The essential driver for this journey (ride) would be under the direction of the CEO, Phil Lawsen. Phil came to the company with great aspirations of building the next great enterprise computing behemoth, which would rival the likes of Oracle, Microsoft, and his alma mater Sun Microsystems. In his late 40s, with debonair looks and a creative business style, he was ready to take on the world. A few inches shy of 6 feet, accompanied by a head of hale and hearty hair, gave Phil a stature not to be dismissed, yet not too overbearing.
The supportive family life at home and hostile acquiring with subsequent pillaging of companies gave Phil the yin & yang balance that made him a strong, thriving force. Educated by the best money could buy at Wharton, he embodied the “Zen and the Art of War,” a Japanese or Eastern Buddhist business model. Front and center residing on the mahogany desk in his corner office, two Samaria swords for living. The long sword was designed for entering battle and instilling fear by striking down his opponents; the short sword was for failure to execute Seppuku, the ritual suicide, an integral part of the code of bushido and the discipline of the samurai warrior.
Phil was a brilliant speaker, with audiences eating out of his hand and drinking his brand of Kool-Aid. His non-dictating, eloquent preaching allowed him to continually feed his overinflated ego and empower “the troops” to execute his vision. To drive the point home, he always ended all meetings with his mantra, “Drive Fast, Take Chances,” and so they did.
As Phil’s company grew into an absolute powerhouse, inching closer to being a billion-dollar Software Company by the day, the power trip began to fuel some incredibly larger-than-life egos. The “Dr. Jeckle” persona started morphing into a very evil “Hyde” like character. The new Phil had a very dark side that was rarely seen in the public eye, but true to character, Phil was very particular in his vision. Whether this ego-enhanced character had always been there just below the surface, the absolute power had brought it to life.
He would only drink Sky vodka; if a bar didn’t have it, he would wait until someone went and got it for him. Phil’s vices escalated to include only the best Colombian cocaine, to be sometimes shared with natural blonde escorts. To ensure they were natural blondes, his street-savvy negotiators confirmed the “carpet” matched the “drapes” before they were sent to his penthouse room. As Phil became more adjusted to his new pathological lifestyle, things that the common man would do, like get up each morning and put their pants on one leg at a time, just like everyone else, became a blurred vision. Upon achieving this “higher” state of consciousness, actions then instill themselves in some unbelievable manner.
Invincible “superheroes” believe that they are indeed untouchable. One night in particular, Mr. Lawsen, accompanied by his reluctant wife, was returning from a late evening “business” cocktail party. Phil had knocked back quite a few (too many) extra dry vodka martinis (with 4 Olives) as he discussed, mingled, and negotiated with others in the Silicon Valley inner sanctum. At the end of the evening, he jumped into his $325k Land Rover SUV, his personal choice in the modern world of the urban warfare landscape.
While driving the “bad” streets of Highway 280, the enemy approached from behind in the form of a BMW 750i. A power struggle of superiority ensued, with two vehicles hammering down the road in excess of 120mph. Judgment clouded, reflexes shot, adrenaline pumping in overdrive, and a loving wife in the passenger seat. Two traffic lanes would soon merge, and there would only be room for one leader in this battle. Someone would be coming in last, and no one likes finishing last; we all know that second place is just the first loser.
In the blink of an eye, the SUV would fly through the air, twisting, turning end over end, barrel rolling across the asphalt. Broken glass, distorted metal, shattered egos, and pools of blood all come to a resting state, awaiting police and emergency response in this modern Silicon Valley battle.
By the time EMS had arrived, it was too late; Mr. & Mrs. Lawsen were pronounced dead at the scene. Mrs. Lawsen had been ejected through the front windshield upon impact, and her lifeless body came to rest about 100 feet down the road. Mr. Lawsen was found slumped over toward the passenger seat, impaled with the gear stick shifter. Accidental or improvised Seppuku?