The tale of the cousins
There once was a large family. Made up of many brothers and sisters. The brothers and sisters got married and over time had their own kids. These kids were first cousins. It so happened that amongst these families there was a group of male cousins who were almost the same age and in their teens and growing up fast to become men of their own standing.
In family re-unions, the parents of these male cousins gushed over the abilities of their kids. The parents of Indy gushed on how mature and well-grounded their son was and how his talents would make the families even more established. The parents of Dominique talked about how their son was a budding entrepreneur and one day would take over from his father Edward to become the largest businessman in the town.
The parents of Patrick heard these comments and worried that their son, who was neither that wise, nor that smart, may fall prey to a sense of being the victim in the family and end up blaming others for his lack of talent.
This was even more worrying because the parents of Patrick and Indy were in fact twins. Both Indy and Patrick's fathers had studied well and had started at the same point in their lives. However, Patrick's father had married a troubled and small-minded woman. With constant disputes at home, Patrick's father had been distracted to provide for his family and pay attention to his son.
One day, the clan met at their grandparents' house for the thanksgiving dinner. When Patrick's family arrived, Indy's parents and uncles and aunts had already been showering their adulation on Indy for the past couple of hours on his understanding of religion, economics and government. The boys were 12 years old then. Patrick waved to Indy, but Indy, distracted by his uncles' praise did not acknowledge Patrick's arrival in the room. Patrick was offended. The rest of the evening he sulked as more and more attention went to Indy and some to Dominique. He vowed to show Indy down at some point.
A few years later, as the boys entered college, Dominique and Indy went to the most aspired colleges in the country. Patrick entered community college. When the families met for thanksgiving dinner that evening, Patrick came wearing tattoos and piercings. He spoke loudly and offensively, but his cousins and uncles ignored him. He felt even more hurt and felt people needed to fear him to respect him.
A few years later, Dominique had finished business school and had started a business. But he was being pestered by members of the city's gang for money. They would harass employees and destroy merchandise sitting in the warehouses. Unable to take the losses, Dominique reached out to Patrick, who he had heard was a tough guy. By now, unknown to Dominique, Patrick had also entered a rival gang. When Dominique explained his situation, Patrick asked Dominique for some money to collect a group of thugs. When Dominique agreed, Patrick's gang went and beat up the much larger gang. Dominique's troubles were over for now.
Dominique started giving money to Patrick on a regular basis. Soon Patrick's gang became the largest gang in town. He started to diversify and found additional donors who would pay protection money. But the biggest donor was still Dominique, who was still grateful, for the help his cousin had given a few years ago.
Meanwhile, Indy became a well renowned bank official. His image was clean, and people trusted him. When it came to giving loans and contracts, his officers followed the letter of the law, and yet helped others when they could. The bank was the largest commercial entity in the region and also the biggest customer of Dominique's rival firm. Dominique resented the fact that under Indy's watch, the wealthiest business in town did more business with his biggest rival than with him.
That year, when the families met, the parents were already getting old. The cousins were in their prime. Dominique and Patrick stayed in the opposite corner of the room, to where Indy was. When Indy reached out to say hello, the two cousins walked away.
A few years later, Indy was now the president of the bank. He invited all businesses in town on the new business expansion credit that bank was providing. The bank had been entrusted by the government to execute a plan for taking industries and businesses to new heights. Dominique went grudgingly, but was surprised by the attention he got. He asked Indy, why his firm had not been able to do business with the bank. Indy explained where Dominique's firm had failed in the evaluation, and mentioned that the existing supplier was not adequate for the bank's needs. The bank needed additional suppliers and Indy would help Dominique's firm in understanding the process. Dominique was thrilled. Indy also mentioned that Dominique's support of Patrick's gang was seen unfavourably. On hearing Dominique’s point of view, he introduced Dominique to the Police Chief, a personal friend, who promised that local police was more than equipped to help businesses safe-guard their property and goods. He also suggested a security firm, started by some ex-cops who Dominique could hire to get the safety he needed.
Later that week, Dominique did not send the weekly money to Patrick. Infuriated, Patrick called Dominique. Dominique mentioned his new contract to the security firm and asked Patrick to leave the gang and maybe even start his own security firm, whom he would be glad to give. Patrick was already on police record as the master-mind between many illicit activities in the town. Patrick refused Dominique's suggestion and slammed the phone.
Patrick now wanted to hit Indy hard. He asked his hit squad to go and intimidate Indy's family. The tough guys, who had no sense of right or wrong, went to Indy's family and beat up Indy's wife and kids. They set the house on fire and left the pet-dog locked in the burning house.
When Indy came to his burning home, his distraught wife mentioned that the thugs came from Patrick's gang. The neighbours confirmed the same in the police report. Indy called the police chief, who then asked Dominique to provide all information on Patrick's gang. Dominique was troubled, but clear that for his family's sake he had to be on the right side of the law.
As the fully armed SWAT team left the police head quarters, Dominique and Indy both knew, their cousin Patrick's end was near.
In family re-unions, the parents of these male cousins gushed over the abilities of their kids. The parents of Indy gushed on how mature and well-grounded their son was and how his talents would make the families even more established. The parents of Dominique talked about how their son was a budding entrepreneur and one day would take over from his father Edward to become the largest businessman in the town.
The parents of Patrick heard these comments and worried that their son, who was neither that wise, nor that smart, may fall prey to a sense of being the victim in the family and end up blaming others for his lack of talent.
This was even more worrying because the parents of Patrick and Indy were in fact twins. Both Indy and Patrick's fathers had studied well and had started at the same point in their lives. However, Patrick's father had married a troubled and small-minded woman. With constant disputes at home, Patrick's father had been distracted to provide for his family and pay attention to his son.
One day, the clan met at their grandparents' house for the thanksgiving dinner. When Patrick's family arrived, Indy's parents and uncles and aunts had already been showering their adulation on Indy for the past couple of hours on his understanding of religion, economics and government. The boys were 12 years old then. Patrick waved to Indy, but Indy, distracted by his uncles' praise did not acknowledge Patrick's arrival in the room. Patrick was offended. The rest of the evening he sulked as more and more attention went to Indy and some to Dominique. He vowed to show Indy down at some point.
A few years later, as the boys entered college, Dominique and Indy went to the most aspired colleges in the country. Patrick entered community college. When the families met for thanksgiving dinner that evening, Patrick came wearing tattoos and piercings. He spoke loudly and offensively, but his cousins and uncles ignored him. He felt even more hurt and felt people needed to fear him to respect him.
A few years later, Dominique had finished business school and had started a business. But he was being pestered by members of the city's gang for money. They would harass employees and destroy merchandise sitting in the warehouses. Unable to take the losses, Dominique reached out to Patrick, who he had heard was a tough guy. By now, unknown to Dominique, Patrick had also entered a rival gang. When Dominique explained his situation, Patrick asked Dominique for some money to collect a group of thugs. When Dominique agreed, Patrick's gang went and beat up the much larger gang. Dominique's troubles were over for now.
Dominique started giving money to Patrick on a regular basis. Soon Patrick's gang became the largest gang in town. He started to diversify and found additional donors who would pay protection money. But the biggest donor was still Dominique, who was still grateful, for the help his cousin had given a few years ago.
Meanwhile, Indy became a well renowned bank official. His image was clean, and people trusted him. When it came to giving loans and contracts, his officers followed the letter of the law, and yet helped others when they could. The bank was the largest commercial entity in the region and also the biggest customer of Dominique's rival firm. Dominique resented the fact that under Indy's watch, the wealthiest business in town did more business with his biggest rival than with him.
That year, when the families met, the parents were already getting old. The cousins were in their prime. Dominique and Patrick stayed in the opposite corner of the room, to where Indy was. When Indy reached out to say hello, the two cousins walked away.
A few years later, Indy was now the president of the bank. He invited all businesses in town on the new business expansion credit that bank was providing. The bank had been entrusted by the government to execute a plan for taking industries and businesses to new heights. Dominique went grudgingly, but was surprised by the attention he got. He asked Indy, why his firm had not been able to do business with the bank. Indy explained where Dominique's firm had failed in the evaluation, and mentioned that the existing supplier was not adequate for the bank's needs. The bank needed additional suppliers and Indy would help Dominique's firm in understanding the process. Dominique was thrilled. Indy also mentioned that Dominique's support of Patrick's gang was seen unfavourably. On hearing Dominique’s point of view, he introduced Dominique to the Police Chief, a personal friend, who promised that local police was more than equipped to help businesses safe-guard their property and goods. He also suggested a security firm, started by some ex-cops who Dominique could hire to get the safety he needed.
Later that week, Dominique did not send the weekly money to Patrick. Infuriated, Patrick called Dominique. Dominique mentioned his new contract to the security firm and asked Patrick to leave the gang and maybe even start his own security firm, whom he would be glad to give. Patrick was already on police record as the master-mind between many illicit activities in the town. Patrick refused Dominique's suggestion and slammed the phone.
Patrick now wanted to hit Indy hard. He asked his hit squad to go and intimidate Indy's family. The tough guys, who had no sense of right or wrong, went to Indy's family and beat up Indy's wife and kids. They set the house on fire and left the pet-dog locked in the burning house.
When Indy came to his burning home, his distraught wife mentioned that the thugs came from Patrick's gang. The neighbours confirmed the same in the police report. Indy called the police chief, who then asked Dominique to provide all information on Patrick's gang. Dominique was troubled, but clear that for his family's sake he had to be on the right side of the law.
As the fully armed SWAT team left the police head quarters, Dominique and Indy both knew, their cousin Patrick's end was near.
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