Chapter 59 I Met a Lion in a Wheelchair
“This shouldn’t be too disrespectful.”
Standing before the small mirror in the warehouse, I looked myself over in jeans and a light-colored shirt.
Beside me, Dusty sensed that something unusual was happening and pressed himself tightly against my leg.
Whine, whine—
“Sorry. Chew on this and wait for me, okay? I’ll be back soon.”
I tossed him a chew so he would not get bored while I was away, then grabbed the truck keys hanging on the wall.
By nature, I cared more about being punctual than how I dressed, so I had to leave now if I did not want to be late.
I carefully locked up so no wild animals could get inside, and just as I was about to climb into the truck—
Vroom—
An unmistakably extraordinary black sedan glided toward the front of the shop.
A 1964 Imperial LeBaron? No way…
With its solid, predominantly straight body lines and massive grille, the Imperial LeBaron possessed a commanding presence. It was Chrysler’s flagship model, into which the company had poured all its technology in an attempt to catch Cadillac, the symbol of luxury automobiles at the time.
The luxury car came to a smooth stop directly in front of me.
A tall, handsome man wearing aviator sunglasses stepped out of the driver’s seat.
“Excuse me. Are you Mr. Jason Kwon?”
“Yes, I am.”
Upon hearing my name, the man bowed politely and opened the rear door.
“I have been sent to escort you to the Sterling residence.”
“Ah…”
By Sterling, he clearly meant Hailey’s father, Richard Sterling.
She had called it a light meal, but nothing about this seemed light from the outset…
“Thank you.”
Once I climbed into the back seat—
Click.
The door closed softly, and silence descended.
Wow. Modern cars could never replicate this kind of old-fashioned luxury.
That was my first thought the moment I saw the interior of the Imperial LeBaron.
The trim was not plastic stamped with a wood-grain pattern, but genuine solid walnut, while thick natural-leather seats as plush as living-room sofas gently enveloped my body.
A moment later, the 413-cubic-inch, 6.8-liter V8 engine turned over and smoothly propelled the enormous body forward.
For such a large eight-cylinder engine, remarkably little vibration or noise entered the cabin.
Whisper-quiet power.
Powerful, yet quiet as a whisper.
That had been the Imperial LeBaron’s advertising slogan at the time.
The phrase embodied Chrysler’s determination and audacity in attempting to build the quietest car in America.
However, as someone working in automobile restoration, this was how it felt to me:
The engineers twisting themselves into knots to suppress the vibration and noise after stuffing an eight-cylinder engine into it.
As I appreciated, one by one, the effects of the fluid-filled engine mounts, double weatherstripping—the wind-blocking rubber lining the doors—and the muffler designed to attenuate even low-frequency vibrations, we arrived at our destination before I knew it.
Click.
The driver, who had not spoken a single word throughout the journey, once again opened the door for me with the same courtesy.
“You may go inside.”
Hailey’s home was located in Paradise Valley, considered one of the wealthiest communities in the entire state of Arizona.
After entering through the main gate, I found a driveway paved not with asphalt, but with sand-colored stone.
Cacti of various sizes and shapes had been arranged rhythmically along both sides, while the large rocks placed here and there added a natural touch.
The swimming pool faintly visible farther inside glittered with rippling light, as radiant as an oasis in the middle of the desert.
“Jason, you’re right on time.”
Hailey greeted me in front of the mansion’s entrance, which was finished in luxurious natural stone. She wore a comfortable linen dress.
“Hi, Hailey. Your house is enormous. You’re richer than I thought.”
“I’m not rich. My father is. Anyway, come this way.”
Hailey gave an incredulous snort and led me inside.
We passed through a short hallway flooded with sunlight from enormous windows and entered the reception room.
“I’ll bring Dad. Just wait a moment.”
After I sat and waited in an elegant wooden chair, the glass door to the reception room opened, and Hailey entered while pushing a wheelchair.
“Are you Jason? It’s good to meet you. I’m Richard Sterling.”
The man in the wheelchair greeted me warmly.
Even without his introduction, the charisma in his voice and the intensity in his eyes made it obvious that he was the owner of both this mansion and Sterling Selection.
“Hello. I’m Jason Kwon. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“As you can see, I have difficulty moving around, so I called you to my home. Was the journey comfortable? I sent a car I am particularly fond of.”
With Hailey’s help, Richard transferred from his wheelchair to a chair at the table as he asked.
“Yes. I had a very comfortable trip, thanks to you. It was my first time riding in an Imperial LeBaron, and the ride was excellent.”
“Wasn’t it? But do you know what kind of suspension that car uses?”
“Hmm… Double wishbones with torsion-bar springs in the front, and a solid axle with leaf springs in the rear, correct?”
“Oh, that’s right. Isn’t it fascinating? They used torsion bars in a top-of-the-line luxury car back then.”
“It might seem a little strange from a modern perspective, but torsion bars aren’t necessarily cheap. Their initial response is actually quite smooth, and they do not fluctuate much over bumps.”
“Exactly! And there is one more advantage. They transmit considerably less low-frequency vibration into the cabin.”
As expected of the owner of an automobile auction company, Richard was extremely knowledgeable about the mechanical aspects of classic cars.
“Dad, why don’t you continue the conversation over lunch?”
“Let’s do that. I simply can’t help myself once the subject turns to cars.”
No sooner had Richard spoken than the food waiting outside was brought in and placed on the table one dish after another.
The meal was simpler than I had expected.
A vegetable-heavy stew.
Slices of smoked tri-tip.
Rye bread with honey.
And finally, prickly pear lemonade with the deep red color of pomegranate.
That was everything.
“My apologies if you were expecting an elaborate meal. This is simply the kind of food I prefer.”
“Not at all. To be honest, I was worried we might be having the sort of meal that comes with several different forks and knives.”
“Hmm. It seems you do not care much for formalities either.”
Richard tore off a rough piece of bread and dipped it into the stew as he spoke.
Even so, I had the strange feeling that he was continually observing me.
“Then have you heard how this company began?”
“No. I’m afraid I haven’t.”
I answered while placing a slice of smoked beef on a piece of bread. It was a simple combination, but it tasted excellent.
“Is that so? Sterling Selection began with a small desk in the corner of a used-car dealership on the outskirts of Arizona.”
As Richard began his story with shining eyes, Hailey focused on her meal with an expression that said, Here he goes again.
“There were two main reasons I was able to turn such an insignificant company into one of the top three in the industry. The first was recognizing trends quickly.”
In the 1980s, he realized that prewar automobiles would become popular.
In the 1990s, he moved ahead of the boom in muscle cars from the 1960s and 1970s.
Then, in the 2000s, he even anticipated that television programs such as Pimp My Ride would expand the custom-car market.
(Translator’s Note: Pimp My Ride — An American vehicle-customization reality television series hosted by rapper Xzibit. It originally aired on MTV from 2004 to 2007 and became associated with highly elaborate, entertainment-focused custom builds)
Richard’s life story was as fascinating to me as the old tales I had listened to as a child.
It also contained plenty of information that could help me operate my restoration shop.
“The other reason was the Sterling Certification system. You have heard of that, haven’t you?”
“Yes. Hailey explained it to me the last time I came to watch the auction. The grading system was detailed and clearly defined, so it seemed trustworthy.”
“But even that involved an enormous amount of work in the beginning. Until the system was fully established, I had to personally compare every appraisal result against the actual vehicle.”
Richard’s gaze lingered in the air for a moment as though he were recalling the past, then returned to the table.
“But these days, it’s rarer to find a company that doesn’t do something similar. That’s why we need the SIR project.”
Hailey, who had been eating quietly, joined the conversation in a low voice.
“SIR?”
“Yeah. It stands for Sterling In-House Restoration. It’s the project I’m currently planning and pushing forward.”
“You mean the direct-purchase strategy you tested during the M5 auction.”
“Hehe, exactly. The fastest way to persuade the executives is to show them results, and thanks to you, Jason, it was a complete success.”
Hailey smiled brightly at me.
“Setting a new auction record is no simple feat, so even those men obsessed with numbers could not refuse to acknowledge it. Besides, I personally saw the M5 you worked on before it was delivered to the client, and…”
“Hehe. Dad, hurry up and be honest.”
Hailey urged Richard on with a mischievous expression when his voice trailed off.
“Ahem. I must admit what deserves to be admitted. I was quite astonished when I saw the car. At first, I thought Hailey had recruited some hidden veteran with decades of experience. I never imagined you would be the same age as my daughter. Which brings me to this.”
Richard looked at my face once more with an unreadable expression, then handed me a printed sheet of paper.
Employment Offer Letter?
The position, contract duration, annual salary, and other conditions were written on it in detail.
“This is a formal offer. The conditions are negotiable, but I doubt there will be much you want to change.”
The position was Lead Restoration Engineer.
The contract would remain in effect indefinitely until terminated by mutual agreement.
And the annual salary is… two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?
As I read down the page, my gaze came to an abrupt stop at the figure in the salary section.
I counted the zeroes several times in case I had misread them, but it definitely said USD 250,000.
Whew. My hands are suddenly shaking.
It was an extraordinary offer.
An annual salary of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars was effectively what a master technician with decades of experience would earn.
In other words, I was being offered one of the highest salaries in the industry.
And salary was not the only advantage to being employed by a large American corporation.
First, my credit would improve substantially. A considerable portion of the exorbitant cost of health insurance would also be covered, and I would gain solid retirement benefits such as a 401(k).
(Translator’s Note: 401(k) — A United States employer-sponsored defined-contribution retirement plan named after Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Employees may contribute part of their wages, and employers may also make contributions or provide matching funds.)
However…
“I’m extremely grateful for the offer, but I don’t think I can accept.”
After a brief but intense deliberation, I rejected Richard’s proposal.
“…What? Why?”
Hailey, who had been smiling broadly beside me, nearly dropped the cup in her hand when she heard my answer.
“May I ask why?”
Richard maintained his expression as he questioned me, though clear bewilderment colored his voice.
“You may laugh when you hear this, but I’ve decided that I want to try building up my own business. Of course, joining your company would earn me more money and provide greater stability in the immediate future, but… it isn’t as though I lack confidence in myself.”
It was something I had decided recently.
The night Noah and I stayed up late talking together in the warehouse.
“…”
Silence filled the room as though time itself had frozen.
Hailey stared at me with wide, rabbit-like eyes, while Richard’s expression did not change at all.
“Interesting…”
Richard was the first to break the brief silence.
“That only makes me want you more.”
Despite his words, Richard looked as though lasers might shoot from his eyes at any moment.
“…If you truly mean that, may I make a proposal of my own?”
“A proposal? From you to me?”
The atmosphere was like walking across thin ice.
But this was still an opportunity I could not afford to abandon.
I had no idea when I would next have the chance to sit face-to-face with an industry titan of this caliber.
I drew a deep breath and straightened my chest.
“Yes. For the direct-purchase project to establish itself successfully, you will inevitably need restoration work of the highest standard. But realistically, newly recruited internal staff will not be capable of producing proper restoration quality in the short term. Particularly with expensive models, a single mistake could damage the company’s reputation.”
“…And?”
Richard leaned slightly forward as he listened.
“I can solve that problem for you. Among the vehicles Sterling purchases directly, entrust me with the top five percent—the vehicles that are both highly valuable and especially difficult to restore.”
I spoke as calmly and confidently as possible.
“In other words, you are proposing a strategic outsourcing partnership…”
“Dad, Jason’s skill is unquestionable. Doug said the same thing.”
Hailey supported me at precisely the right moment.
“Hmm… It is not a bad thing for a young man to possess a businessman’s mindset. But are you truly saying that even the most difficult vehicles will not be a problem? Those are the ones most people would rather avoid.”
“From my perspective, that is exactly what I want. You gain a competitive advantage by doing what others avoid. Provided, of course, that the compensation is reasonable.”
“What? Hahahahaha! So that’s why you didn’t even blink at an annual salary of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
Richard laughed heartily at my answer.
It was the most relaxed I had seen him all day.
“In any case, you certainly have confidence. Yes, that is how a man should be. Very well. We will begin with a small number of vehicles. I have become curious to see just how far you can go.”
Richard raised his uncooperative body slightly and extended his hand toward me.
“Thank you. You won’t regret it.”
I quickly stepped forward and firmly clasped his hand.
[1964 Imperial LeBaron]
[Imperial LeBaron Interior]