The Golden Sheep

Prompt: Write about a few people spending a long-overdue weekend away at a cottage.

The plan was finalized and after many setbacks and denials, all were in. There was always something or someone that forced to abort the plan.

The time was selected with much consideration and input from all. All Four of them confirmed their presence on the weekend at the cottage that had golden school memories attached to it. 

Four school friends, who were now well-settled in their respective businesses agreed to meet at their cottage on the upcoming weekend. 

Neel was one of the most famous Architecture in the world who rose to fame by giving some outstanding concepts of large scale buildings.

After college, he was working for a small architecture firm in his home town. He was working hard but the pay-grade was not so much and he could barely keep-above the water. 

But fortune changed, when out of nowhere he was chosen to design the new international airport in his home-town. He poured his entire existence in it and the project was a masterpiece. It was appreciated all over the world for its eco-friendly design and the spacious looking aspects that increased the charm of the airport.

Life was never the same for him after that. That success gave him much needed confidence and he opened his own firm. Luck favors the brave and he was awarded multiple projects at once. He hired freshers and trained them the way he wanted.

The firm rose to great heights and he became the most sought architecture around the world. 

Paul was more interested in making money from other’s investments. And therefore he chooses a career in the stock market. He started small like Neel but it took more than a miracle and a decade for Paul to make it big. He read as warren buffet does to master the art of investment but he always missed something and thus his calculation was not to the point. He lost a huge sum of money and was nearly bankrupt. 

But destiny was sure that Paul was now ready to manage the upcoming fortune. 

On one cold winter night, he was wrapping up his work and about to call a day when he received an anonymous tip about a product launch happening tomorrow noon. He checked his research and did not find an iota of chances of that product launch to happen.

The mentioned product was in the research phase and there was at least one year to go before it comes out.

But his instinct told otherwise.

He didn’t go home and stayed up all night. He calculated the various possibilities and projected the outcome via complex mathematics in which he was a master. The results were astonishing.

The company recently engaged in a hostile takeover of the largest cement manufacturing company. It was kept low-profile and thus, it slipped from the radar of many investors. 

Paul sensed something. He read the product details and it all fell into places. 

As soon as the trading started, he pounced on the shares of that company and brought in all that he could and then some more and some more.

The announcement was made for the breakthrough product and the market received it with mouth wide open. Price Sky-rocketed and Paul made a fortune. What he made in the last ten years did not even make 10% of what he made on that deal. 

After that, he never received any tips but that fortune gave him the confidence to be bold, and his bold and calculated moves were rewarded with enough fortune. He made his name and fortune.

The other, Terry was born with a silver spoon. His family was into the construction business and he was now at the helm of that company. His company gained more prominence when Paul hired Neel as the in-house architecture.

The years of trust merged with modern eco-friendly designs to become a notable construction firm in that nation.

Although he was earning decent amounts from the projects, a vast amount of fortune came from the recent acquiring of the shares of a company that announced the breakthrough product. 

The last one was Aran. He was not well dressed like others and from his appearance one can easily decide that he might be struggling to make the ends meet.

He was like a black sheep in the group. 

All of them arrived at the cottage and years of distance between them erased when they meet. They ate, exchanged pleasantries, and settled around a campfire like they used to do in their school days.

They all were famous expect Aran. Everyone was curious that what he was doing all his life and if he needs anything. To that query, he smiled and said that your success gives me pleasure and I have what I need.

The well-being of my friends is enough. 

But everyone insisted and Aran started to narrate his life.

“Research is what fascinated me and I pursued that as my career. My research was around a product that negates the unwanted qualities of cement.

The concrete can dry instantly and the cost can come down to nearly 90%. With nearly a decade into it, I was successful. I tipped you, Paul, and somehow convinced Terry through my politician friend to invest heavily in that company, just before the launch.

That politician friend also helped me to convince the aviation minister to give the contract to Neel.

I also gained some money from that deal and the royalty that I get from that product has accumulated to money that I can barely manage.

So, Paul will you manage them for me. I did what I could while doing my job. After all, we promised to look after each other in the school. ”

The others were stunned to hear this.

The black sheep of the group turned out to be the golden sheep.

They all owe their life to this man who lived each moment for that bond that they strengthened through shared lunch boxes and scoldings in school. 

Some bonds never break. They might lose visibility but can never fade away.