Powher - Sex, Money & Power in silicon valley

“I don’t know why black guys are complaining about funding, there are powerful white women in a city full of gay men, unless your d*ck’s broke, you shouldn’t be broke”

Overtime, it’s seems you are drawn to the same set of personalities as you get older. Everyone reminds you of someone you met before. At 37 years of age and for the 1st time in a long time, I can say.. Eric is a truly unique character.

He’s the reality friend, I guess I can call him friend maybe… he offers me perspectives I hadn’t considered before. A way of looking at life that’s genuine.

“You listening..” eric continued

“If I could hang that on my wall for every black guy who comes to me looking for money to see and not get called a misogynist, racist, sexist, homophobe, I would…”

“but, you…”

as he sits down on the couch within an arm length from me,

“you my nigga, you get it”..

He paused, shifted his body across me from the couch and remained in eye contact.

“alright… so where’s this going?” I asked,

I’ve been in this situation before, white guys who just want to know you are cool with them saying “nigga”.

“cool, my nigga”… eric responded, still in lock with eye contact

I chuckled a bit, “look, that pavlov’s whistle shit doesn’t work with me, regardless If I’m here or not, you are going to play some Biggie and I’m sure you not going to bleep yourself, just make sure you keep the my in front of it”…

He laughed… “i like that rule” eric responded,

“so where are you going with this? funding, women and all that?”

“70% of my fund comes from women, some are married some are single, some are old some are fat, they are all very qualified..”

“whoa, are you asking what I think you are asking?”

“let me finish” eric interrupted,

“look, they just want to feel wanted, it’s not sex… or just sex. The average woman get’s hit on 65% less in san francisco.. did you know that?” eric asked

“which one?” I responded?

eric looked confused,

“it’s not sex or it’s not JUST sex?” I asked

“what does it matter, you get extended time with stanford, havard elite women, who have the kind of connections you are looking for…. powerful women fulfill their fantasies in private and keep it private…”

He paused, I sat staring blankly at him. I’m no saint, I get what he’s saying.
With age comes reflection, I’m on a different path in life however. This would have been amazing stories for the younger me.

“I’m too old for that” I responded… “don’t they want cabana boys or young college students.?”

“Like I said these are smart women” eric responded…

“You know why a lot of start ups fail? Men are investing in boys they can’t train to become men… they are hoping but they can’t. Powerful women on the other hand, can make you a better business man and a better man” he paused, got up from the couch and walked towards his jacket hung on one of the chairs around the dining table.

It was a beautiful high rise apartment on Embarcadero overlooking the bay bridge. It’s clear he’s done well for himself, the place was very well put together and plays a part in the sale when making the kind of proposal he’s making.

I wasn’t in a day dream of me having a place like this when my startup grows, I was stuck in a moment of time, wondering how much time I have left to be a wealth dreamer. I flashed back to my small triumphs in the past. I whipped the DC streets in my mercedes benz c-class…

“For them, this is a way to protect their investment.” eric’s voice brought me back to the present.

“Like I said, it’s not always sex and I’m not going to send them little boys who can’t charm them or make them feel like a woman… in exchange, they will take you where you want to go and make you the man you need to be for when you get there. You get your investment and make us all a lot of money”

My face changed from a less confused expression, the big money smile on eric’s face forced a small smile from mine.

“okay…. you got it, you down?” eric asked excitedly…

I nodded, my hand gestures confirmed and my smile got immaturely bigger.

“cool, theres only one rule” eric continued as he puts his jacket on

“if you see any of the women you encounter in public, don’t approach them unless they approach you”

“that’s it?” I asked

“unless you are stupid, that should be the only rule you need” eric firmly said

“this is marketing 101… the women keep points… you want to be recommended”

“are you being serious?” I asked

“yes, there are categories… conversation is one, as in you’ll be recommended if you are a good conversationalist or gay…” eric muffled

“you can be recommended for travel, and of course you can be recommended for extras.”

“so do you have like a catalog of black guys for this? you are an investor pimp? you gotta know this is pretty fucking crazy and cool at the same time.”

“you don’t need to know that? I gotta head out for a bit, make yourself at home, enjoy the view, I’ll give you a call later with your 1st appointment.”

I sat, a bit confused, nervous and kiddy at the same time. The moment was a bit surreal and no where close to what I expected when I got a call from eric to meet up.

I got up from the couched walked next to the window and starred in comfort at the calm waters. Random thought to random thought brought smirks to my cheeks and eerily I felt some light relief from perceived weight on my shoulders. Funding was finally on the way and I got immaturely excited. From a distance I heard my phone vibrate to notify a text message and I walked over, picked it up

“you should shower…” read a text from Eric…

“I did this morning…” I responded

“not my request…” responded the text from Eric

I gazed at my phone confused and unnoticed of the jingling keys at the front door, the turn of the door knob forced my head up, assuming it was eric, only to see the frame of an 5–5 Indian woman, dressed in traditional attire walk through the door.

“she likes to meet for a couple hours before her 11am meetings…” eric’s text read..

“You must be Anari, did you shower?” she asked…

“not yet…” I responded aiming for higher bass in my voice for some reason.

“my massage table is in the back room, I’ll get ready while you shower. We’ll start with a massage”, she walked passed hastily with little eye contact..

“be sure to use the cologne that’s in the bathroom” her voice echo’d from the hall..”

I looked at my phone, my thumb ready to reply to eric, then I changed my mind and followed her path down the hall… If this was going to be done it was going to be my way…

I confidently pushed the door open to the massage room… she looked up at me..

“I don’t get ordered” I said… she stood paused her robe slightly off her right shoulder.. I walked over, placed my hand around her throat then walked my hand up to her jaw line grazing her lips with my index finger…

“my dear”, she said with heightened breath as she lightly pushed me away with her right hand, “go shower and be sure to wear the cologne in the bathroom. It’s my late husbands favorite”

I stepped back and got a rush of sensibility. “it’s not just, sex”, eric’s voice replayed in my head. “they just want to feel wanted”, I replayed him saying.

Politely I walked out the massage room, headed down the hallway, with a better sense of the exchange at hand.

To be continued…..