The wild card Joker! An unCool DC comical anti-hero...

The short journey of a consultant trying to navigate through the marketplace and work with professionals who actually have gravitas and sound business ethics rather than hot air or as we technically refer to it: wind!

Rigoletto (pronounced [riɡo?letto]) is an opera in three acts[1] by Giuseppe Verdi. It shows the crippling affects of amorality at court and the misdemeanors, mendax flagrante that are bedded leading to curses and the outcome as a result.

I wonder what Verdi would have created if he had been in a situation that for me commenced almost 3 years ago. At first a light touch of dangling conversations that never finished to seeing a signed agreement - since there appeared to be no actual business. Numerous texts or calls would surmount to the same. Introductions would be made and a professional in Canada contacted me exasperated - he surmised, recently, with a snort and derision that the 'business man,' who I shall refer to as 'Rigolett'; was flaky, or at best incompetent.

The renowned philosopher who wrote a revealing theory about vagueness and semantics would have found his next subject:

Timothy Chambers,  is an insightful philosopher  whose many articles and journals: Mind (2000, 2001), the Monist (1998), Philosophy (2001), the Aristotelian Society Proceedings(2000), and Ratio (1999). His research interests include Hilary Putnam, time travel, the Ontological Argument, the Doomsday Argument and the semantics of vagueness. His work on Putnam included a logical formula—the Chambers Conditional[1]—which figures in Crispin Wright's recent work on vagueness

[Cited: Wikipaedia links inserted in text above]

Eventually, though I was hooked, but it was by a well-turned approach whereby an ethical highly respected, genuine 'Suit,' was engaged as a 'front,' a consort, or 'right hand man,' to entice the engagement. Naturally, I thought if the 'Suit' is involved this must be 'REAL!" At some point the Suit would say, they felt the same of me, that my 'involvement,' suggested the promise of a certainty, reliability and trustworthiness in an authentic business offering. I never reach for low hanging fruit when the top branches offered a worthier prize.

[Citing: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eduardo_Zamacois_y_Zabala]

REAL?? in fact that word was often dropped into conversations that would be spirited, in a vocal pattern suggesting that Rigolett, as an anthropomorphic chimp or chump; was very excited. Another new contact, one more presentation, wild card claims, even photographs to show the attendees looking intent at the presentation of suppliers, possible refits or refurbish or other technical capabilities ... " Cognitive dissonance came to mind!

If things didn't go either his or his consorts way, the pair would be known to have flares, domestic disputes, cooling periods, and anyone working with them could be at any time for the most trivial of imagined paranoia's discarded - outcast, and then scornfully, undermined as sores become crusted with a dark scab.

This sense of impending uncertainty, and instability in what should have been two of the key partners was itself a sign of the future, but it took time before the cracks really appeared to where they were no longer reparable. Qualified and rational decision making was as absent as consistency and a commitment to the Team that allegedly were the core leadership instead the couples chaotic existence was to triangulate each other with anyone else in an effort to hold their relationship together and thus be allied against the rest of the Suits who might have served to propel the business and accelerate the growth. There may be cases where the sociopath CEO has an enabling domestic goddess at his hearth driving his ambitions, to propel him forward so that he can continue to climb the social ladder, but sometimes the relationship spills over to toxicity at the workplace.

When he hired a CTO, (chief technology officer) this was a case of the blind leading the dumb, no amount of emails, could generate any response from this elusively titled individual either. It was as if Rigolett had a monkey grinder to support the husband and wife team of tricksters! Certainly no balanced YING or YANG!

With the organ grinding monkey the couple had their third wheel to help convince any prospective clients or suppliers of their version of reality. (At the time of writing it has been over 8 months and still no lease signed).

Thus, maintaining a compliant technological or operational infrastructure can be a difficult task, with a battling couple diverting valuable resources away from core business. Trying to avoid the bullets that ricochet between the pair, sooner or later one is at odds with them both.

One then can't begin to offer a flexible portfolio of high quality, managed products and services which can support business critical systems, while simultaneously facilitating a breakdown in a couples relationship. At any rate certainly not without premises or certainty of a lease! Even the website was written as if it were a feat accomplished instead of simply sales puff! It certainly isn't cost-effective activity that enhances productivity. Especially since trust and collaboration are key success factors in every start-up business, and hardly byproducts of a substrate of venomous domestic disharmony oil-spilling into inflammatory and irreconcilable working relations. An entirely (uncool!) searing desperation from both Ricollet and his 'better half,:Ricochet! Both lacking innovative thinking!

Knight and Jester Charles Marion Russell - 1898

Consider the Knight as the 'Suit,' and we have our credible source of comfort and security for Rigolett to appear as a righteous wing-man!

Maybe, he can swing the deal - this time. I genuinely wish him luck, if he can maybe, just maybe he changes his style, perhaps one 'win,' can change everything. I can care for the underdog, but then one uncovers the less glittering persona behind the mask, from discrediting those Friendships close to them, their 'better half,' exposing the woman they supposedly worshiped, denigrating her among their BOY''s club by circulating private communications. Or, just a slight flirtation, describing their flair for assuming they were desireable as part of their narcissism since they are used to manipulating anyone that has something they desire.

I judge men on how they protect their loved ones, preserve their privacy, and treat women as an indication of their true baseline virility and standard of moral clarity. A flaw in any of these criteria are a catastrophic failure, if I were quoting 'Forged in Fire.' The steel in the fire is warped as it is quenched and thereby a matter of time before it is simply not up to the task, and must be disavowed as being 'fit for use,'

[Citing: JESTER & BEAUTY GIRL 1888 Antique Engraving Matted]

Ever watchful, and reasoning that the version of events that Rigolett shared with me, describing his history of unequivocal failures were due to others abandonment at the 11th hour, "the Investor has folded, is out, has let me down, etc etc," or their fall from his graces, "... Don't trust the (devalued!) Suit,' reasons would increase with intensity in his voice, always in his car - never from any office since he had yet to sign a lease.

Naturally, one doesn't want to be typecast as leaving a project unfinished, so the 'Suits,' and I, in leopard print heels, would repeatedly go over the same ground, compare notes, trying to fathom if this is going to manifest into something - we can carve into granite, as a successful project and mark our resumes with pride for our involvement. Another day, another job, let's finish this and at the very least feel a sense of pride in our smallest accomplishments.

A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) secured the promise of certainty that none would cross the line of cross-checking each others note-taking or corroborate any white knuckle rides into oblivion. If by rare chance there was a chance email address from one stakeholder including a partner this would be rare, Rigollet rarely allowed business cards to be exchanged. When caught with his seams undone, Rigollet withdrew, he could always put off a site location tour and was familiar with that sense of entitlement that Receptionists didn't check too closely credentials that otherwise would have been scrutinised with the vigilance of a prison guard or datacentre technician! If confronted with a grip on his scrawny neck, the jester backpeddled on his unicycle and withdrew into dark recesses and became impossible to find, no doubt stitching his seams up with titanium thread, learning another way to divert, deflect and diffuse any resistance.

Jan Matejko - Sta?czyk Circa 18c.

I would listen bewildered to the description of the list of failures of the Suit... Rigolet passing the buck, blame mentality and down-beaten. Well he certainly knew how to abuse, and there would be threats that he would besmirch that person among his peers! Furthermore, the Suit would be relegated to the ash pile or considered the enemy, and on separate occasions, that Suits left base-camp; the remainder of us were interrogated for any continued contact with the Suit. Exasperated, one would be conflicted, yet find it easy to see both sides of the whole picture. So, whilst the Suit was name-called, attention to the Suits alleged faults, and a distortion of events which somehow didn't match the Suit that I had been engaging with.

In contrast the Suit was beleaguered, frustrated at the rigmarole, the challenges of never feeling on solid ground, and the fog of uncertainty as Rigolett made claims they found impossible to see concluded into any real executed plan or the blueprints that seemed produced by others who were also being mislead as to funding and resources to complete them.

[Citing William R. Hearts Article in https://www.nybooks.com/daily/2017/02/13/the-true-history-of-fake-news/]

What was particularly distasteful was that the Suit's private life was laid bare and distorted to show Rigolett as a benefactor. What it was revealing, was that if one was sharing any personal history with Rigolett, eventually this would also be compromised. Stomach churning visual that Rigolett was the type who would share an infected needle if he were the 'hood', in a Martin Scorsese film, with smiling saccharin scariness!

FOREWARNED?

The Suit took Rigollet aside, he stroked his chiseled chin through a magnificent beard, a precursor to any thoughtful moment. He looked hard into the face of the clown: whose glass jaw shone mirroring as he always did his viewer.

"Look Rigollet: we have known each other well- nigh 'so and so many,' years, (peering into those joyless twinkling eyes past the smiling mask), you know this time you have engaged good people and this might be your last chance? If I come on board, where will we be in a year from now?"

His own eyes had a different shade of all the pebbles on a beach that seamed to merge into depth; he paused we sat across each other in Robin Hoods' county. We had just admired some sketches of medieval symbolism - shields and blades, heraldry. I listened to his voice, he was remarkably sharp not only in his delivery but also the resonance of it that rose like a warm flickering flame even on a hot summers afternoon.

Another suit and another had the same heart-to-heart, weeks later concerning these early dialogues discussing how Rigollet wasn't losing any steampower, as he called in old favours, or looked for new props.

... But that summer afternoon, above the other people who were laughing or sharing their own special times in that quaint coffee shop, the bearded Suit, with his gentle voice, (echoed I was certain, many before it), tried to penetrate as a parent to a child. I sensed that we both were feeling compassion for such a broken outer facade of a puppet being string-pulled by a puppeteer inside Rigollet's psyche.

[Cited: Puppet Jester - League of legenda - Chinese Art]

They shared history, had some insights into each others vulnerabilities as all 'Friends,' do. It is as if in that moment the Suit knew, (shivering on a balmy summer afternoon), the face that peered back at him didn't seem to fully register the gravity of the warning.

Other times, Suits that grazed, simply shrugged and walked away, marked it to bad enterprise, or just another wounding experiences. We are ALL used to such scars - some deeper and hidden. This time this Suit had perspicacity, and understood risk, and knew things might fall apart but this wouldn't be like the others, Rigollet was operating at a higher risk, and social media or email, texting and networking would be his undoing if he continued in his usual modis operatis.

One of the other well respected Suits called me, it was a few weeks into the 'project,' and this (the bearded suit had anticipated it) Suit already saw the same signs of repeated patterns appearing, that we all expected. I sighed, neither of us were prepared to invest time or energy and importantly our trusted network with what was appearing to be a smokescreen for a site location that never seemed to be signed off. However, we genuinely wanted to help him succeed if there was a chance with strong alliances, so we decided to give it an honest chance of repair since this wasn't the first start-up we had known. Thus; armed with erudite knowledge of working in corporate environments, where the rules were more linear, and poorly governing principles were harder to mask without formal discovery.

I liked the bearded Suit, a rugged masculinity, solid, personable man; the antithesis of Rigollets wiry agility in juggling fiction from fact. The Suit had that glow of warmth, we had shared notes and realised we had known each other some twenty years earlier, and were able to feel that genuine connection one makes with an old acquaintance and familiarity. We both realised this project was spurring to an end long before its principle players, courtiers and their pages would have a taste of the badly served dish.

[Cited: 19th Century French Portrait Study of a Knight: https://www.hunterandrose.co.uk/products/19th-century-french-portrait-study-of-a-knight.]

My patience, willpower and reasoning that every text after a while would read; 'Sheffield on, Glasgow off," then ... "Leicester on, Cork off, then "Bristol on, Hook off..." So forth.. Meaningless score-cards, for locations that were being visited, vacuous meetings attended, agile suppliers ever increasing in their business card sharing... The Investor always on the back-foot, or engaged in some luxurious activity that had no bearing with the project itself, 'Golf in the Pyrenees', or driving racing scooters, etc. Every so often the angel investor became a dark angel who one of us had upset, and that needed us to produce, or prepare or submit (nonsensical!) performance evidence. The elaborately described technically descriptive project was never one where risk was being minimised, in fact I saw a penciled floor plan rudimentary and poorly executed that a 12 year old could have crayoned it more accurately.

Meantime, every so often the main husband and wife 'tag team,' fell ill, and would be out of circulation since they had constant trips to and fro from either hospital visits,or their transport needed replacing with high end luxury vehicles, whilst pleading poverty. If not them then their pets, either way clearly the stresses of spinning plates, and throwing knives had impacts on the entire household! The reality was this, it was simply an emotional roller coaster, a playful naivete, a weak nervous system, medical inspections, and a barrage of tests, his own stomach certainly couldn't cope with the deviations of spin doctoring.

[Citing: 'Guilt', alien Painting by Miles - https://www.reddit.com/r/Art/comments/7vkibx/guilt_umiles_pencil_2018/ ]

Columbo (the detective) would have had less patience than I! Both of the Suits and I also became ill. It was inevitable, the strain starts to break one down. Once the immune system has taken a hit, it is ever increasing circles of dizziness, trying to recover, fathom whether this ride is simply paying off and to try to get off quickly, but not make the mistake of having misread the situation, because only 1% was ever really shared or discovered. However, but for other clients, none of the Suits let go of their primary sources of income or their other customers - why would they?

We ambled on like a troop, being healthy with our own independent businesses but when we came together for this project, (we never saw a project plan) it felt like we were doomed, on a badly targeted mission. As the Suits dropped off, someone new was added - and would be paraded like a pony - the same joyless trek! When, the last one joined or should I say the most recent, despite his (the new less polished, more stunted 'Suit') background, I was never introduced, no calls, no responses to emails, and no actual documentation produced to share by him. It was a complete farce!

[Cited: https://coolvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/2D-Art-Oleg-Shekhovtsov-Joker.jpg]

After a while, the aerial (eagle!) solitary angler in my nature, would simply leave Rigolette to his new crutch the equally illusive Suit, or lets say Nappy (diaper-boy) - since this one was no comparison to the previous elite 'knights'. So, he had finally met his match, someone prepared to enable him and be his mule. I shoved him on the proverbial back burner and prod him a little to see if there was the same superfluous movement, like watching a fluttering lost moth, tattered wings still launching itself feebly at the flaming torch.

I would request an update, "Belfast ON, Bridlington OFF..." or, "August to start, set-up, focus on designs, layout, emails will be sent by the Diaper-boy, that is his first priority... "

[Cited: unknown artist - ubiquitous dark - versus - light]

The dichotomy between real and unreal, sales-puff and concrete contracts... It all blurred!

(Real city names for possible business sites have been changed as the supposed sites that were being visited, scoped, discussed with suppliers, with proposed clients, and partners - with possible future staff, or the land agents and site managers, all must have been equally misled, frustrated and banging their heads on their desktops or filing cabinets). A playing card castle had more stability, a sandcastle more resilience.

In several months nothing was ever signed off; despite numerous communications and time wasting calls, now these were simply me going through the motions... I even re-arranged a trip to Nottingham to meet a close friend around co-ordinating a meeting with Rigollet. Waited at a service station for him,one hour in, to call me at the last moment making me two hours late because now I was stuck in evening traffic! Given the following excuse, "The wife (who must be obeyed) can't take the dogs out, so I have to go home and do that!"

Carl Jung: [cited: https://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/archetype-of-trickster-clown-and-the-fool/] would have an opinion on the trickster, the jester: the clown!

Thank you very much, get your priorities right oh but why would you? Entitled types don't respect your time, only theirs!

[Cited: https://coolvibe.com/2011/portrait-art-the-riddler/]

Each misrepresented Suit, would contact me after they were dispensed with and suddenly there would be a salvo of similar storylines to mine, and the proof of the soggy pudding was this, so many people can't all be wrong.

I asked one of my ex-bosses to check Rigollet out, a highly regarded and intelligent source that I would trust over and beyond anyone, he simply said; "He is flaky, has no substance and is like chasing a (hot air) breeze,"

 SPIN DOCTORING - JESTER!

To give you an idea of the spin-doctor: dialogues are circular, location names he is pitching for are thrown out like a magician flipping cards, 'See the ace? where is the queen, jack up my sleeve?' then the next call you wonder if he can keep his stories straight. Talks that were lengthy, about multiple suppliers in his [card deck] but he is the joker.  Sometimes you are pulled into a remote call, but neither party is connected to the other, no chance of stories being corroborated. Even if you are paid for your time, it is risky business because it can and will fold any moment, you cannot rely on such an insipid creature and you become concerned, as you notice other extremely trusting, ethical types, are falling under the charm of what appears to be a lucrative deal on the table.

I have worked in many entrepreneurial environments and some were your corporate roles, standard box-office-jungle politics with exciting peers, knowledgeable ones, loyal, devoted and hardworking types that remained Friends long after the engagement. In other more consultative projects I met and for short periods sometimes had the opportunity to work with genuine advanced thinkers. These were true entrepreneurial spirits of adventure, finesse with knowing how to model their businesses after their inspired visions. Others struggled with budget, cared for their staff and treated everyone as family with consideration and a sense of longevity that was more important than quick wins. I would be breathless, tired working hard and with it that exhaustion that comes from waiting to see if we were successful or not. There was much to learn, for how they executed with a polish their next chess move, gave an indication to whether they were swift decision makers or took their time and conscientiously determined. Some were hard task masters at work, and one could learn so much at their shoulder or at the helm when they trusted you to deliver on your own promises and appreciated your skills and expertise.

However, Rigolett: an entirely different mischief maker, winsome, and at times immature, the heart of the goofy child you want to help, thinking maybe if he does get his site, and can pull the strings he is tying around his pinkies it might just work. After all, look at Trump, isn't he the worlds most steadfast and successful Rigoletto. Isn't there some craziness in all fast moving businessmen, is that just the personality of those who 'dare, win?"

[Cited: Marx Reichlich, a jester]

Despite a general overall impression of friendliness and a quick smile; I am neither an optimist or pessimist, but a realist. The smile is simply that I recognise the joy of living, and enjoy engaging with people. At times, watchful as an observer, or more intense reserving judgement until I have more understanding. Even those I particularly dislike, I can stomach IF they are competent and professional or have some other attributes that I admire. Half empty, half full cup visual as a gauge for ones outlook, makes no conceptual or visual, or even logical sense to me. I need a ruler, I compare it to Schr?dinger's cat.

I see situations as fascinating events that I can unravel, given enough opportunity, philosophical I can quickly forgive a few minor mistakes in a mission to move on swiftly, and not be manacled to the situation. Efficient, I mark those flaws either in their character, or park them so that I can revisit the thought at a more stationary moment of repair, or solace where batteries are being recharged. I get on with others similar to me, although our energies may be entirely different: let us give the benefit of doubt, and always committed to deliver on my own promises. With that self evaluation, I like to analyse personas, situational adventures with completely impartial and diverse counsel or confidants. I always discover a different perspective and enjoy trying to find the synergy from alternative landscapes. Whether that is commandeering a coffee table and using salt cellars or forks and sugar cubes as players in the replay of a specific scene that I had just experienced as a key moment that could be improved.

SEEKING COUNSEL FROM A NEUTRAL SOURCE - THE REAL FACE OF VALOR

After sharing an experience with a close friend who is a Vietnam Combat Veteran, about this unethical business man; the type who spins his plates, over-promises, delivers zero. He gave me a wonderful response, and sent me a picture of his Best Friend, Kyle as an inspiration of the true face of valor, so there would be no doubt that what was happening was unacceptable to anyone who cares about a humble toil for work, and delivering on one's word to the best of ones abilities. Live by the sword, rise or fall on one's sword.

So to my Friends wonderful response, here it is, one can fill in the gap(s) but as I discard the rags of that old relationship based on Rigoletts' tissue of lies, I can ponder these lines and I am sure YOU the reader will have also if you have the breadth and experiences yourself understand the sentiment in its entirety and also prize its Wisdom, and the 'outstanding points,' from one who has faced real war, and despite the trauma and war wounds has answered me with the courageous voice of valor. (See his guidance in Italics).

'Being in business is like looking at yourself in a mirror. The man in the glass is the judge. There’s actually a poem about it. I remember one of the verses very clearly. “Some people may call you a wonderful chum and give you pats on the back as you pass. But your really just a cheat and a bum, if you can’t look at the man in the glass.”

[Cited from: https://www.theguyintheglass.com/gig.htm, The Guy in the Glass

Poem by Dale Wimbrow, (c) 1934]

The War-Veteran continued...

"Some people have no glass of life to look into. Remember what the Beatles said “One thing you can’t hide, is when your crippled inside."

[Cited: John Lennon: Crippled Inside | The Beatles]Rigolett is crippled inside and the irony is that he can’t become a good man and true to his word unless he has a Spiritual change....and guess what that is an inside job. If his spirit is that hollow he will Never be a man. He is a spineless liar and ****. (Insert any Latin, Italian, Greek, French, Hindi, Mandarin or Swahili swear word that is acceptable to you where you see these * symbols it will fit).

[Mario Balassi - Jester in the mirror 1604–1667]

LEGACY

He (the Combat Soldier) poignantly said to me earlier the following:-

"When people say that I am a hero I tell them, “No I am not a hero but I had the HONOR of serving in the company of a great many heroes. Their names are on that Wall in Arlington National Cemetery. There are 57,939 Heroes on that Wall.... Some gave, and some gave ALL..."

We all need inspiration, and a reminder of direction and flight or fight if the courage is there to avoid, side step, ignoring the ignoble, those that are unjust or simply playing a con; stepping on each other to get to their objective which no amount of inveigling will sustain long run.

We ALL want to leave a legacy and for those of us in Business our resumes in some small part share our battle scars.

FOOLS GOLD!

Even if you manage to get paid, it is a hard-won 'victory,' because it is becomes soured, is hardly earned since you are never fully engaged to be successful where there is no site, no staff and no clients or services let alone suppliers since it is all a mystical place inside Rigoletts universe where he continues to juggle plates, holds meetings, impresses with his anecdotes and name dropping and each is suffering the fool who will eventually only serve up 'fools gold.'

(For anyone who doesn't understand 'Fools Gold," it is pyrites that appear to sparkle like real gold and are in fact considered worthless; https://www.rmg.co.uk/discover/explore/martin-frobisher-north-west-passage-expedition-1576%E2%80%9378%20)

[Cited: https://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix5/jesterpowers.htm]

The WHY's - Mainly the reasons the Jester Fails?

I believe that being the center of attention, enjoying being the fools wit', the court jester might have many redeeming features after all he gives hope of an adventure (the Fools Journey - Tarot...) of escape from the mundane routine that can be hell for those that need mental stimulation. Thus, the Jester certainly stimulates with the 'pearls of wisdom,' he has stolen from courtiers by his sleight of hand. However, the Jester can be only what he is designed to be and that is certainly true to his nature. He will never hold down a job, and if he does deliver a business, he won't have the force of nature to deliver on its business plan because that takes hard graft, and being trusted not only by his team, his partners but also his clients. That is the core quality he lacks - TRUST.

He can if course still be predictable so he can be relied on to disappear for weeks or months at a time, under harlequin layers of diversionary tactics; whilst he corals his next team of thoroughbreds. That chariot will also be left, spinning its wheels in a ditch. Some natures as in the case of the Jester, our tragic Rigollet: are doomed to be on a rats wheel and they cannot get off, too embedded are they: in that maniacal race to nothing.

[Cited: https://carrierobbinsdesignageinc.com/carrie.html]

... I am not sure I have completed this writing... Although I finished with Rigolett many weeks ago, and it was a very short diversion - the taste remains of inedible bites of memory and learning. I may entertain developing the layers and uncovering the patterns that devolved from it. Or the organic revisions that come about as one in reflection, struggles in piecing together which of his personalities (is that it, multiple alters) one was engaged with, as some mundane trigger reminders of that period, and then as another psychological reasoning is dissected. Therefore, consider this article a work in progress...