Nick Catricala was truly at a loss. He wasn’t new to the junior explorer game, which is why he was antsy as he researched X-Cell Precious Metals. The name has been an obvious off-putter, but something he had read tugged him. Yielding, he had gone to the company’s Website and had examined the materials on its flagship Daedalus project. Another off-putter; the excited namers of the project had evidently not checked the full story behind their Greek hero.
Still, it was a good property – and had a real chance at being a great one. Still in the early stages, it was up in Ontario near others that had paid off. The rock samples looked good; so did the geophysical and preparatory geological work. The airborne survey found an anomaly that proved to have massive sulphides; they had been placed in the earth by some long-forgotten volcano. The samples over the anomaly confirmed the picture. A few had visible gold.
The story was exciting, but the stock wasn’t. After going through his due diligence for the seventh time, almost ritualistically, Nick called up another browser window and sent it to StockBase. For the third time today, he clicked “XPM” in his portfolio and looked at the chart. Not only was it not exciting, but it also had sagged. Through all his waiting, Nick was down more than 5%.
He didn’t have much money. Nor, after over-watching XPM’s performance, much confidence. Not anymore. Other stocks had soared, some on little more than hope. X-Cell was not one of them, even though Nick’s research showed prospects. The differential left him wondering if he had made a mistake by trying at all. Did he have the golden touch, or the leaden?
A click on the other browser brought him back to X-Cell’s Website. Now for the eighth time, he went through the Dadelius data. Sighing, he began to wish for something to be sent off to outer space. There was no hint that the stock would be anytime soon.
This time, he broke off because he saw he was only scanning what he already knew; the fleshy part of his right hand itched. Scratching it brought up something his father had told him long ago: “Nicolò, there are times when a man cannot be a man unless he asks. Asking for help: it makes us men too.” The memory of those gentle words finally relaxed him, enough to make for a decision.
Exploration Depth was highly acclaimed; it was also very expensive. Had there not been a one-month option, Nick would have turned away. He only needed a name, a company that came vetted by a true professional – not an amateur like himself. That was worth paying an expensive month for: a name.
He had resigned himself to getting rid of X-Cell in favour of whatever name he got. As he entered his credit card data into Exploration Depth’s Website, he prepared himself to set his holdings on a new track. A fresh track, mapped out by an acclaimed and experienced guide: one that he could feel confident about.
The reviews of ED he had read matched up with the proprietary portfolio he got. A few of the stocks had triple-digit gains; one of them, quadruple digits. Those, he wasn’t interested in. Since he was not rich, but hoped to be, there was little point getting in the later stages. A recent pick of an early-stage company that hadn’t gained all that much: that fit his need. Nick was swinging for the fences.
Still abstracted, his eyes glanced down at the bottom of the portfolio. There indeed was one that hadn’t gained that much. Nick mentally prepared himself to switch into the new name as his eyes focussed…
…and saw “X-Cell Precious Metals.”
[Okay, I got the format of the story from O. Henry.]
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