On Middlemen: Somewhere in the Middle

>> Thursday, June 28, 2007

Vince and Stuart were dancing to "Spanish Eyes" when Stuart said, "Fancy staying the night?". Vince thought it was expensive knowing that they were in a posh hotel but he decided that they might as well try 'threes' again. Stuart smiled and whispered "cut out the middleman." They then made their way out the crowded ballroom, past the hotel lobby until they reached the grand staircase. Then, they both went up to the hotel room.

The UK version of QaF (special thanks to my mom who sent me the complete 10-episode series) made up for what it lacked in length with heartfelt performance and touching moments. If the scene above seems vague, let's just say that two's a company and three's a crowd, thus, "cutting out the middleman". I've given enough spoilers so that's the farthest I can go. (UK:US, Vince:Michael, Stuart:Brian)

I went through all that trouble to arrive to this point: I'm currently a middleman, the straight kind anyway.

I've officially gotten involved into trading various products and commodities like Liquified Natural Gas, Crude Oil, LPG, MAzut100, Cement, what-have-yous. When my mom first introduced me to this world I was as confused as Ashley Simpson doing the hoedown.




Then we started communicating with my aunt from the US and it turns out that she is also into trading. I couldn't help it, obviously. I know that my boss is always looking for products and I have an aunt who's always looking for buyers. Like pieces of a puzzle falling into place, really.

Eventually, well, more like a day later, I found myself e-mailing people from all parts of the earth and sending information that I only have a vague understanding of. I never knew, for example, that ASWP meant "any safe world port" or that LOI stood for "letter of intent". I'm learning at least two new acronyms a day and so far, most of the alphabet is now covered. My illusion of trading, that it's as simple as buying chocnut from a
sari-sari store, started to fade into a more serious reality--the right information in the wrong hands could be very dangerous.

Before all these though, I was already aware that some people think that middlemen are not necessary in any kind of business. Back in college, I had this classmate who felt strongly against job placement agencies that he decided to put up his own Security Guard Agency to help protect the common gardo versoza. He said, that unlike other 'parasite' middlemen, he'll make sure that his agency will not take advantage of the job-seekers. I wonder if he stuck to his strictly 5% cut up to this day.

I sympathize with him in that view, but I also understand that a lot of people won't trust a service worker, especially a security guard, unless he's from a certified agent.

I don't know. As a middleman, I can't say that I am a parasite. Okay, in trading, a middleman gets paid in ridiculously high amounts of moolah but my aunt's contacts wouldn't have known about my boss if I didn't give the extra effort to mention to her that "hey, my boss does oil too". I see it as being the right person at the right time with the right amount of conscience--said amount leaning towards negligible. And don't tell me you would naively say you'll settle for a hundred dollars when they're waving a six-figure commission in front of you.

It's an easy job, this trading thing. You sit in front of a computer, send and receive emails, act as a channel of communication. My aunt says that I can retire early if any one of these deals gets closed. But my boss was quick to say that there will be a lot of inquiries and only one out of a hundred will get signed. I'm 'channeling' three products as of the moment. So far so good, and if not, then there are still 97 chances to go.

Oh, and if you still can't take Vince and Stuart out of your mind and wondered all this time what they did after they went up to the hotel room, highlight for spoilers: they only slept. If you know QaF and want to watch the scene, follow this link, otherwise, don't bother.OUT


6 responses:

Jap 30 June, 2007  

Joey, katawanan man ka oi! hahaha didto na lang ka mangapply sa Adonis club sa manila kay dili lang bellboy ang i-screen nimo hahaha

Anonymous 30 June, 2007  

Hmmm you once said I have a way with words but I think not as much as you do. Who would have thought QAF can be linked with business matters? However, you made it not far-fetched. Nice job!

The only time and place that I was able to watch QAF was back in college and at your flat. (that was even in Obrero pa so murag dugaydugay na gyud..)I still have a clear picture in mind of the characters but forgotten their names and that was even the US version and there's UK? Man, do I find myself outdated? ...and why do I give a damn? of course you know... hehe.

I just hope that you'd nail this business venture down. Modesty aside, we need to do everything we can so we could not just live to survive but exhaust our capabilities and savor all that there is on earth. Well, as long as what we're doing is legal, no one has the right to cast the stone of whatever social 'echos' that we should conform... Nah... I'm mumbling again...

WEll, ( this doesn't just mean the linking of QAF and that business)let me just say again, NICE JOB!

Ingatz!!!

Jap 30 June, 2007  

Thanks Bien =) but you do have a way with words ;-) I guess one of the things I learned in journalism (thanks to wildkat este Mam Kat)is how to connect far-fetched subjects hehehe

You're not outdated, Bien, QaF UK came before the US version, it's the original series, and as usual hollywood just copied it, although they did a good job "copying" it hehehe

Thanks for wishing me luck on this new thing I'm trying.

=) take care Bien.

Anonymous 01 July, 2007  

Daw kanami sina how... Trading is a good business and you can easily retire after a few deals. Goodluck on this venture. :D

Jap 01 July, 2007  

Thanks Jin, I'm crossing my fingers, and all body parts I can cross--legs, toes, eyes etc.--just to increase my chances ehehe =)

Jap 01 July, 2007  

Joe! sus bantog ra "Cebu is the best city" jud pisteh =)

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