The Business Lunch

The other day I had lunch with a friend from a different company. We're trying to do business with them in the future. Luckily, my buddy works on acquisitions at XYZ and happens to be courting the CEOs only daughter (He hit the fucking jackpot!). So, we talk business, we talk sports, we talk about Michigan (both alumni), we talk about what everyone is doing or not doing, talk about summering in the Hamptons, etc.

While he's busy telling me about how his life is amazing, his kids (2 dogs) are his life, I look around and see every fucking person is wearing a goddam suit and talking about the same shit as us. Did I just walk into a fucking Yuppie convention? Rolexes left and right. Purple Label and Valentino ties, Burberry suits (which I was wearing that day), comb overs, platinum money clips, FUCK dude. I am a cookie cutter finance guy....

What the hell is wrong with me? I walked into hell and it's at Azura in Midtown East. Am I going to turn out like these guys??? I mean they make a shitload of money and all but there conversations have no meaning. Most of these guys are just fake friends and probably hate each other. I know I've been to a couple of lunches with "friends" for business and fucking despise them. I'm basically swimming in a cesspool of bullshit.

I always thought I was a unique individual who always thought outside of the box. I hang out with a very interesting and complex group of individuals who party their asses off, get tons of chicks, and gets along with everyone (that's BS, but...), and also are very intelligent with great jobs. We can carry normal conversations and are genuine guys. I hope, I don't lose that quality but it seems like as I'm running this marathon towards my goal at the finish line, I'm going to lose a little bit of what makes me human. I'm going to be attending more and more of these type of lunches if I want to reach my dreams and pray that along the way, I don't convert.

I've always been against the phrase "byproduct of your environment" but fuck dude, I'm getting nervous that it may be true. I have noticed a change in my lifestyle and my buddy from home who has known me forever, can barely stand me because of it. He's the guy who I use as my benchmark for my asshole level. Right now, it's around a 9/10. So, I'm a little worried.

Someone told me the other day, that in the end, you only have your name and your numbers in the world of business. It struck me how easily forgettable someone can be in such a small world of power hungry men.  Artificial relationships blossom in this fake environment of "friendship.” No one wants friends because they all ready have the "best friends.” In a world defined by how much $ you can make, what you can buy, who you know, and where you summer, it's amazing that in the end all you have left is your name and numbers. People forget you as quickly as a summer breeze.

I hope I don't change, but in order to be winning, you have to sacrifice...