Tennis isn't the only game that gets played in Naked Hero. And Lewis Macleod isn't the only player of games. There is a master of manipulation who has his own agenda - The Body Perfect Englishman, Mr. Lee Porter.
I like Lee. He's a schemer like me. I was once a salesman in the finance sector, selling big ticket IT solutions to major banks, so I know what's involved in the manipulation of people and events. There's a lot about Lee that I don't identify with personally, but his ability to scheme and play games is one aspect of his character that I can really relate to.
I don't want to give away a key element of the plot, so I won't go into details, but he sees an opportunity, and Lee is the sort of person who can push sentiment aside when chasing after his goals. Here's a snippet which illustrates what I mean...
Lee stared at Anthony, his face a poker-player’s stony mask. “Do you remember how he came out?”
“Yes, he did it straight after winning Wimbledon. From a marketing point of view, it was suicide. I’m still not with you.”
Lee nodded. “It was definitely naive from a marketing perspective, but he had his reasons. The thing is though - he inadvertently created a marketing dream for someone with the vision to use it. It was the way that he announced it that the story will come from when he makes the next major final, regardless of whether he wins it or not. In a way it might be better if he lost – but the result won’t really matter...”
“Continue!”
“...He told the interviewer that winning Wimbledon didn’t make it his perfect day. That day would come when he played another final, and he had his perfect man sitting in the box watching him. And when that happens, you can be sure that the world’s media will want to know all about that man: the man in the box; the perfect man, whose presence could make the perfect day for Lewis Macleod... even if he lost. What would you say if the man in the box was the model who was launching your campaign... globally?”
I like Lee. He's a schemer like me. I was once a salesman in the finance sector, selling big ticket IT solutions to major banks, so I know what's involved in the manipulation of people and events. There's a lot about Lee that I don't identify with personally, but his ability to scheme and play games is one aspect of his character that I can really relate to.
I don't want to give away a key element of the plot, so I won't go into details, but he sees an opportunity, and Lee is the sort of person who can push sentiment aside when chasing after his goals. Here's a snippet which illustrates what I mean...
Lee stared at Anthony, his face a poker-player’s stony mask. “Do you remember how he came out?”
“Yes, he did it straight after winning Wimbledon. From a marketing point of view, it was suicide. I’m still not with you.”
Lee nodded. “It was definitely naive from a marketing perspective, but he had his reasons. The thing is though - he inadvertently created a marketing dream for someone with the vision to use it. It was the way that he announced it that the story will come from when he makes the next major final, regardless of whether he wins it or not. In a way it might be better if he lost – but the result won’t really matter...”
“Continue!”
“...He told the interviewer that winning Wimbledon didn’t make it his perfect day. That day would come when he played another final, and he had his perfect man sitting in the box watching him. And when that happens, you can be sure that the world’s media will want to know all about that man: the man in the box; the perfect man, whose presence could make the perfect day for Lewis Macleod... even if he lost. What would you say if the man in the box was the model who was launching your campaign... globally?”