Hi, haven't made a web log in a long time. Partly cause I am fed up with fora, partly because of Dewi, who I love very much.
But most of all because off a horror story that doesn't seem to end; my relation with Satya (tamu), his wife Sani and her sister Kadek.
When I first came to Bali, in July of 2002 (on a tourist visa) I decided to start a company, on suggestion of Satya, to make my activities legal in Bali and to transfer my Dutch company activities to Bali. (I sell software that I write myself). The company (PT) needs a director and a commissioner, and would hire me as a consultant. Being a consultant it would be able for me to get a working permit and a visa. In reward for the company facilitating my activities the owners would receive a percentage of the turnover. A normal construction used a lot in Indonesia, in different variations.
The best option seemed to have Satya's wife and her sister as the owners of the company, and discussions with the notary and later a consultant, suggested by Satya, who I name "Mr. Truth", started. The total cost of raising the company would be 7,5 million rp and there was a deposit needed of 50 million on the company bank account. We talked about a percentage for the girls to be name holders, and came up with 10% of the net turnover. They verified this percentage with the notary and he said this would be fair, if I paid all the visa costs. We all agreed and a contract was drawn up what stated this percentage and that I owned all "knowledge and expertise" I brought in, and be allowed to take this out if I stopped being a consultant. Proceedings were slow at the notary, and Mr. Truth had to help to translate the contract into Indonesian. The company would be able to operate from the moment everything "was send to Jakarta", but official permits would take another few months. The girls signed everything; I paid the notary and deposited 50 million on the bank account owned by the company, with rights to the owners and to me. Actually today, 9 months later, there is no official permit, and there is no proper contract signed. After signing the papers Sani became a little worried about her responsibility and wanted out. I convinced her that everything would be fine, and she continued.
A few days later Mr. Truth was consulted about the business visa. He said it would cost me about 17-18 million to get a business visa, and advised (with the girls present) to get a sosial budaya first and report no income to the tax office for the company. This would be cheaper for the time being, since there was no turnover yet. I agreed. Kadek agreed to be my "sponsor" for my sosial budaya. I started the search for a Dutch distributor for my software.
In the mean time I bought a motorbike, a Tiger, which was then used by Satya, and owned by his family, for 17.500.000 and paid this to Sani. She gave me a receipt, but there was no stamp, so she didn't sign it. I took the unsigned receipt and the bike. I left all the papers and spare key at Sani's house, because, with my sloppiness, it would be safer there then with me. I never bothered to get a signature, or the papers.
In January I finally found a distributor, and told this to the girls. They were a little snappy and wondered when there was money coming in. After all they had to do some work, filing tax things and so. They also had gone a few times to the notary to find out about the state of the company. I neglected them already for some time, partly because I assumed everything was all right and partly because of my usual irresponsibility. I told them I found a distributor and hoped that the distributor would be operational in March, and that they would get their percentage from that moment on. At the time two things happened, there was a company interested in buying a lot of software from me, in the order 3000 euro worth, and there might be a job offer for 2 months in the Netherlands, worth about 9-10.000 euro. I told them both things, and accounted how much they would get if this went on, a stupid move. (Both things didn’t happen).
In January my relationship with Dewi began. The family of Satya said to me that she is a “bad girl”, she has a bad heart. I ask why. She had been living near their house and she had been stealing from people in the area near the house. I mention this to Dewi, and Dewi wants to go to the family of Satya to talk about it, because she never has stolen. We do and Dewi explains she did not. I am proud of her. (Maybe this caused a “fatal” face loss trauma or something for the family)
My “plate license” or STNK for the motorbike has to be renewed, I wasn’t aware and Sani tells me. It is overdue. Kadek wants to help, she knows someone who can arrange this. When done, I ask how much? She wants 400.000. I pay and am happy that its not so much as the million they guessed it might have cost. Dewi checks the license later and says it only has cost 260.000. I never mention this, except later to Satya.
I am caught in a police razzia and I don’t have a driver’s license so I have to leave my bikes STNK with the police, it can be picked up later after paying. I ask Satya for advice. Kadek’s husband, Partha, working for the police in Denpasar, might know a solution. It might cost about 150.000 to get it back; the husband would do it for me. No problem I said. I wasn’t around when the money had to be paid, so I asked if Satya if he could give the money to the husband, I would pay him back. He agreed. Later in the day Satya sends me an sms “You better go to Partha and bring him 150.000 if you want him to help you again”. I was a bit surprised, but I immediately called Partha and asked if I could bring the money. It was not needed because he hadn’t gone to the police yet. More surprises. Dewi asked what the call was about. I explain and she tells me that to get it back costs only 27.000, she knows where. Surprise Surprise. I call Partha and ask if I could pick up the police ticket and go myself. Together with Dewi we go and it seems that he already has been up and down to the police when we arrive. I express my wonder about the 150.000, and he asks me how much I think it cost. I say 35.000. He says he had paid 50.000. Kadek sitting next to her husband becomes angry, and tells in Balinese that she never wants to help me again. Dewi and I go to the police, because Dewi wanted to prove to me it only costs 27.000. She is right, Partha never went by in the evening. Satya mails me in anger “do it your self in the future” because he heard from the family that I said to them that “Satya always makes problems for me”. I just showed the sms with 150.000 in it to Partha. I have to explain what really happened, I feel that he knows I am right but he is struggling to accept my story. I tell him that I am worried about Kadek, after all she is owning my company. He explains that I should be grateful for them willing to help me. Partha renews my visa in Denpasar for less money then others ask. I never knew this. I don’t care to pay for services what they cost, but I do care about “offered help” that seems for free but costs money, and I don’t like being lied to by people that are close to me, relation or business wise. A few more face loss trauma’s in this story I guess.
I stupidly failed to mention that things were delayed again with the distributor. Later in March they wanted to talk I heard from Satya. Sure I want to talk, when? And I waited more then a week before they told me where and when.
They took Mr. Truth with them on the meeting. They where very annoyed with me and let me know that they wanted out of the company. Give us 50 million and we stop. I was completely baffled. I have to leave Bali, I immediately thought. I didn’t have the money (anymore). I became angry, this is way out too much, and I don’t want to stop.
Further discussions were to be with Mr. Truth. I told Mr. Truth that first of all I didn’t want to pay, and secondly that I didn’t have the money, and expressed to him that I didn’t want to stop with them or the company. I offered to stick to my promise and started to pay them from March on, even though the turnover is “Dutch”.
No.
I offered with my sincere apologies to pay them their 10% from the turnover from the moment the company was raised, even though the turnover was Dutch, + bookkeeping costs + 2,6 million for their sorrows, adding up to 9 million. I realized that I had been unfair to them, but I assumed that with me helping Satya, which I did, and them helping me, everything was all right.
No. They lowered their demand from the ENTIRE turnover + 10%, to 45% of the turnover, 20 million. Almost 5 times as much as where they would have been entitled to.
I realized that my bargaining position was bad. Kadek was my sponsor, owned my bike, and threatened to take this. There were some words about me doing illegal work in Indonesia. There was still 16 million on the company account. Pay or we take it all. I went to the bank to take the money, but the girls instructed the bank to call them when I took money out. Satya convinced me by phone in the bank, to leave 10 million on. (Don’t jeopardize YOUR company he said, a few days later the money was taken by the girls and they closed the account). Kadek suddenly wants money for being my sponsor.
I went to Singapore to change sponsor. The bike, now used as blackmail, I wanted to have the papers.
No way.
I asked Mr. Truth what I could do about it all, he asked me kindly if I wanted to stay in Indonesia. A lawyer would be too expensive. It is easy to prove that you work. (I never made a buck in Bali; I had over the 9 months maybe 200.000 in gifts from people I helped with computer problems). Ok, to much a hassle, I’ll try to cough it up, but I need money, I cannot afford it.
I offer Satya to buy two websites for a discount price, normal worth about 23 million, now for 12 million.
He accepts. (Pffieew, solved, let’s get it over with) With Mr. Truth I talk about it, I accept if the girls pay all costs and what there is left to pay, so I pay 20 and that’s all, he tells me they agree.
Satya comes later to tell me that he doesn’t have the money. He just wants one site, for 5 million, and the rest of the money can be paid to the girls if the other website is sold. I accept.
He comes back with a contract where it states that the rest has to be paid within 3 months, no mentioning of the to be sold website anymore.
He changes the agreements a few times, one time with an apology, the other times without a blink of the eye, like it is normal.
Finally I accept again, ok you pay me 5 million for a site, the girls have taken already 10, so I pay 5 again.
2 days later I hear from Mr. Truth, who kept the 5 million from Satya, that Satya picked up the money again. Satya said by phone there was a contract in my email, it was a silly contract, stating that he owned the websites, and that I was not allowed to change operation or change content of them only on his asking me to do so, afraid. It also stated that I would have to sell the other website for the discount price of 7.000.000 while I already said that it was worth at least 15. Or else he doesn’t pay me the 5 for the site. I wanted to kill him. The sneak. I call him and almost shout NO DEAL. He sends me a contract again without the side deal on the other site. Later he tells me that he needed the money because he didn’t go to the bank, and the banks were closed. That he sends me the contract after he picked up the money was a strange coincidence then, wasn’t it?
I work for two days more to debug the site, write a manual and improve on the graphics he liked. I send him the manual and a license agreement the way it should be and when he later sees it all he is content.
During our discussion I look at him with other eyes then I was used to. My “friend”, a sneak how wants to sit first row for last row price, who likes to “learn” from others and run away with their ideas for free. I still see him taking pictures from the building of a swimming pool, scheduled, to note every stage of building, “learning”. I remember the words he occasionally dropped between the lines, the arguments he used to make me pay the girls, and realize he doesn’t like me, but uses me. He comes late to appointments, and even fails to call when he is late.
His behavior with our 50/50 tour project also proves to me that I am just another swimming pool. I have been a fool. And he thinks he helped me.
I come to the notary with my 4.650.000 (the girls took a little more from the bank then they told me) and a contract. Let it read to Mr. Truth who says that it won’t be a problem.
The girls find out that it costs 3,8 million to transfer the company to another name holder, and want me to pay for it. I ask Mr. Truth that he should tell the girls that they should stick to their commitment, he says he has done that, but they don’t want to pay, and says that he now stops being consultant in this case. No deal at the notary. I also stop thinking about normal solutions, I ran out of money and emotions, I have become a shaking piece of expat, neglect my email, became depressed. I have been glad for many times with a solution, and even so many times disappointed. Every time I have to pay a little more, I feel squeezed. I run to the head of tourism police in Singaraja, to explain.
He says that a charge for theft of money would strand at the bank rules. He lets me file a rapport about the papers of the motorbike, and translates blackmail for me to the officer who makes up the report. I cannot accept the on goings anymore, I am not prepared to fight and in an awful situation, but enough is enough.
Meanwhile I start evaluating what has happened. I totally understand that it was me neglecting the girls that started all this. I wanted to make up, it was not accepted. The girls got greedy, very greedy, with the moral justification “He was a bad boy, so now it is our turn, and we hold all the cards”. Satya’s role in this all? He, like the girls has lost sense of reality, blinded by money (business is bad on Bali, and they have a baby coming). Yes Satya, I know the money is not for you but for your wife. Mr. Truth suggested that he is the architect of the thing and he, playing on my emotions all the time and not remembering how we started it, starts to give me also this idea. Satya also admits that I paid and own the motorbike, but mentions kindly that the receipt hasn’t been signed. The reality is that the girls are entitled to about 4.5 million (10%) of the turnover and their costs. Actually they are not, but I am flexible to certain extend. This is how we started this. Let’s throw in 2 million for their “bookkeeping”; they had to pay 1.2 million in taxes. (They never had to, but that’s another story) Adds up to 7.7 million. Minus the 20 they get that’s 12.3 million for what they think has been done wrong to them, and Satya runs of with a cheap website. Sure, they have to pay 3.8 million to stop being owners, but they want to stop, I have been apologizing myself many times and wanted to make more then up, and besides that they agreed on paying the costs by word of Mr. Truth the consultant they brought in. Reality is too that Mr. Truth has told them what he charges for being a director of a company, what he charges for doing the bookkeeping, the girls have now set their mind to his figures, and this is much more then we agreed upon at the notary at the start. If I would have known these kinds of figures, I never started a company like this. It takes more then half, or more in bad times from my turnover. But they can change their mind, they can change the rules, because I have been a bad boy, and they hold all the cards. I’ve learned a few lessons. Don’t neglect the persons you depend on, spread (and realize) your risks. Don’t trust people business wise. Even though everything seems in good faith and harmony, sign and verify.
Oh, I can live with the boys in the village inviting me smiling for a drink, but want me to buy the bottle, time after time, I can live with the father of Dewi trying to prostitute her to me, (a new house or else stop with Bert, find a rich tourist), I can live with the village people smiling at me but tell Dewi to find a rich tourist instead of me. I can live with boys that plunder my cigarettes time after time, and the kids that beg for money from time to time. I can live with the bargaining in the warungs and the fact I am a rich white tourist (not) that always has to pay more....
But most off all I want to live with Dewi, who doesn’t ask me for money, wants to move from Pemaron, its small minded village moral and her parents, who stands up to the gossip about her. But maybe this all ends in greed, stupidity, dishonesty and lies.
Update:
After writing this story to get everything straight in my head, I decide to send an SMS to Satya and Sani to ask if they want to go to the notary: I tell that they get 12.3 million for their sorrow (minus the costs).
Sani doesn’t understand my SMS and replies, “We need 20, and pay your taxes and give u 1 million for the notary.”
In my eagerness to solve the situation I read “u give” instead of “give u” so I think that I have to pay 21 and its over, and I reply like that. She replies that I am wrong that I pay 19 and that they pay the taxes.
I am confused, 19? Suddenly the taxes have become an issue, while I already a week ago agreed on 20 and them paying the bills.
I send a sms back “Whatever, do we have an agreement?”
Sani replies “We have. Satya will send you email”
I reply “21 and no discu$$ions anymore, ok”
I try to get used to the idea that I again have to pay 1 million more, but decide to call Satya to verify things. Then it becomes clear that they still don’t want to pay for the transfer to another name, so I actually pay 22.8. Again I become angry at Satya over the phone, and calculate for him how much they already take. He mumbles something about “personal compensation” and says that Mr. Truth told him that 35 million would be fair. He hangs up. Mr. Truth has fed their greed. 35 million, where did he get this figure from? He didn’t even know the turnover when he “advised” them. 35 million that’s about 8-9 months of turnover if I am lucky and why should they be untitled to such an amount, for doing what? They live in another world, they are detached from reality, I conclude. I am crazy to even try to understand their way of reasoning. I send 2 sms’s to Satya and Sani where I say that they have 24 hours to accept the 21 or else I publish my story on Internet and that they live in another world, a world of greed. A world created by Mr. Truth and they were eager to accept his views, because it means MONEY, and revenge for face losses and me not being nice enough. The funny thing is that Mr. Truth after I explained my Dutch company’s activities, agreed with me that what I offered to the girls was reasonable, at that time my offer was 9 million. Mr. Truth’s truth is flexible, and his flexibility has been a disturbing element in his “consultancy” which proves to be unreliable. And when its time to make people stick to their commitments he backs of.
I am not afraid of the opinion of others in this case, and I ask Satya if he is. No answer. Let’s go public.
Update 2
I am slowly turning nuts, my heart is missing beats, I shake, haven’t had night of decent sleep for weeks, smoke (again) myself to death. I need to relax, I need to be free. I search for a solution that releases me from their entanglement. Another expat suggested to hide the bike and play stupid, pretend to go home. Another said trash the bike. I am not going to. A plan emerges to set me free. I am going to give them the bike, delete everything I ever did for Satya on the internet, and wish them to hell with publication of this. Ahhh free, have fun with YOUR company, your bike and the money you stole from my account. DADA. What does Satya mean, Frank? Don’t annoy me anymore or I make 50+ websites with this story, with keywords related to everything you do in Bali. Guess what people find when they type Bali garden villas, pro bali or Lovina spa in Google? I’ll even put in your picture! For free!
And more, I am not going to try to “work” here anymore, I have an Internet hobby and a company in Holland to save. That’s all. I am on an extended holiday!
But most of all because off a horror story that doesn't seem to end; my relation with Satya (tamu), his wife Sani and her sister Kadek.
When I first came to Bali, in July of 2002 (on a tourist visa) I decided to start a company, on suggestion of Satya, to make my activities legal in Bali and to transfer my Dutch company activities to Bali. (I sell software that I write myself). The company (PT) needs a director and a commissioner, and would hire me as a consultant. Being a consultant it would be able for me to get a working permit and a visa. In reward for the company facilitating my activities the owners would receive a percentage of the turnover. A normal construction used a lot in Indonesia, in different variations.
The best option seemed to have Satya's wife and her sister as the owners of the company, and discussions with the notary and later a consultant, suggested by Satya, who I name "Mr. Truth", started. The total cost of raising the company would be 7,5 million rp and there was a deposit needed of 50 million on the company bank account. We talked about a percentage for the girls to be name holders, and came up with 10% of the net turnover. They verified this percentage with the notary and he said this would be fair, if I paid all the visa costs. We all agreed and a contract was drawn up what stated this percentage and that I owned all "knowledge and expertise" I brought in, and be allowed to take this out if I stopped being a consultant. Proceedings were slow at the notary, and Mr. Truth had to help to translate the contract into Indonesian. The company would be able to operate from the moment everything "was send to Jakarta", but official permits would take another few months. The girls signed everything; I paid the notary and deposited 50 million on the bank account owned by the company, with rights to the owners and to me. Actually today, 9 months later, there is no official permit, and there is no proper contract signed. After signing the papers Sani became a little worried about her responsibility and wanted out. I convinced her that everything would be fine, and she continued.
A few days later Mr. Truth was consulted about the business visa. He said it would cost me about 17-18 million to get a business visa, and advised (with the girls present) to get a sosial budaya first and report no income to the tax office for the company. This would be cheaper for the time being, since there was no turnover yet. I agreed. Kadek agreed to be my "sponsor" for my sosial budaya. I started the search for a Dutch distributor for my software.
In the mean time I bought a motorbike, a Tiger, which was then used by Satya, and owned by his family, for 17.500.000 and paid this to Sani. She gave me a receipt, but there was no stamp, so she didn't sign it. I took the unsigned receipt and the bike. I left all the papers and spare key at Sani's house, because, with my sloppiness, it would be safer there then with me. I never bothered to get a signature, or the papers.
In January I finally found a distributor, and told this to the girls. They were a little snappy and wondered when there was money coming in. After all they had to do some work, filing tax things and so. They also had gone a few times to the notary to find out about the state of the company. I neglected them already for some time, partly because I assumed everything was all right and partly because of my usual irresponsibility. I told them I found a distributor and hoped that the distributor would be operational in March, and that they would get their percentage from that moment on. At the time two things happened, there was a company interested in buying a lot of software from me, in the order 3000 euro worth, and there might be a job offer for 2 months in the Netherlands, worth about 9-10.000 euro. I told them both things, and accounted how much they would get if this went on, a stupid move. (Both things didn’t happen).
In January my relationship with Dewi began. The family of Satya said to me that she is a “bad girl”, she has a bad heart. I ask why. She had been living near their house and she had been stealing from people in the area near the house. I mention this to Dewi, and Dewi wants to go to the family of Satya to talk about it, because she never has stolen. We do and Dewi explains she did not. I am proud of her. (Maybe this caused a “fatal” face loss trauma or something for the family)
My “plate license” or STNK for the motorbike has to be renewed, I wasn’t aware and Sani tells me. It is overdue. Kadek wants to help, she knows someone who can arrange this. When done, I ask how much? She wants 400.000. I pay and am happy that its not so much as the million they guessed it might have cost. Dewi checks the license later and says it only has cost 260.000. I never mention this, except later to Satya.
I am caught in a police razzia and I don’t have a driver’s license so I have to leave my bikes STNK with the police, it can be picked up later after paying. I ask Satya for advice. Kadek’s husband, Partha, working for the police in Denpasar, might know a solution. It might cost about 150.000 to get it back; the husband would do it for me. No problem I said. I wasn’t around when the money had to be paid, so I asked if Satya if he could give the money to the husband, I would pay him back. He agreed. Later in the day Satya sends me an sms “You better go to Partha and bring him 150.000 if you want him to help you again”. I was a bit surprised, but I immediately called Partha and asked if I could bring the money. It was not needed because he hadn’t gone to the police yet. More surprises. Dewi asked what the call was about. I explain and she tells me that to get it back costs only 27.000, she knows where. Surprise Surprise. I call Partha and ask if I could pick up the police ticket and go myself. Together with Dewi we go and it seems that he already has been up and down to the police when we arrive. I express my wonder about the 150.000, and he asks me how much I think it cost. I say 35.000. He says he had paid 50.000. Kadek sitting next to her husband becomes angry, and tells in Balinese that she never wants to help me again. Dewi and I go to the police, because Dewi wanted to prove to me it only costs 27.000. She is right, Partha never went by in the evening. Satya mails me in anger “do it your self in the future” because he heard from the family that I said to them that “Satya always makes problems for me”. I just showed the sms with 150.000 in it to Partha. I have to explain what really happened, I feel that he knows I am right but he is struggling to accept my story. I tell him that I am worried about Kadek, after all she is owning my company. He explains that I should be grateful for them willing to help me. Partha renews my visa in Denpasar for less money then others ask. I never knew this. I don’t care to pay for services what they cost, but I do care about “offered help” that seems for free but costs money, and I don’t like being lied to by people that are close to me, relation or business wise. A few more face loss trauma’s in this story I guess.
I stupidly failed to mention that things were delayed again with the distributor. Later in March they wanted to talk I heard from Satya. Sure I want to talk, when? And I waited more then a week before they told me where and when.
They took Mr. Truth with them on the meeting. They where very annoyed with me and let me know that they wanted out of the company. Give us 50 million and we stop. I was completely baffled. I have to leave Bali, I immediately thought. I didn’t have the money (anymore). I became angry, this is way out too much, and I don’t want to stop.
Further discussions were to be with Mr. Truth. I told Mr. Truth that first of all I didn’t want to pay, and secondly that I didn’t have the money, and expressed to him that I didn’t want to stop with them or the company. I offered to stick to my promise and started to pay them from March on, even though the turnover is “Dutch”.
No.
I offered with my sincere apologies to pay them their 10% from the turnover from the moment the company was raised, even though the turnover was Dutch, + bookkeeping costs + 2,6 million for their sorrows, adding up to 9 million. I realized that I had been unfair to them, but I assumed that with me helping Satya, which I did, and them helping me, everything was all right.
No. They lowered their demand from the ENTIRE turnover + 10%, to 45% of the turnover, 20 million. Almost 5 times as much as where they would have been entitled to.
I realized that my bargaining position was bad. Kadek was my sponsor, owned my bike, and threatened to take this. There were some words about me doing illegal work in Indonesia. There was still 16 million on the company account. Pay or we take it all. I went to the bank to take the money, but the girls instructed the bank to call them when I took money out. Satya convinced me by phone in the bank, to leave 10 million on. (Don’t jeopardize YOUR company he said, a few days later the money was taken by the girls and they closed the account). Kadek suddenly wants money for being my sponsor.
I went to Singapore to change sponsor. The bike, now used as blackmail, I wanted to have the papers.
No way.
I asked Mr. Truth what I could do about it all, he asked me kindly if I wanted to stay in Indonesia. A lawyer would be too expensive. It is easy to prove that you work. (I never made a buck in Bali; I had over the 9 months maybe 200.000 in gifts from people I helped with computer problems). Ok, to much a hassle, I’ll try to cough it up, but I need money, I cannot afford it.
I offer Satya to buy two websites for a discount price, normal worth about 23 million, now for 12 million.
He accepts. (Pffieew, solved, let’s get it over with) With Mr. Truth I talk about it, I accept if the girls pay all costs and what there is left to pay, so I pay 20 and that’s all, he tells me they agree.
Satya comes later to tell me that he doesn’t have the money. He just wants one site, for 5 million, and the rest of the money can be paid to the girls if the other website is sold. I accept.
He comes back with a contract where it states that the rest has to be paid within 3 months, no mentioning of the to be sold website anymore.
He changes the agreements a few times, one time with an apology, the other times without a blink of the eye, like it is normal.
Finally I accept again, ok you pay me 5 million for a site, the girls have taken already 10, so I pay 5 again.
2 days later I hear from Mr. Truth, who kept the 5 million from Satya, that Satya picked up the money again. Satya said by phone there was a contract in my email, it was a silly contract, stating that he owned the websites, and that I was not allowed to change operation or change content of them only on his asking me to do so, afraid. It also stated that I would have to sell the other website for the discount price of 7.000.000 while I already said that it was worth at least 15. Or else he doesn’t pay me the 5 for the site. I wanted to kill him. The sneak. I call him and almost shout NO DEAL. He sends me a contract again without the side deal on the other site. Later he tells me that he needed the money because he didn’t go to the bank, and the banks were closed. That he sends me the contract after he picked up the money was a strange coincidence then, wasn’t it?
I work for two days more to debug the site, write a manual and improve on the graphics he liked. I send him the manual and a license agreement the way it should be and when he later sees it all he is content.
During our discussion I look at him with other eyes then I was used to. My “friend”, a sneak how wants to sit first row for last row price, who likes to “learn” from others and run away with their ideas for free. I still see him taking pictures from the building of a swimming pool, scheduled, to note every stage of building, “learning”. I remember the words he occasionally dropped between the lines, the arguments he used to make me pay the girls, and realize he doesn’t like me, but uses me. He comes late to appointments, and even fails to call when he is late.
His behavior with our 50/50 tour project also proves to me that I am just another swimming pool. I have been a fool. And he thinks he helped me.
I come to the notary with my 4.650.000 (the girls took a little more from the bank then they told me) and a contract. Let it read to Mr. Truth who says that it won’t be a problem.
The girls find out that it costs 3,8 million to transfer the company to another name holder, and want me to pay for it. I ask Mr. Truth that he should tell the girls that they should stick to their commitment, he says he has done that, but they don’t want to pay, and says that he now stops being consultant in this case. No deal at the notary. I also stop thinking about normal solutions, I ran out of money and emotions, I have become a shaking piece of expat, neglect my email, became depressed. I have been glad for many times with a solution, and even so many times disappointed. Every time I have to pay a little more, I feel squeezed. I run to the head of tourism police in Singaraja, to explain.
He says that a charge for theft of money would strand at the bank rules. He lets me file a rapport about the papers of the motorbike, and translates blackmail for me to the officer who makes up the report. I cannot accept the on goings anymore, I am not prepared to fight and in an awful situation, but enough is enough.
Meanwhile I start evaluating what has happened. I totally understand that it was me neglecting the girls that started all this. I wanted to make up, it was not accepted. The girls got greedy, very greedy, with the moral justification “He was a bad boy, so now it is our turn, and we hold all the cards”. Satya’s role in this all? He, like the girls has lost sense of reality, blinded by money (business is bad on Bali, and they have a baby coming). Yes Satya, I know the money is not for you but for your wife. Mr. Truth suggested that he is the architect of the thing and he, playing on my emotions all the time and not remembering how we started it, starts to give me also this idea. Satya also admits that I paid and own the motorbike, but mentions kindly that the receipt hasn’t been signed. The reality is that the girls are entitled to about 4.5 million (10%) of the turnover and their costs. Actually they are not, but I am flexible to certain extend. This is how we started this. Let’s throw in 2 million for their “bookkeeping”; they had to pay 1.2 million in taxes. (They never had to, but that’s another story) Adds up to 7.7 million. Minus the 20 they get that’s 12.3 million for what they think has been done wrong to them, and Satya runs of with a cheap website. Sure, they have to pay 3.8 million to stop being owners, but they want to stop, I have been apologizing myself many times and wanted to make more then up, and besides that they agreed on paying the costs by word of Mr. Truth the consultant they brought in. Reality is too that Mr. Truth has told them what he charges for being a director of a company, what he charges for doing the bookkeeping, the girls have now set their mind to his figures, and this is much more then we agreed upon at the notary at the start. If I would have known these kinds of figures, I never started a company like this. It takes more then half, or more in bad times from my turnover. But they can change their mind, they can change the rules, because I have been a bad boy, and they hold all the cards. I’ve learned a few lessons. Don’t neglect the persons you depend on, spread (and realize) your risks. Don’t trust people business wise. Even though everything seems in good faith and harmony, sign and verify.
Oh, I can live with the boys in the village inviting me smiling for a drink, but want me to buy the bottle, time after time, I can live with the father of Dewi trying to prostitute her to me, (a new house or else stop with Bert, find a rich tourist), I can live with the village people smiling at me but tell Dewi to find a rich tourist instead of me. I can live with boys that plunder my cigarettes time after time, and the kids that beg for money from time to time. I can live with the bargaining in the warungs and the fact I am a rich white tourist (not) that always has to pay more....
But most off all I want to live with Dewi, who doesn’t ask me for money, wants to move from Pemaron, its small minded village moral and her parents, who stands up to the gossip about her. But maybe this all ends in greed, stupidity, dishonesty and lies.
Update:
After writing this story to get everything straight in my head, I decide to send an SMS to Satya and Sani to ask if they want to go to the notary: I tell that they get 12.3 million for their sorrow (minus the costs).
Sani doesn’t understand my SMS and replies, “We need 20, and pay your taxes and give u 1 million for the notary.”
In my eagerness to solve the situation I read “u give” instead of “give u” so I think that I have to pay 21 and its over, and I reply like that. She replies that I am wrong that I pay 19 and that they pay the taxes.
I am confused, 19? Suddenly the taxes have become an issue, while I already a week ago agreed on 20 and them paying the bills.
I send a sms back “Whatever, do we have an agreement?”
Sani replies “We have. Satya will send you email”
I reply “21 and no discu$$ions anymore, ok”
I try to get used to the idea that I again have to pay 1 million more, but decide to call Satya to verify things. Then it becomes clear that they still don’t want to pay for the transfer to another name, so I actually pay 22.8. Again I become angry at Satya over the phone, and calculate for him how much they already take. He mumbles something about “personal compensation” and says that Mr. Truth told him that 35 million would be fair. He hangs up. Mr. Truth has fed their greed. 35 million, where did he get this figure from? He didn’t even know the turnover when he “advised” them. 35 million that’s about 8-9 months of turnover if I am lucky and why should they be untitled to such an amount, for doing what? They live in another world, they are detached from reality, I conclude. I am crazy to even try to understand their way of reasoning. I send 2 sms’s to Satya and Sani where I say that they have 24 hours to accept the 21 or else I publish my story on Internet and that they live in another world, a world of greed. A world created by Mr. Truth and they were eager to accept his views, because it means MONEY, and revenge for face losses and me not being nice enough. The funny thing is that Mr. Truth after I explained my Dutch company’s activities, agreed with me that what I offered to the girls was reasonable, at that time my offer was 9 million. Mr. Truth’s truth is flexible, and his flexibility has been a disturbing element in his “consultancy” which proves to be unreliable. And when its time to make people stick to their commitments he backs of.
I am not afraid of the opinion of others in this case, and I ask Satya if he is. No answer. Let’s go public.
Update 2
I am slowly turning nuts, my heart is missing beats, I shake, haven’t had night of decent sleep for weeks, smoke (again) myself to death. I need to relax, I need to be free. I search for a solution that releases me from their entanglement. Another expat suggested to hide the bike and play stupid, pretend to go home. Another said trash the bike. I am not going to. A plan emerges to set me free. I am going to give them the bike, delete everything I ever did for Satya on the internet, and wish them to hell with publication of this. Ahhh free, have fun with YOUR company, your bike and the money you stole from my account. DADA. What does Satya mean, Frank? Don’t annoy me anymore or I make 50+ websites with this story, with keywords related to everything you do in Bali. Guess what people find when they type Bali garden villas, pro bali or Lovina spa in Google? I’ll even put in your picture! For free!
And more, I am not going to try to “work” here anymore, I have an Internet hobby and a company in Holland to save. That’s all. I am on an extended holiday!