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“So you introduce me,” Tyson’s saying, “then I’ll talk about the patient’s involvement, dedication, and commitment.”
“I think so, yeah, how much of your recovery is in your own hands.”
“I’ll draft that part and read it to you this afternoon,” Tyson states.
“What then?” Henry asks. “How many cases do you want to highlight?”
“I think three will be enough,” I say. “We should include a woman and then a child so we can talk about THOR.”
“Alison Fletcher?” Henry suggests. “She made an excellent recovery.”
“That’s true,” Alex says. “But I was thinking of Marama Bell. Although she’s still in a wheelchair, she’s regained a lot of motor function after her stroke, and she’s very vocal about how we’ve helped. I’m sure she’d be glad to do a five-minute video or something.”
“Good idea,” I say. “And I’m guessing you think we use Finn for the spotlight on THOR?” Missie’s boy was in a car accident and was also told he wouldn’t walk again. Alex was determined to prove the doctors wrong, and Finn can now walk with a cane, and looks likely to regain a high proportion of his mobility.
“If that’s okay with you guys,” Alex says, and we all nod. “He’ll be happy to do whatever we need,” he continues.
“Can you draft those two case studies?” I ask Alex.
“Of course.”
“Can we talk about the specifications?” Henry asks. “How much detail do you want to go into?”
“We don’t want to bore them with too much,” I reply, “but I think we should at least talk about how the half a million lines of proprietary code control the twenty-seven onboard microprocessors that manage the actuator systems. And mention how we’ve developed the custom movement control system to ensure stability throughout all phases of the movement cycle.”
“We should focus on the ease of use,” Tyson says. “The exoskeleton looks daunting, and most people think it’s going to be clumsy and difficult to get used to, but we should point out that it’s fully adjustable to an individual’s measurements in minutes, and the joystick feels natural.”
“I’ll write that,” Henry says.
“That leaves the sales stuff for me,” I reply. “Do you want me to mention the UK deal?”
“It’s all signed,” Alex says, “I don’t see why not. I’d include Titus Oates’ involvement. He’s well known in the AI field, and it’ll be seen as a coup to have him on board.”
“Will do. So, lies, damn lies, and statistics. What do we want to include?”
We talk for a while about our sales numbers, and I go over the latest financial report, highlighting the figures the guys feel it’s important to mention.
At ten, the local café delivers our morning tea, and Aroha goes off to collect it, then joins us for a muffin and a coffee. She obviously knows all the guys, especially Alex, but I don’t think she’s spent any significant time with them. She’s quiet and shy at first, but gradually she relaxes, and by lunchtime she’s laughing at their jokes and happy to join in the conversation.
She soon proves herself invaluable. She answers the phone, and a couple of times she goes to the door for deliveries. She takes Zelda for a walk for Alex. She makes us coffee and sorts out lunch, runs to the supermarket to stock up on water bottles and snacks, and a few times she gives her opinion when we ask her as a layperson whether a particular detail in the presentation is too detailed.
By the end of the day, three hundred and fifty folders sit neatly in piles on the table, and the A4 sheets have all been collated and stapled.
“Excellent job,” I say as I accompany her to the exit. “Tomorrow I might send you to the printer to collect the Kia Kaha brochures, as they’re all ready, but they can’t deliver until next week, and I’d prefer to have them here earlier.”
“Where are they?”
“Over in Addington. You can take my car.”
Her eyebrows rise. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t expect you to use your own car. We don’t have a company car as such here, so you can take mine.”
“You don’t mean the Porsche?” I nod, and she stares at me as I unlock the door and open it. “James, I’m not going to drive your Porsche.”
I laugh. “Why not?”
“You’d seriously let me drive it?”
