Early Bird (Erkenci Kus)(Part 3)

54. Not a one hit wonder

"Alright, now we're all seated," Can says and looks at his team gathered around the table. Everything was set up around them and files were open and ready, laptops open and ready as well, all eyes on him. "We can get to the task at hand. Redmod."

"Ah, brainstorming products," JJ says confidently.

Can nods at JJ. "Exactly. You've all tested and tried the products," he turns his chair to point at the chart behind him. "What did you think? What is our slogan?" He turns back to face them.

Sanem, in her usual chair to his right, glances around as well with a smile.

"Uhm, Mr Can," JJ clears his throat, "I may have something?"

"I'm listening JJ," Can says and JJ stands to walk to the board, everyone's gazes following him.

"Okay, so you all know the story about 'Cinderella', the prince's father, the king, arranges a ball to find him a wife."

Sanem smiles widely. She's always liked that story.

"Cinderella wants to attend this ball, but her step mother locks her up at home, therefore stopping her. Then a fairy shows up, her fairy godmother, right?"

Can nods, frowning a little at where JJ was going with this, tapping his pencil on the table but staying quiet.

"This fairy says she will help Cinderella, so she unlocks her and they go shopping...let's say, at Nisantasi - "

"Sorry Nisantasi?" Can interrupts.

"Yes," JJ looks at him. "She needs to get a dress, Mr - "

"JJ," Deren snaps with pursed lips, "are you pitching a product or telling a fairy tale?"

"Both?" JJ says unsurely. "Both," he nods firmly after a moment. "It's leading to something I promise." She sighs and waves a hand for him to get on with it. "So, uh, they go shopping in Nisantasi. Try on dresses, one after the other, nothing looks quite right. It's either the wrong color or the wrong cut. Cinderella asks the fairy if she even understands fashion, the fairy gets angry and tells Cinderella that she knows more than she should be more grateful, she broke her out after all. If it were not for the fairy, Cinderella would still be locked up! Tension rises, the two bicker, the store manager comes to defuse the situation and ask them to calm down - "

"JJ, when do the products come into this story?" Can asks with a sigh.

"It's coming," JJ assures him and he nods. "Cinderella asks the fairy to forget the dress for now and focus on her hair and makeup. What should she do for that?" JJ gestures to his face and head with a shrug. "The fairy says that she will take care of that with the help of magic. So Cinderella asks why they came to Nisantasi then if she could just take care of it all by using magic?"

My thoughts exactly, Can thinks, taking a silent breath.

Next to Deren, Guliz is trying to keep her laughter at bay, glancing around her at the others with similar looks on their faces.

JJ misses all of this, getting deeper into the story, "The fairy answers that Cinderella needed to go through the whole experience, see more of the world so she can know what she wants...live the moment to become the moment..." He trails off and the group start snickering. He blinks and then continues, "Anyway, Cinderella says she wants to do her her hair and makeup herself. She is capable. The fairy agrees. Cinderella makes it to the ball. She has so much fun that she doesn't notice the time, and at midnight, she is still at the ball. She remembers she was supposed to leave  but it's too late, so she begins to return to her former self. Her dress becomes a raggy piece of cloth hanging off her body. Cinderella runs away from the prince, and this is where I'm changing it up a bit," he says to a staring Can, whose mouth is slightly open, "I decided to cut out the whole glass slipper thing, she won't be losing a shoe."