Pruitt glanced at the other two shareholders with the brief eye contact of a shared understanding. “Documentation discipline,” he said. “Every document is right the first time. Every classification is accurate. Every valuation is current. The customs brokers we use on both sides know our paperwork before it arrives.” He paused. “You’ll want to get to know Carlos. He is our customs broker out of Nogales. He has an office on the US side. It’s his relationship that makes the clearance rate possible. Whatever he needs, he gets it.”

Everyone but Jarrad stood to leave the room. The clock on the wall showed 8:38. Jarrad stood and met their grip like a baton at a relay race. The handshakes were warm, but with a visceral quality of relief, an apology that none of them made explicit. Each finished their segment, it was Jarrad’s turn to be the runner. They escaped what all shareholders escape when they exit. They escaped the routine, the pressure, the obligations. The visible obligations and the hidden obligations now belonged to Jarrad.

Premeditated Culture is now available on Amazon.