I was trying to tell Hugo that this cavalier venture was going to bite him in the ass if he didn't watch out, though that analogy wasn't the one to use with Hugo. Who doesn't want a bite in the ass from a cute young kid, young enough to be Hugo's son?
He was doing his best to try to convince me that indeed he had thought about this long and hard, that it wasn't being cavalier because it was being savvy in the business world - blah blah blah... I'd heard it before. Since Hugo was such a kind, understanding person-- he was a feeding ground for opportunists.
"I'm not calling Steve an opportunist, Hugo -- I'm not... but... "
"That's exactly what you're doing, Eric," he retorted.
"How? I'm not."
"By not supporting me on this idea, that's how. By giving me those looks."
He was right. I was giving him those looks and I guess I did think Steve was a bit of a shmuck. Drew told me he'd just really screwed Greg over, not that there was any love lost between me and Greg, but the point was I hadn't heard a single good thing about this Steve guy-- and ever since the destruction of Mocha Daze a couple months ago-- I didn't feel quite right about anything that may have to do with Steve.
"Hugo, what about our ideas? I've given you a lot of chances for us to get into business together. I told you I'd front you money for another coffee house, I'll do whatever... just think about this. Okay? Okay?"
He wasn't budging.
"Yeah, sure. Eric, I'll think about it."
I responded, "And go slow -- whatever you do -- go slow. It's not going to hurt anything, any new venture, to air on the side of caution."
"Okay, okay. Let's just agree to disagree, Eric. That's the best we're gonna do."
Hugo was right again.
I shook my head and knew that I'd be there for him when the walls came tumbling down.
