Hi,
I recently had a long and drawn out episode with Quickstar Bandits.
About a week ago I was out shopping looking for some knock around
t-shirts.
Nothing big, just picking up a few cheap-os at the local mall and
heading out the door, it was a Saturday and I was going to hang out
with the fellas for the night.
While I was browsing a man with some children came out of nowhere and
approached me. He said; "Hey did you go to such and such high school."
My response "no, but I knew some people that did." Him: "Well you look
familiar, where do you go to school?"
(Right here is where I should have caught on because I have used that
same "line" to pick up chicks in that very store.) But I threw caution
to the wind, this was a family man, he seemed nice, and he didn't give
off a "fag" vibe…so we talked further. And after telling him a little
about myself, my job, and my education, and I told him I liked where I
was at and what I wanted to do in life…(Fuck Up#1). So, he told me he
was an independent business owner, was looking for some young people
to put into leadership roles, gave me a name the name of the firm
(consortium he was with T&E Inc.) and took my number. He said: "I
can't promise you anything, but I will see what I can do." That was
fine with me, I was in no rush for a job, happy being in school and
working an internship, but could always the extra money to pay for my
fall fees.
So I felt that I wasn't going to hear from him any time soon. Most
company reps I met at legitimate places like career fairs, school,
etc. usually never contacted you. You had to contact them in addition
to pinning them down for an interview and an email to forward your
resume too. But this guy came off different, while he seemed
enthusiastic about me and my goals he also came of as indifferent. So
we exchanged numbers (and I thought women where the only ones to fear
giving their numbers out) and I went along my marry old way…
One Week later…
About Sunday night before I was getting ready for bed I got a call
from the guy I met at the store. He reintroduced himself and told me
more about his "firm". Note: He never told of what they did, just
their goal and how they made people wealth. He wanted to come by my
house, but I declined, and then instead offered to set up a meeting at
a local Star Bucks the following week. I figured it couldn't hurt
since I was off that day and I was going to a 4th of July BBQ that
evening. When I showed up at the place I didn't see him, instead a
man approached me telling me who he was and that he was an
"associate." I immediately backed myself into a corner, away from the
doorways, but in visible view of everyone. I did this because a gut
feeling told me if I had to fight, then I would do so with my back to
a solid object so I could not be flanked. Two more "associates" came
up. There immediate spill was , "You are an intelligent and
disciplined young man, are you in a military?."
(Fuck up number #2) They used flattery to break me down… and I took
the bait.
Side note: I have noticed that many women are indifferent to flattery
(and rightly so) but men, even big strong and mean men aren't. Men do
not get complimented much, we spend to much time looking macho, and we
speed a lot of time trying to "out think" the next man. When we are
complimented our egos kick into overdrive!
I went on and on how I'm a student, how I'm an intern with the DoD and
how I have paid my own way through school. The then explained to me
that I didn't need all of that but instead I needed to be of the right
mindset, discipline, to join their team and be a "leader." But they
never explained to me what I was leading, who, what, and why… The
interview ended, me more confused and suspicious, and they set up for
me to meet "Senior partners" at an open house the following night.
They added, "We can't promise you anything, but you seem disciplined
and sharp, if you impress the senior partners you might make it to the
next step." They then told me of how scores of young men and women
where competing for one spot and I had a lot of stiff competition.
(Fuck up number #3)…I took the bait, I heard "competition" and I
immediately went from being disinterested, passive, and suspicious, to
wanting to see if I could make the cut. Not because I sorely wanted
the job, but because it was a competition.
I went to the open house the following night. I showed up 30 min early
to make sure I was situated, knew the layout of the hotel, and I
wanted to get a peek at the ball room. It was in a city I knew well, I
had friends that lived close by, and most of my family worked within
the vicinity so I had no fear. I figured, "I got nothing else to do
except go to work in the morning." I showed up, walked into the ball
room and saw people passing and dealing money like they were cards. I
was promptly ushered out by the man who I met in the store a week
earlier and he said he would be back for me in 30 min. I waited, sat
down read the paper, wait some more, then I read some case studies
from work. I was finally shown in and was introduced to everyone in
the room. Everybody in the room was a former military man, bureaucrat,
or pro ball player. Everyone I talked to, asked me 3 things, my
goals, where I work, and what do I want in life. At the end of each
convo was: "This only works if you submit to this system." And I
thought to myself, "I only submit to two things, God and Government."
When I met some of the "candidates" they were the most haggard looking
crew I had ever seen. I, in one of my suits, towered over them in
stature and appearance. They all wore shirts and ties, with dingy,
shagging cargo pants. They had a "thuggish" appearance to them and
didn't seem like college students…
Note: Whenever college students go to "job fairs" we all go over board
to dress to impress and or wear nice causal wear with sandals. We all
flock together and strike convo about classes and job plans. This goes
for state Universities, private colleges, comm. Colleges, HBCUs, etc.
You can pick a college student out of a crowd.
One thing this monetly crew of young men all shared was, they all gave
off a "quiet/submissive vibe", they all where unkempt, and they all
had a "thuggish" appeal to them. Now I know "wannabe" college bad boys
whom watch to much BET, but these guys just weren't it, and my gut
kicked in again. I made a connection. While I spent most of my days
(work and school) dressed business casual or in a shirt and tie, when
I met the man at the store, I had on a dingy t-shirt, baggy jeans, and
work boots. I was shopping in bargain bin and I was alone.
Furthermore, I have no problems striking random conversations with
people and vice versa, people always approach me to ask for help or
directions.
After being seated, the speaker introduced himself with humor and
broke off into his life story. He told of how he was in college, got a
hold of loans and credit cards and got in debt. He also told of how he
became a pro-ball player (still indebt) , and joined the military and
got into further debt. He told of how debt was ruining his marriage
and how he couldn't afford anything. While he was considered Upper
Middle Class, he was still living paycheck to paycheck. He told of how
he hated the 1st and 15th of each month.
And like a good preacher of a TV church he broke off into how the
"system" saved him. How the "system" supplemented the income he and
his wife where making. Now…my gut really started acting up, I went
from enthusiastic clapping to, just plain ole fear. This man was
literally worshiping money, I mean seriously, and the audience was
erupting to cheer and praise. He went on and on about tales of woe and
had the people shouting and clapping. "Amen!" said one voice and
"Hallelujah!
To quote a crusty old retired Sergeant I know, "Whiskey, Tango,
Foxtrot", or what, the, F%*^! But after the shouting and praise the
man clamed down and than began to break down the "system." I figured:
"Yes, we are going to talk, politics, ethics, business, trade" the
things I was told we where going to talk about, in the initial
interview." The thing I was told to take notes on…Yes! Yes! YES!,
finally something I cared about and wanted to learn. Did he talk about
any of that stuff, of course not! All he did was draw a triangle on
the board, talk about e-commerce, online buying (in reference to Quick
Star), and talk about being dedicated to the "system." He never said
who, what, when, or where? He never said what was being sold (just to
buy products and re-sell them to you, yourself, family, etc.) to cut
down on mark up. I was pissed, he wasted my time to explain some
elementary BS I knew. To top it off, the man began to talk about
"platinum membership." Now…I have worked in the human resources
divisions of several non-profit and for profit agencies. Internal
employees never achieve such a status, yes members of company
clubs/organizations do, but not employees. I was brought there under
the pretence that I was applying for a "second" gig, a weekend thing.
Not to become the member of some club.
After the "platinum" discussion, all members who had achieved such
status where called up. One by one they gave testimonials, similar to
the man's story. Military men, ball players, government employees, all
exclaimed how the "system" changed their lives but they never
explained what they did within the system…humm?? To further things,
they were all well versed in their life story and spoke well, too well.
Now I have been considered a great public speaker, I have no problems
delivering a impromptu speech, but even then I trip over my words, I
stutter, and I mispronounce. All speakers do it, some are just better
at covering it up. When I had just meet these people a few hours
before, informally, they where passive, repeating themselves, and
trying to speak loud enough to be heard over the volume of people. But
on stage….man one stage…they put on a show that would shame Broadway.
After we where excused, I was hustled off to a corner. The Four men,
plus a pregnant wife, surrounded me. I immediately planted my feet,
widened my stance, and put my hand down in my left pocket. "I would
get many, but I'd get one bastard before I went down, and I'd would
cut him deep."
One of the men handed me some literature, he told me to meet them
tomorrow, and that they wanted to swing by my house, again I declined.
I was thoroughly disgusted with the spectacle I had seen. People
worshipping dollars, young high-school boys being pulled in, and most
of all me….being taken for a sucker. While I was walking out I heard,
"So we will just meet you at the Star Bucks again then, see you
tomorrow at 7."
I drove home disturbed, not mad, but disturbed. I planned on a way to
get them back, a way to let them know I was on to them, some way, I
would get em.
Then I figured I would drop a bomb on them. The person they met was
the quiet and articulate part of me, the never met the young
aggressive boy who use to get into fights as a teenager or who cursed
and spit fire on the football field. The man who grew up with nothing
but hardnosed military men and law enforcement around him, the boy who
use to try and "hang" on the corner thinking he was being cool and who
went into bad neighborhoods looking for "adventure."
I had it all planned, I was going to meet again and pretend to be wide
eyed and enthused. Afterwards I would change my expression and ask a
lot of hard nosed questions (did I mention I'm also member of a
student tribunal.) But when I got home work, I decided a different
route. Being a student of history and government, my primary job is to
research and draw conclusions. I went to yahoo and google and typed in
"T&E International" a name given to me, found nothing but a site that
required logins, then I typed in "Quick Star" and "T&E and Scheme." I
found numerous hits. What I found sickened me. People who gave their
financial lives to the "system" and go nothing. They where shunned by
business partners, employees, friends, and family because they didn't
do as told. I found further that this "system" is almost a cult,
people told of how they where intimidated and brainwashed, and because
I at certain times felt "corned" and ready to fight I knew these
people where die-hards and dangerous.
So instead I called the numbers that called me, the random numbers
that poped up to confirm meetings. I hit nothing but voice mails
instantly, and left messages on each and every one of them.
Hi, its me, I'm very motivated and interested in working on your team,
but one quick question? Do you all actually have jobs or do anything
or all you out to recruit? Recruiters for Bin Laden's Army have more
scruples and tact, but I must admit you had me. Asking open ended
questions, introducing me to your kids and pregnant wife, Touché sir,
bravo! The same way I use to go play the numbers game when asking
random beautiful women for their numbers and info."
Two hours later I got a polite but curt phone call.
"Hey, I got your message, and you should have expressed you concerns
well before the meeting, wow, I thought you where a nice and easy
going person but I can see that your true personality has shinned
through."
One hour later another "man" called me;
"Hey, is this…..
"Yes"
"I need my stuff back."
"What stuff?"
"The stuff I gave you, I want it back, its mine"
"Did I sign a contract? You gave me that stuff of your own free will."
"How about I come by and pick it up?"
"Well until you have legal recourse, you will get it back when I say
it, you can come to my house, but you won't make it home."
"Well I have contracts, somewhere…"
By this point I hadn't signed anything, after doing my research I
found out that people in the Quick Star system have to pay for
everything! Everything!
That is why the man wanted his stuff back so badly.
"Hey, if you cats had told me straight up it was a scam, I would have
been on board. Hey everybody had to have a hustle, I won't knock that,
but if you had told me from the git go, instead of passing me off to
handlers, and I would have been riding the gravy train."
"You seem to not understand the system…"
"Yes I do, you sell nothing, say anything, and you get nothing. I was
told four different stories and job descriptions by different people."
"You are totally different than you where from yesterday…"
"I hear hesitation in your voice…you sound nervous, how about this,
you pick a time and I will think about giving your literature back.
What about today?"
"We I'm busy today, uhhh how about Sunday?"
"No playboy, Sunday just don't work, what happened to today, you
seemed so enthusiastic?
"OK well today, I will see you in 30 mins."
So I went, but on the way I changed my mind, I called him and said:
"Change of plans smokey, meet me at this place across the street."
"ok, traffic is bad, might be a while."
And I was already there, I walked around, scouted out the place, knew
it well, and looked for him to show up. He showed, I handed him his
stuff, but when he shook, I firmly grabbed his hand, pulled him close,
stared him square in the eye and said "god bless."
I went into the store, twitted around for a few minutes and left for
home…But it doesn't stop there.
On my way back I notice someone was tailing me the moment I left the
lot. Behind 3 cars was him and his passenger. I stopped at a light,
waited and waved to him in a rearview mirror. I feigned like I was
getting on the interstate and then immediately merged back off into
rush hour traffic. He got stuck and kept going, I drove around, went
to the bank, and to the store.
Came home and laughed my ass off for 30 min straight
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe
__,_._,___
No comments:
Post a Comment