2030_ The Real Story of What Happens to America - Albert Brooks [101]
Max and Kathy decided to stay in the finest hotel in the city because they assumed that was where Sam Mueller would be. The hotel was part of the Imperial group, a French-Italian lodging company that built small ultraluxury hotels. If Max hadn’t been born rich, they would never have stayed there, but the chance of running into Sam Mueller and actually having the conversation was worth the expense.
Kathy was in awe. She had never seen a hotel like this before. Three hundred rooms, all suites. One-, two-, and three-bedroom configurations. A butler for each floor and food to die for, which was included in the price. There was always a buffet prepared by a world-class chef, and it could be served in their suite or they could go down to the mezzanine and eat at any time, even in the middle of the night. If someone called the concierge or room service or the valet, they would not only answer with their name but always on the first ring. They were known for that. And then there was the spa. The Imperial group was famous for its spas. Beyond luxury and with all the latest beauty machines.
For example, after decades of teasing women with false claims, a cellulite machine was invented that really did take the dimples away. Not permanently, but for up to a year. These machines were very expensive. They used a new laser technology along with a sound wave generator that got under the skin and massaged it from the inside. Each one was priced at two million dollars. The Imperial chain was the only hotel that had them in all of their spas.
Another impressive thing about the Imperial was that its hotels were the first to have virtual walls in every room. When visitors walked into their living room, the wall looked like a wall. But it was actually a picture of a wall. At the flick of a button it would turn into entertainment, or a babbling brook, or a famous artwork. Billionaires had these virtual walls first, but they were too expensive for regular people. When the Imperial group first installed the walls thousands of guests checked in just to see them. When Kathy pressed the Picasso button, the wall in the living room turned into the Museum of Modern Art. Six Picassos hanging there, so real that she wanted to go over and touch them. Something that was never allowed in a real museum.
Their gamble paid off. Max found a comfortable chair in the lobby and, sure enough, after about an hour he saw Sam Mueller come out of the elevator and walk to a waiting car. And who was with him? His son, Mark. The same kid Max met in Chicago. When the boy saw him, he smiled. Max smiled back. Mueller and his son got in the car and drove off, and Max just sat there, planning. When he finally pled his case to this man, how could Mueller not understand? Especially since he had a young son. Doesn’t he want a better life for his children? Then he had to laugh. Mueller’s children were going to have more money than God. Probably not the best example.
Max and Kathy were among the first in line the following morning to get seats at the opening of the Immunicate annual stockholders’ breakfast. The stockholders’ meeting was a two-day affair. On the first day they fed people, got them in a good mood, and showed them product reels, all before the actual meeting itself, which was on the second day. The company had figured out a long time ago that if they wined and dined everyone who showed up, made them feel important and gave them lots of free stuff before the actual meeting, people were in a far better mood and didn’t complain