Ross went to Oklahoma City two days later, and met with Steve and Fritz.
When he got to their office, he posed a straight, hard question.
"Tell me the truth. How close are we to cleaning this mess up, and getting back pumping?" Ross asked.
Fritz sighed "Not nearly as close as we would like. They are making very slow progress, and the costs are mounting. We certainly can't even think of showing the wells or signing any new investors. Depending on how long it takes, if investors begin to miss any monthly checks, people might ask us to sell or short sell their interests" Fritz said.
"So, what and who are the people in this company, and what do they want to see us about?" Ross asked.
"They are one of the largest companies in Oklahoma and Texas, and specialize in buying and acquiring smaller companies, or buying into partnership in smaller companies, and getting pieces of the action" Fritz said.
"In other words, in any way with these people, we lose. Maybe the entire company, and maybe at least some of it" Ross said.
"Basically. The thing is, if we give them things, they pay for the entire cleanup, and cover our already paid costs It almost as if we win in one way, but lose in another" Fritz said it.
Ross looked at Steve.
"Ross, considering the situation, I think all three of us have to meet these people, and hear them out. Fritz and me are asking that you please must stay calm. We know about your feisty personality, and we all cannot afford that in this case" Steve said.
"Okay , arrange a meeting with them. Ross will come with you, and shut up. I do not want to do anything to put our company, our partnership, and our association in danger" Ross said.
The next day, Fritz called the company, and made a meeting with the company person who specialized in that type of situation for the following night.
The four men met at a steak house the following night for dinner.
"Gentlemen, I'm Morris Flower. I know all about your problem. My company and me are fully prepared to help you, and cover all costs of the cleanup going forward, however long it takes, even though we think we can make faster progress than you guys." Flower said.
"What are your conditions, what do you want and or expect?" Ross asked, trying very carefully to stay calm
I figure,. a fair agreement is twenty five percent interest in your company, going forward, permanently, until you either sell or do something else. Also, if you ever desire to sell, we would get first priority on your list to sell" Morris said.
"That sounds fair considering the situation. I would have only one firm, I dont want to call it a condition, but, a sticking point" Ross said.
"I'm listening." Morris said.,
"Fritz, Steve and me run the company. We make all decisions, and retain full authority to sell and or do anything with the company. We are only paying you money that would have been ours, to take care of the cleanup, and you cannot force us or sue us to sell the company" Ross said.
"That is completely fair. We dont want to run your company. We dont want to pirate or force your company out of business. We just want to make money, and want an interest in your company, for doing you this major cleanup. " Morris said.
"Okay, we will have your attorney and our attorney draft up the agreement, and we will all sign it, and so will our attorney." Ross said.
The men shook hands, and left the dinner.
Ross, Fritz and Steve rode in an Uber back to Ross's hotel.
""Guys we can discuss this going forward. Let this guy do what he has to. We let him do the cleanup. Then, after that is done, and the papers are signed, we can either look at how we proceed with the current company, or , slowly start another company of either a small subsidiary or a company that would eventually grow. " Ross said.
"Let's see, Ross. Let's allow this guy and his company to do their work, and then we can discuss that going forward" Fritz said.,
"Ross, you can go home sometime tomorrow. We seem to be at a point here. No sense in staying here. We know you have a lot of work to do in New York" Fritz continued.
Ross laughed. "Yes, I know. I have to get home to Kayley, and to my work there, and continue dissecting and picking apart what I want to keep of the fifty percent agreed to by me and Kayley of the former RossShell" Ross said.
When Ross got back to his hotel, he called Kayley.
"I'm coming home not too late tomorrow. I will probably just come home since the airport is closer to home than the office. I will just check in at the office, and either rest or do a bit of work at home" Ross said.
"Okay, see you tomorrow. Love You" Kayley said, with a kiss, hanging up the phone.
Ross slept in OKC that night, took a noon flight to JFK, arriving home at 4 Kayley was home.
"Nice, quick trip./ Good, Mister business man. So, what did it cost you?" Kayley said.
"We have to give that company twenty five percent of the O and G company to absorb all costs of the cleanup. The most important point is, Fritz, Steve and me retain all decision making power. That company is just an investor and shareholder, They have no say over how we run the company"Ross said,.
"Ross, considering how much you were saying that cleanup might cost you, it sounds like you guys and the company got off cheap" Kayley said.
"Honestly, it was one of the cheapest deals I've ever made. I think it was more about them having an interest in a rapidly expanding company. We might expand that company to a point, and then do a spin off or another company, we have to see" Ross said.
Ross fell into bed early that night. He was exhausted from working himself into a frenzy emotionally about something that was not that bad.,
The next morning, the accountants called Ross before he left for the office.
"Ross, we are making major progress, We might be able to begin the company breakdown and suggest and discuss what to sell off and what to keep within the month at most. You and whoever you hire to represent you, are going to have some major decisions to make" Ross's financial advisor said.
Ross rode to the office thinking.
It seemed that the oil and gas company had dodged a major problem.
Now, what would Ross have to do with the assets he purchased in the RossShell acquistion?
That might be the most major development of all, perhaps of Ross's whole career.
When he got to their office, he posed a straight, hard question.
"Tell me the truth. How close are we to cleaning this mess up, and getting back pumping?" Ross asked.
Fritz sighed "Not nearly as close as we would like. They are making very slow progress, and the costs are mounting. We certainly can't even think of showing the wells or signing any new investors. Depending on how long it takes, if investors begin to miss any monthly checks, people might ask us to sell or short sell their interests" Fritz said.
"So, what and who are the people in this company, and what do they want to see us about?" Ross asked.
"They are one of the largest companies in Oklahoma and Texas, and specialize in buying and acquiring smaller companies, or buying into partnership in smaller companies, and getting pieces of the action" Fritz said.
"In other words, in any way with these people, we lose. Maybe the entire company, and maybe at least some of it" Ross said.
"Basically. The thing is, if we give them things, they pay for the entire cleanup, and cover our already paid costs It almost as if we win in one way, but lose in another" Fritz said it.
Ross looked at Steve.
"Ross, considering the situation, I think all three of us have to meet these people, and hear them out. Fritz and me are asking that you please must stay calm. We know about your feisty personality, and we all cannot afford that in this case" Steve said.
"Okay , arrange a meeting with them. Ross will come with you, and shut up. I do not want to do anything to put our company, our partnership, and our association in danger" Ross said.
The next day, Fritz called the company, and made a meeting with the company person who specialized in that type of situation for the following night.
The four men met at a steak house the following night for dinner.
"Gentlemen, I'm Morris Flower. I know all about your problem. My company and me are fully prepared to help you, and cover all costs of the cleanup going forward, however long it takes, even though we think we can make faster progress than you guys." Flower said.
"What are your conditions, what do you want and or expect?" Ross asked, trying very carefully to stay calm
I figure,. a fair agreement is twenty five percent interest in your company, going forward, permanently, until you either sell or do something else. Also, if you ever desire to sell, we would get first priority on your list to sell" Morris said.
"That sounds fair considering the situation. I would have only one firm, I dont want to call it a condition, but, a sticking point" Ross said.
"I'm listening." Morris said.,
"Fritz, Steve and me run the company. We make all decisions, and retain full authority to sell and or do anything with the company. We are only paying you money that would have been ours, to take care of the cleanup, and you cannot force us or sue us to sell the company" Ross said.
"That is completely fair. We dont want to run your company. We dont want to pirate or force your company out of business. We just want to make money, and want an interest in your company, for doing you this major cleanup. " Morris said.
"Okay, we will have your attorney and our attorney draft up the agreement, and we will all sign it, and so will our attorney." Ross said.
The men shook hands, and left the dinner.
Ross, Fritz and Steve rode in an Uber back to Ross's hotel.
""Guys we can discuss this going forward. Let this guy do what he has to. We let him do the cleanup. Then, after that is done, and the papers are signed, we can either look at how we proceed with the current company, or , slowly start another company of either a small subsidiary or a company that would eventually grow. " Ross said.
"Let's see, Ross. Let's allow this guy and his company to do their work, and then we can discuss that going forward" Fritz said.,
"Ross, you can go home sometime tomorrow. We seem to be at a point here. No sense in staying here. We know you have a lot of work to do in New York" Fritz continued.
Ross laughed. "Yes, I know. I have to get home to Kayley, and to my work there, and continue dissecting and picking apart what I want to keep of the fifty percent agreed to by me and Kayley of the former RossShell" Ross said.
When Ross got back to his hotel, he called Kayley.
"I'm coming home not too late tomorrow. I will probably just come home since the airport is closer to home than the office. I will just check in at the office, and either rest or do a bit of work at home" Ross said.
"Okay, see you tomorrow. Love You" Kayley said, with a kiss, hanging up the phone.
Ross slept in OKC that night, took a noon flight to JFK, arriving home at 4 Kayley was home.
"Nice, quick trip./ Good, Mister business man. So, what did it cost you?" Kayley said.
"We have to give that company twenty five percent of the O and G company to absorb all costs of the cleanup. The most important point is, Fritz, Steve and me retain all decision making power. That company is just an investor and shareholder, They have no say over how we run the company"Ross said,.
"Ross, considering how much you were saying that cleanup might cost you, it sounds like you guys and the company got off cheap" Kayley said.
"Honestly, it was one of the cheapest deals I've ever made. I think it was more about them having an interest in a rapidly expanding company. We might expand that company to a point, and then do a spin off or another company, we have to see" Ross said.
Ross fell into bed early that night. He was exhausted from working himself into a frenzy emotionally about something that was not that bad.,
The next morning, the accountants called Ross before he left for the office.
"Ross, we are making major progress, We might be able to begin the company breakdown and suggest and discuss what to sell off and what to keep within the month at most. You and whoever you hire to represent you, are going to have some major decisions to make" Ross's financial advisor said.
Ross rode to the office thinking.
It seemed that the oil and gas company had dodged a major problem.
Now, what would Ross have to do with the assets he purchased in the RossShell acquistion?
That might be the most major development of all, perhaps of Ross's whole career.
