When Walsh called Levi to inform him of the successful negotiation with Evra, Levi couldn't contain his excitement and exclaimed "YES!" so loudly that the receptionist at Acindar Metallurgical Group in Argentina thought she was dealing with a madman.
"Have you found him?" Levi asked eagerly after regaining his composure.
"I found Jorge Messi, but he's no longer with us," the receptionist replied politely.
Without widespread access to computers, finding a department head in a large company was a time-consuming task. Fortunately, the receptionist was patient, and the company wasn't small, so Levi waited patiently as she searched.
Upon hearing that Jorge had left the company two months ago, Levi nodded. "Do you have his phone number in these documents? Can you make a copy for me?" he requested.
"These are confidential employee files..." the receptionist began to protest.
"Please, I've been searching for him for a long time. I'm a distant relative," Levi pleaded, not hesitating to fabricate a story.
After a moment's hesitation, the receptionist relented and agreed to make a copy of Jorge's phone number for Levi.
With Jorge's phone number in hand, Levi thanked the receptionist and left the building. He quickly found a public telephone and dialed the number he had copied.
"Hello, this is Jorge," came the breathless voice on the other end.
"Hello, my name is Levi. I represent New Manchester United. Are you Lionel Messi's father?" Levi inquired.
There was a pause on the other end. "Yes, who is this?"
"New Manchester United," Levi repeated, hoping to reassure Jorge.
"New... Manchester United?" Jorge sounded puzzled.
"Yes, we're a newly established club, and we'd like to talk to you about your son, Lionel Messi," Levi explained.
"I'm sorry, my son has decided to join Newell's Old Boys. You're aware of that, right?" Jorge replied politely but firmly.
"Yes, I understand, but I also know that you've faced some challenges, and Newell's Old Boys hasn't been very supportive," Levi said, sensing an opportunity.
"How do you know?" Jorge sounded surprised.
"Trust me, I flew from England to Argentina specifically to speak with you. I mean no harm. We believe in Lionel Messi
talent and want to offer him an opportunity," Levi assured him.
There was a moment of silence before Jorge finally spoke again. "I think we should meet and discuss this further," he said cautiously.
"Agreed," Levi replied eagerly.
After hanging up, Levi hailed a taxi and headed to the Argentine restaurant where he was to meet Jorge. As he approached the restaurant, he spotted Jorge standing outside with a trolley, clearly in the midst of his work.
Without hesitation, Levi approached him and extended a warm greeting.
"Hello, is this Mr. Jorge Messi?"
"Yes, you are..." Jorge hesitated, struggling to pronounce Levi's name.
"Levi, I'm from New Manchester United...representative!" Levi also hesitated, mindful of his role.
"Hello, Mr. Levi, my English... is not very good, sorry!" Jorge apologized, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"It's okay, I should apologize for not speaking Spanish. But I promise, once I'm back, I'll hire a tutor to learn it!" Levi joked.
Jorge smiled, grateful for Levi's understanding.
It was now noon, and the scorching weather made Jorge's work even more challenging. Levi couldn't help but admire Jorge's dedication and resilience.
"Jorge, have you had lunch?" Levi asked, concerned.
Jorge hesitated before replying, "No...I had something at the market earlier."
Levi could see through the facade and insisted, "It's okay, I haven't eaten either. Let's go inside this restaurant and have a meal. We can talk while we eat, and it's my treat!"
Before Jorge could refuse, Levi took the lead and ushered him into the restaurant.
As they sat down, Levi couldn't help but wonder why Lionel Messi's father, a former department head at a large company, was now working as a deliveryman.
"Wait, wait!" Jorge interrupted as Levi was about to order. "I can't leave the trolley here. I need to move it somewhere safe."
Understanding Jorge's predicament, Levi nodded understandingly. "Of course, I'll wait for you here."
Jorge quickly moved the trolley to a secure location before returning to the restaurant.
Once settled, Levi and Jorge began their conversation, eagerly discussing the future possibilities for Leo Messi and the potential collaboration between New Manchester United and the Messi family.
As they delved deeper into their discussion, Levi couldn't shake off the feeling that this encounter was the beginning of something extraordinary.
With newfound determination and hope, Levi and Jorge continued their conversation, unaware of the incredible journey that lay ahead for both of them.