Organic Chemistry
He went over details of switching restaurant over into a franchise, equipment, training, uniforms, displays, advertizing, product catalogs, interiors, the works
She didnt seem like she understood the significance.
He went over it the second time
"We just make an application?" she asked
"Umm.. yes and no... we want to understand what your financial fitness is, we dont finance it at Cuisine Craft, we do it through a different corporation called SN Holdings. They manage the money"
"Can I go through my bank?" she asked innocently
"If you choose to partner with Cuisine Craft for the Ready Noodle franchise financing in that case can be only through SN Holdings" he said
She nodded tho confused
"Thanks" she said distracted
"We have a great training program for franchise owner and their employees" he assured
She nodded
He leaned back and exhaled
She did too and smiled
He noticed a gem like sparkle in those eyes, they disappeared when she composed herself.
"Thanks Mr Narang" she said
"Are you the General Manager at the restaurant now?" he asked softly
"Umm.. no... its my father. He owns it with my mother" she said
A look of despair flitting through her facial features for a brief second
"Would you like to take a tour of the restaurant franchises we currently hold licenses for?" he asked
He got up and paused
"Did Chirag already give you a tour?" he asked
"Umm.. no" she said
"Lets do that" he promised
She left her stuff at his desk, they did the tour of over a dozen displays in kiosks
She paused and looked at Ready Noodle longingly
"This one's your favorite I take it?" he smiled amused
He had the best teeth she thought
"We already have a Chinese theme" she said confidently
"Oh it doesnt work that way I told you. Everything will be new. The pictures the menus. the furniture the look, the signage" he explained
"Umm yeah" she was not ready to give up everything it looked like.
"Is there no convenience store franchise? like no food?" she asked
"Our name is self explanatory, we only do Food & Beverage" he explained
She nodded
"Thanks for your time" she said
He let her walk ahead of him
She looked like a student of some sort to him
"You dont manage the day to day stuff?" he asked
"Umm.. nahi.. its my father. He cant come because of the cooks" she said and went quiet
They returned he offered another coffee, she declined and picked up her things.
"Do you know if there are any franchises close by?" he asked curiously
"Umm.. I dont. I can ask my father" she said politely
"that would be useful to know" he said patiently.
She nodded, as if he was her Principal
She took frantic notes
"anything else?" she asked politely
"Just everything we covered in the first hour" he smiled amused
"OK... OK" she nodded re-reading her yellow note pad.
"We can arrange for a drop off at the airport" he offered
She shook her head
"Umm.. I have to do some work" she said cryptically
She was taking a train back. They couldnt afford a plane ride. He neednt know that.
She wanted to go to Bangalore Central for a 5 PM train to Mangalore
"Good to meet you we look forward to working with you" he said shaking her hand again
That soft, smooth un calloused hand...
"Thank you Mr Narang" she said politely
"You are welcome, Ms Shanbag" he said just like her.
He noticed she was wearing a Udupi Krishna pendant in white and red stone. She felt the pendant when she noticed his gaze.
He hurriedly looked away.
After she departed he noticed a brochure of another franchise licensing firm, Cusine's competitor, Franchise Mart under her chair, having slipped out of her voluminous binder.
He stood up and flipped through the brochure carelessly and looked at the now open glass door to his office
In a strange unexplainable move he brought it to his nose, it smelled like jasmine.
Chirag apeared
"Ready to go grab a bite?" he asked
Ashvin nodded and walked around to his desk and opened his drawer to grab his wallet
"So? how did it go?" Chirag asked
"She seemed confused" Ashvin said
"Unsure is a better word" Chirag reminded
"And that too.."
"Did she insist to you that she wanted to resuscitate her failing restaurant?" Chirag asked as Ashvin shut his PC down
"No" "Not to me" he said
"I mean with a name like Yeh & Yang" Chirag smirked
Ashvin chuckled
"Yeh is the Hindi word for BLAH" Chirag said amused.
"What do you expect? Its a small coastal town... not Goa. They probably get a bunch of stoners" Ashvin smirked
He lowered his gaze briefly almost apologetic for what he said... and quickly schooled his expression
"Small town girls are the best man!!" Chirag said harmlessly. "Simple, unassuming kind" Chirag said in awe
"Thats a leap" Ashvin scoffed
"Do you want to eat Chinese?" Chirag asked as they waited for the fancy elevator that judged speed and proximity of every elevator in the building
Ashvin laughed out loud
"Whatever" he chuckled
Ashvin Googled "Trisha Shanbag" on his phone as they rode it down
Her picture appeared.. pictureS appeared wearing a lab coat inside what looked like a lab with references to Mangalore University
He scrolled through the first page and went on to the second page.
More references to Organic Chemistry subjects within some sort of a post Masters curriculum... Ph D ? Maybe? Ashvin wasnt real clear
, and more papers, and citations mentioning her name. He clicked on one such link of some complicated tech paper
Authors: Dave Lobo, RP Singh, Trisha Shanbag.
"she didnt sound like she understood business" Chirag said
"Because she is not" Ashvin muttered, looking at the first page of the PDF document "I mean she is not a business owner I think".
"Me drive? You?" Chirag asked
"I can drive" he said tucking his phone in his pocket.
