements for this to happen. First, the person has to be willing, and they also have to have a certain number of years working in the company, enough years for them to know the ins and outs of the company. But, for some goddamned reason, the people in this company chose the stupidest, ass-licking people that there was. I mean, there was the huge possibility that it was cheated, but it’s not like we can prove anything. So now, it’s twelve months later, and it’s a literal circus here. I swear the company is being operated by clowns and useless people here.


BOBBY: Nice to see you too, Allison. I’m fine, thanks for asking. I’m talking to the police officers who want to ask me how it happened when you happen to barge into the door and interrupt my story.


ALLISON: From what I heard, you were done with your story. I simply decided to add more detail to it. And, please. I know you’re fine. You were able to blabber to these officers while you get to have broken bones scattered all over your body. Christ, man! You’ve got to shut up every once in a while.


BOBBY: Okay, you want to fill in more detail? I’ll add some too. Something did happen before the elections of the board of trustees that have led to their poor decision making and bribery to actually trying to kill me.


ALLISON: All right then. Shoot your shot.


BOBBY: I can see your eyes rolling. I’m injured not dead, Allison. But yeah, okay. The year before the elections for the board of trustees, the company was under fire because the World Justice Court came to investigate the company. I’m sure you know this. It’s about the new slogan of the company “Murder the w(ea)ked.” When we all know it’s intentional misspell because it actually means “Murder the wicked.” At first, even everyone at the company thought it was just a slogan for the company’s advocacies against injustice, poverty, you know, all of those social justice things. But then, there have been rumors spreading that they were literally killing the wicked. And it doesn’t matter what kind of wicked you are. You steal and they find out, you die. You hit other people and they find out, you die. It was easy peasy, they didn’t even close their eyes while doing it. This caused the WJC to investigate. Can you believe it? The World Justice Court, investigating our company! And not for good reasons. Anyways, what pushed their investigation is the death of a kid named Keanne Santos.


ALLISON: Oh, Keanne! Damn, that incident was bad.


BOBBY: I know, right! So can you take it away for a while, Allison, it’s time for my meds. God, I hate my meds.


ALLISON: I got you, Bobby. So Keanne Santos was the incident where all hell broke loose. Keanne was a high school student. He was often caught getting into fights with different people. But there’s always a backstory to it. He is often defending someone, telling the provoker to back away, and then he gets into the fight. So trouble seems to follow him, and he also can’t trouble to get off his back. So, the company picks this up, and they thought of disposing him at night. And yes, that means killing him off. What they didn’t know was there were witnesses, and there were security cameras to where he got killed. Keanne was shot outside his parent’s store when he has been closing up and was about to head home. That’s when the people jumped on him and they heard him screaming and crying for help. Witnesses said they heard his last words, “Don’t kill me, I need to go home. I need to do my homework.” Those were his last words. And that caused the WJC to investigate us. And a year after that case, the BOT changed, and because of their stupidity and love for money, this guy here was almost killed for demanding what’s right.


BOBBY: If you want one person to jail, I wouldn’t jail the board of trustees, although some of them do deserve it. It would definitely be the CEO of the company.


ALLISON: That’s right. He was elected six years ago. Again, by the people in the company.


BOBBY: These people never learn.


ALLISON: You got that damn right, Bobby. If the guy hadn’t been elected for CEO, there wouldn’t have been any Keanne Santos killings. If Keanne Santos and the others weren’t killed, the WJC wouldn’t have gone here. The Board of Trustees wouldn’t have been so evil, and people could have been more convinced to vote for the right people.


BOBBY: If the right people were chosen and elected, then the downfall of the company wouldn’t have happened, and we wouldn’t be stuck in this situation. But here we are.


ALLISON: So officers, you got any more questions?

May 22, 2020 18:42

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