Page 29 of Curvy Love

@PsychedelicAlmond: Shoot.

@TheZMan: What do you have against working for a software behemoth like ZeeSuite?

@PsychedelicAlmond: I don’t have anything against it. It’s just not for me.

@TheZMan: Why? You have something against paid vacation and a cushy benefit plan?

@PsychedelicAlmond: Sigh. I do dream of cushy benefits.

@TheZMan: So come work for ZeeSuite. I could get you an interview when you graduate. I know we could use someone with your talent and ambition. Especially since you seem more mature than the average college student.

@PsychedelicAlmond: I’m older than the average college student. Long story, but I took some gap years to help with family stuff.

@PsychedelicAlmond: Also, don’t think I missed that ‘we.’ Still a company man, aren’t you?

@TheZMan: Okay, the company could use you. And if you dream of cushy benefits, let me assure you, ZeeSuite’s benefits are very cushy.

@PsychedelicAlmond: Tempting, but I have to pass.

@TheZMan: Because ….?

@PsychedelicAlmond: Apparently, I also dream of exorbitant co-pays and out of pocket dental.

@PsychedelicAlmond: But seriously, big companies are great at producing big software that works for other big companies. At producing apps that work for millions of people.

@TheZMan: You say that like it’s a bad thing.

@PsychedelicAlmond: It’s not a bad thing. But there are niche markets that are important, too. There are small products that will serve those niche markets. They will never make millions. They will never go public and make their creators billionaires overnight, but those niche products and niche markets are still important.

@TheZMan: Wow. That wasn’t just, “No, I don’t want to work for ZeeSuite.” That was, “Hell, no!” and “Here’s my dissertation on why ZeeSuite sucks!”

@PsychedelicAlmond: Lol. ZeeSuite doesn’t suck. You create decent products that do a decent job at meeting the needs of a lot of custumers.

@TheZMan: Somehow that stills feels like an insult.

@PsychedelicAlmond: It’s not.

@TheZMan: But …

@PsychedelicAlmond: But, my app will still kick ZeeSuites’s ass, because it’s going to be great. It will just be great at meeting the needs of a very tiny sliver of the market.

@TheZMan: You ever going to tell me what your app does?

@PsychedelicAlmond: Maybe. If I can get this code debugged so that it actually does what it’s supposed to do….

chaptereleven

Ezra

“I had your tux prepared in case you changed your mind about tonight’s gala,” Val, my assistant says. She’s eying me suspiciously from the door.

“It’s just a party, not a gala.” I sigh and offer her a patient smile. “And I told you, it’s primarily for the college students who helped with the beta testing. I didn’t want them all going out and maxing out their credit cards to buy appropriate black-tie attire. This way, we’re casual.”

She smiles back. “I don’t care what people say about you, Mr. Z, you’re a good man.”

My brows raise, but I don’t bother asking what people say about me because I already know. I’ve heard all the recycled jokes about how I’m the only living heart donor, or—and this one is my favorite—that I’m a genius at coding because I’m a robot and code is my native language. “Is everything else ready for tonight?”

“Yes. The caterers are setting up as we speak and security is double checking the pre-printed guest passes.”

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