Free Up and Down by Terry Fallis Page A

the one with the contact inside NASA . Why didn’t he know? I decided not to ask. He stomped around the boardroom spitting Mississippi vitriol. Diane, Amanda, and I were getting ready to head for the airport to return to Toronto. With Crawford hovering on the border between livid and apoplectic, the sooner we bolted the better. Amanda had already integrated my slides into the presentation and the printers were spitting out copies ready for binding and rush delivery. So I figured we were free and clear to evacuate. Not yet. Crawford stopped, turned, and faced us, with his hands flat on the table.
    “And Amanda, I’m not a big fan of freelancing such a big presentation the way you and David did back there. I really didn’t appreciate being shut down like that in front of the potential client.”
    “Come on, Crawford.” Diane leapt in to defend her team. “Amanda did exactly what you would have done. If we still have any chance of winning this account, it’s because of Amanda and David.”
    “I’m so sorry, Crawford, I panicked. I didn’t mean to cut you off. I was just trying to save the business and I suddenly remembered I had David’s slides on my computer,” Amanda explained, looking as if her career were flashing before her eyes.
    Crawford paused and dropped into a chair at the table. When he spoke, it was no longer tinged with anger.
    “You didn’t look panicked to me. You took charge. You reminded me of me, even though it was at my expense. I’ll get over it, eventually,” he joked. “And if we score the account, I’ll get over it even faster.”
    Diane and Crawford then launched into a separate conversation, speaking in code about TK operational matters. So I turned to Amanda, who still seemed wired from the pitch. It was the first time I’d been able to speak to her since we’d walked out of the NASA meeting.
    “Great save when Kelly was about to gas us,” I said. “We were cooked, and you saved us. And your hand-off was so smooth, I didn’t even know that I had the ball for the first minute or two.”
    “I know. You had this look on your face that did not inspire confidence, initially,” she replied. “But then I could see the penny dropped and you were off. David, I have to admit, you did a great job presenting your idea. You nearly convinced even me this time. I still think it’s a long shot but you did really, really well for your first pitch.”
    She smiled at me. A real smile.
    “Thanks. I’m just glad you remembered you had the slides. We’d have been sunk without them.”
    The boardroom door swung open and Xena the Warrior Princess, aka the TK receptionist from the lobby, stepped in.
    “Crawford, there’s a Kelly Bradstreet on line two for you.”
    We all raised our eyebrows in unison. Crawford Blake reachedfor the phone as my stomach tightened. It was frustrating only hearing Crawford’s side of the conversation.
    “Hello, Kelly, it’s Crawford Blake. Long time, no see.…
    “Thank you. And I apologize for my abbreviated outburst. We’ve all been so excited about the NASA pitch so it was tough to hear your initial reaction before we took you through our big idea.…
    “Yes. Yes. And yes, Diane does have amazing taste in glasses.” Diane beamed.
    “Uh-huh. Yes. You did? You are? Well that’s just fantastic news. We didn’t think we’d hear until at least next week.…
    “Yes, you’re right, time is tight. Of course we can start right away.”
    The phone still to his ear, Crawford gave us the thumbs-up and I experienced my first new business high. It was a surprising feeling of pure elation. Amanda made me do the fist bump. I missed her fist the first time but came around a second time and made contact. Crawford waved his hand to silence us.
    “I thought it was all over when the ex-astronaut was so, um, colourfully critical of the idea.…
    “I see. Well that’s good to hear.…
    “Yes. I understand. It’s completely your call, and that will be fine with us,”