It was now three years Mark Rodger had arrived at Ralite city. He was from a middle class family. The Rodger family lived in Calgar city far north of Ralite city.
He was raised by his parents in Calgar city. He attended his first grade school, secondary school and college education in Calgar city.
He relocated to Ralite city, a metropolitan city, where he believed there will be prospect for business engagements. Mark Rodger registered his contractor company, Richlad Ventures Limited business with Gordon Corporation two and half years ago.
He also registered with some other businesses in the city. He had done two supply contracts for Gordon Corporation since he registered with the company.
The two supply contracts were somehow hard to get for Mark Rodger. While he was trying to register his company with the corporation, it was a serious and awkward task.
He remember how it was difficult to get through the tight security personnels as he did not have any contact person in the company. He had arrived at the company security office with the intention to speak with personnels in vendor/purchasing/contract department of the corporation early that fateful morning.
But the security guards were really unfriendly. He had greeted and introduced himself to them and has requested to meet with Manager Vendor/Purchasing/Contract department.
He was told he can only see him on appointment. Then, he asked if he could get appointment right away to meet the manager. But they claimed he needs to have book appointment a day before.
It was a serious argument that morning trying to persuade them before a staff that was passing intervene to help him. It was this staff, Miss Gina Gladson that told the guards to allow him to chat with the contract manager through their intercom.
He didn't know anybody in the company. He was visiting the company for the very first time to commence business engagement. But the sterned looking security personnels almost made him nuisance that morning before Gina Gladson came to his rescue.
He was later allowed to speak with Mr. Garet Nancy in Contract/Purchasing department. He was professionally friendly on the intercom. He refered him to Vendor Registration Unit to pick necessary form he needs to complete for the commencement of business relationship with the corporation.
He remembered Miss Gina Gladson led him to the Vendor Registration Unit after the phone conversations with Mr. Nancy. It was during this walk, he and Miss Gina Gladson exchanged their names. He realized she's astonishingly beautiful and friendly.
It was one Mr.Jade Vincent that gave him all the requirements to meet and forms to fill in Vendor Registration Unit. In the course of chatting with Gina while he was leaving the company, he discovered she works with the human resources unit of the corporation.
She was respectful, cordial and resourceful. Mark Rodger did not waste time in getting her complimentary card before she left for her office.
It was this resourceful beauty that made his first visit to Gordon Corporation successful that very day. He left the company with the list of requirement to commence relationship and necessary forms to be completed for the registration.
A week later,the had gotten all required documents and had completed the filling of the forms. He actually returned the completed forms and necessary documents for the registration to Vendor Registration Unit a week later.
It was two weeks later he got notification from the corporation that his company had been certified as a supplier and contractor to the corporation. So, he was left off the hook of harassment from the guards as he now has pass and identification as a vendor to the corporation.
But the main deal after scaling through the registration was for the company to get contracts. It was an herculean task to get contracts. He has to visit the Purchasing/Contract department severally to find out if there are contract tenders he could bid for.
On occasions he had the opportunities to meet the manager of purchasing/contract department, Mr. Jayden Gary he was professional but always skeptical of the company getting business because the company was new then. That was his only reservation.
But over time that skepticism was overcome as the company later got a supply contract which he promptly carry out without delay to win the heart of Mr. Jayden Gary. He got another contract some four months later.
Mark Rodger also carried out the contract effectively. But for reasons unknown to him, the contracts has not been consistent as it should be.
Severally, he had to call Miss Gina Gladson to help out. They even had to sit in joints and restaurants to discuss the way out sometimes.
One of such rendezvous was held in Maxwell hotel restaurant in the city where Mark Rodger and Gina Gladson sat to have a wonder time chatting over meal and drinks. Gina, I'm seriously in need of another contract. It is over eight months I completed the last contract and I haven't gotten another.
Don't worry Mark. I'm very sure one of your tenders will surely come out successful. You know the only thing we can do is to talk to our contacts, I mean my colleaques in Purchasing/Contract department, but you can't force them to do their job.
I will continue to lobby and persuade them on your behalf. What will I do without you Gina. You have been of assistance and even of moral support for me on my business. Mark, that's why we are friends. You have also been a nice guy to me since we met.
Mark Rodger is an handsome and intelligent young man who has a promising ambition and goals towards becoming an industrial giant. He had planned to work towards carving a niche for himself in his choosing line of contract businesses.
Miss Gina Gladson had seen this promising qualities from their first meeting at the security office and that as got her attracted to him.
She kind of saw an handsome, intelligent, confident youngman aspiring to become an achiever. And they have been good friends ever since then. After the refreshment at the hotel restaurant, Mark walked Gina to the park, pecked her by the cheek as they parted. She took a cab to her residence.
Gina Gladson joined the cab while Mark Rodger was waiting to get another cab that will take him to his destination. In another few minutes, he was on his way to his residence.
In the office the following day, Gina Gladson had conversations with both Garet Nancy and Jayden Gary, the manager, purchasing/contract department. Garet Nancy told Gina Gladson when she approached him on possibility of Richlad Ventures limited securing new contracts from the company that the decision lies with Mr. Jayden Gary, the manager of the deparent.
So, Gina had no other option that to speak to Mr. Jayden Gary. Mr. Gary is occupanying the inner office while Mr. Garet Nancy and other staff stay in the exterior office.
As Gina left discussing with Mr. Nancy she walked towards the door leading go Mr. Gary's office and tapped it twice. An audible voice sounded from the inside, please come in.
Gina opened the door and walked in. Good morning Mr. Gary. Oh! Miss Gina, How are you? Good morning. And to what do I hold this visit? Gina got herself a seat in his front then responded, there is a friend of mine who is currently having business dealings with us.
I just want to mention the company name to you and to ask favour of you to extend contracts for the company. Gina, that's no problem. What's the name of the company? Richlad Ventures Limited! Gina responded.
Oh, Richlad Ventures Limited, I remember he had gotten some contracts. I will try my best to assist. I will appreciate your kind gesture in this regard, Gina stated.
I know he submitted some contract tenders but because of the technical nature of those contracts, he was not awarded some of those contracts back then. But we would come up with some good contracts for the company very soon.
I will be very delighted if you could do that for this company. Gina, why not? Why are we colleaques for. Meanwhile, before I forget, tell your friend to meet, Mr. Garet Nancy for update on tenders' details on the automobile section of our company.
You never know he might win himself a mega contract from that new company. That's a great news Mr. Gary and thanks for this update. I will relate the message to the director of the company.
Miss Gina Gladson left the office and returned to her office with enthusiasm and optimism that there is hope and future for his friend business in Gordon Corporation.
She has planned calling Mark Rodger much later in the day but with the excitement of prospective contracts he could bid for, she would not wait till evening. She called Mark right away and informed him of on going tenders for the automobile section of the corporation.
The call was an eye opener for Mark Rodger who was unaware of such development in the company he had registered as contractor in the last two and half years. He thanked Miss Gina Gladson for her support as they concluded their conversations.
He has to stop other arrangements to book an appointment with Mr. Garet Nancy to have the full details. As usual, the security personnels at the corporation gate had to delay him for usual protocol at security house.
He eventually sail through the routine checks and he scurried to the purchasing/contract department to meet with Mr. Garet Nancy. When he got to Mr. Nancy desk, he discovered Nancy was reluctant in divulging any information relating the new business of the corporation to him.
It took the intervention of Miss Gina Gladson again who had to speak to Mr. Gary to encourage his subordinate to disclose relevant information relating to the affliate company contract tenders to Mark Rodger before Mr. Nancy opened up about, the business opportunities.
Before Mark had to call Miss Gina again, Mr. Nancy had asked Mark Rodger where he got information about tenders of business which has not be made public. He was so much bewildered about the question asked by Mr. Nancy and had to call Miss Gina to come to his rescue since he got the information from her.
As soon as Garet Nancy was given go ahead by his boss through phone call, he revealed all relevant information relating to tenders Richlad Ventures Limited could bid for to him. He left the office well informed and very exhilarated.
He then took his time to prepare all required documents for the bidding process. He personally submitted his contract bid to Mr. Garet Nancy before the deadline specified by the corporation.
After the submission of the tenders to the purchasing/contract department, he was so hopeful that something positive will come up for him this time around. He even hosted Miss Gina Gladson, his very good friend and business supporter in Gordon Corporation to a dinner.
Mark Rodger had called his friend Miss Gina Gladson to meet him at the Disney restaurant for a dinner. They meet at the restaurant entrance exactly 7:00pm. They were led to special seat prepared for them.
Though, the food and drinks in the restaurant are a little expensive, he won't mind treating his caring friend to a good meal in such beautiful restaurant. His contract business is currently dwindling but he is confident and optimistic that there will be light at the end of the tunnel.
At the look of thing, they both admired each other but they haven't come openly to express their affection for each other. But at every opportunities they come together, they both radiate special likeness for each other.
He told Gina Gladson of the submision of the contract tender for the fifty million dollars electrification contract project at Gordon Corporation and thanked her immensely for her support.
Gina quickly responded, it's no problem. What are we friends for. Her comforting words at all their get together always resonates confident for Mark Rodger.
They had a very pleasant meal while chatting over different topics. It seems Mr. Gary and Mr. Nancy have preference for some contractors over other especially those who had been long in service. I hope he will try new contractors too so that they can climb the success ladder.
You are right Mark, if the new contractors are not given opportunities how will they improved, Gina responded. It is my hope all contractors will be given opportunity, Mark retorted.
I'm positive you will sail through this bidding process to win this contract. I had prayed for your success, Gina stated. What will I do without you Gina. You have been of tremendous help for me since we met. I can guess, you are God's sent to me.
You haven't seen anything yet, Gina responded. I'm going to pay for today meal. Ah ah ah! Mark laughed. That I won't allow. I called for this meeting and I should be responsible for our dinner. They both laughed again.
I will love this relationship to grow bigger than this, Mark remarked. The ball is in your court. I'm always available for you, Gina responded with a lovely voice. Oh! I can see. I will keep that in mind, Mark responded with a smile.
When they had finished their meal, they walked to the road to get cab. Before Gina Gladson departed from Mark Rodger that evening she held him and pecked him as she joined a cab to her residence.
That peck by the cheek filled Mark Rodger with sense of love as he too boarded another cab to his residence.