Beyond the Pale by Matthew Turner

Author:Matthew Turner [Matthew Turner]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Morgan James Publishing
Published: 2021-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN.

Burgos, Spain

The paved stone floor glistens, wet from the recent rain and aglow in the sun’s light. The sky remains grey, although patches of blue peek through. It’s calm, quiet. A few people walk through the square, flanked in all directions by buildings rich with time.

I’ve been to Europe before. Many times.

I’ve walked through the streets of Paris, Rome, Prague, and London. I’ve come here for business. I’ve come here for pleasure. But like so many things in my life, I appreciate now how much of it was for show.

I have looked at the buildings rich in history but not seen them.

I’ve taken pictures and posed in front of them but haven’t taken the time to feel them.

I do now.

I’d never heard of Burgos before speaking with Kamal and learning that this is where he is. It took Christian a few days to track him down. I called but met his voicemail each time. I left messages and sent texts, and then received short, dismissive replies.

Two days ago, he finally answered. “Who’s this?”

I told him. A few seconds of silence. “Oh, okay. What can I do for you?”

I told him how I’d read his books and loved them, said I would love to meet him and talk. I’m used to people saying yes, excited to meet me and grab a drink. He hesitated, countered with, “Maybe.” I recognized his tone as the one I often use with people I’m in no hurry to meet. “I’m in Spain at the moment. No idea when I’ll head back to the States.”

“I could come to you,” I said. “Where are you?”

“Burgos.”

“Where?”

“It’s great. I’ll be here for a few more days, so if you want to come, I’m happy to meet you, though I’m in-between books so not interested in talking about business or investment.”

“That’s okay,” I said. “Neither am I.”

The next day, Christian and I were back on a plane. He updated me with messages from Ray. He keeps trying to arrange a call with me, but I continue to dodge and avoid the possibility. I know I should talk to him. I need to at some point. Yet the mere thought of it makes me nervous. The business I built from nothing is way over there, being run by other people, with me playing no role. In part, I want everything to be running smoothly, yet another part of me wants to see it burn to the ground; to show people need me; for those on the board who want me gone to realize the value I bring. I fear the former is more likely than the latter, and the thought of Ray confirming this sends my stomach in knots.

After Christian finished telling me what I supposedly needed to know, I read Kamal’s latest book, Rebirth. A fable, it follows a lost young man as he travels the Camino de Santiago. He passed through Burgos, and I suddenly realized why Kamal is here. It was a journey he took himself as a younger man, in-between his own Silicon Valley successes.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.