MJ: As I said, Naji, you know, there's scrutiny on you, and that's not going to go away. There's scrutiny on your mom, she's a contractor with the embassy, that's not going to go away unless we sit down and get down to business. You don't want to come into the embassy, for good– you say for good reason, but meanwhile your mom is employed at the US consulate. So for you to say as an American, "I don't want to go into the embassy to meet with you, and there's a good reason for that." It's just, to us, it should have been done there. We did you a favor by agreeing to do it outside of the embassy, here, in this city. So, you know, Naji, there's really just not more I can say right now.

NM: I'm even trying to decipher what you're trying to say right now.

MJ: What I'm trying to say is, you don't want to come into the embassy to do it. Fine. You know, I­– we said we'd do it outside of the embassy. This isn't a, meeting hasn't been a priority to you. In fact, you haven't wanted to sit with us, since we've talked, since I've been back in country. Okay. You say you want to get things resolved. I say there's scrutiny on you. There's scrutiny on your mom. She's employed by the consulate, and yet you don't want, or she's employed at the consulate, through a contractor, and you're saying you don't want to come to the embassy, and there's a good reason for that. So I said meet us.

NM: Exactly. My position hasn’t changed. My position hasn't changed. The scrutiny on my mother has nothing to do with anything, unless you you're making a threat. And currently I told you the situation here, [Mike], that in this country I'm kind of like, have you heard of the expression that beggars are not choosers? I'm on contract. I'm on contract, so I'm not giving you any illegitimate excuse. While you're here, I've bent over backwards. And I really don't like your tone. I don't like your tone, [Mike]. I don't like your tone.

MJ: Naji–

NM: You have scrutiny on me for what? What do you have on me? You have nothing on me. I've done nothing. You cannot tell me…

MJ: Then let's sit down and talk about it.

NM: I'm trying to work something out with you here, but you don't understand my situation and you're trying to push me into a corner. Make me feel bad about shit that I have no control over!

MJ: Naji, I'm trying to set up a meeting with you.

[BREAK]

MJ: Naji, it's [Mike].

NM: Yeah.

MJ: Listen, as I said, I highly suggest you make yourself available to us to talk. But I'm not going to beg, and that's all I can say.
NM: [Mike], that's fine. But you can't order, and you can't make threats as well.

MJ: I've not made a threat. I've not made a threat, I've just said…

NM: Telling me, telling me that my mother is under high scrutiny, I'm under high scrutiny, and you’re coming…

MJ: Naji, you are under scrutiny. I mean, you, yeah, we've been through this, I mean, before, a number of times. And, as I said, I highly suggest you meet with us. I wanted to do it at the embassy. That's not, you're not amenable to that. Okay.

NM: Yes.

MJ: We said be at, we said we'd do it in a public place, which we were not in favor of doing, and actually, do you know why we weren’t in favor of doing it? We weren't in favor of doing it for your sake. Um, at least the embassy

[BREAK]

To do that. But, I understand, you've got your business to worry about. But, our time window is so limited, that if we can't do this, you're going to lose the opportunity.

[background noise / talking?]

NM: Yeah, but I'm trying to work it out in my head, and I didn't say that I didn't want any opportunity, or didn't say that I wanted to dismiss any opportunity. But what I told you was that there’s a little bit of a situation here. I'm at work, I have stuff to do, I've been given stuff to do. You kinda came at me last minute. You gave me an estimated time, but I understand, this is Sudan. Somebody gave me some stuff to do last minute after the meeting.

MJ: Naji, I didn't give you an, I mean we talked, I mean, yes, it was an estimated time, but it wasn't last minute. And I understand things come up. But you know, things come up for us too. And as I said, our window is limited.

NM: Did you not say that you were free today?

MJ: What’s that?
NM: Did you not say that? Did you not say that you were free today?

MJ: I did, and that's why I suggested three o'clock.

NM: Right. The day is not over.

MJ: It's three thir-, Naji the day is not over. But it's 3:30 now, and we've got stuff to do. So, listen, as I said. We can make ourselves available to you. But we've got to do this soon. And, if not, then, you know…

NM: If not, then what, [Mike]?

MJ: If not then maybe we can't do this at all. I, Naji, you know, like I said, we've been in contact for a couple of weeks now via email. I called you when I got into country. We set it up, last night, at a minimum I sent you a text about three o'clock. So, it's 3:30 now. I understand I didn't get back to you this morning. Um, we were tied up. But–

NM: All right, that's fine. You know, I'm not going to crucify you cause you were tied up. Unlike–

MJ: Okay

NM: … the treatment that I'm getting. You know what I'm saying.

MJ: Naji, listen. Then we won't do it, I mean at this point. Um, yep, here's, you remember [Peter Stone]?

NM: Yes, I remember [Peter Stone].

MJ: Here, here he is. Maybe you guys can work something out. I can't promise anything, but here he is.

PS: Hey Naji. I'm just going to get to the point, right here. Look, honestly for us, this is pretty much it. You know, I'm going to go home. I really don't care. [Mike] is going to go back home. And what, what I really, and the one part of me that kinda feels a little bit guilty, is that one of these days, you know, whatever it is that you have or do not have going on this afternoon, you're going to look back at this day and say, you know what, I should have frickin talked to these guys. And, but that's it. It's a door, it's closing, and it's going away. When we leave. [Naji starts to say something] No no, listen to me now. Now let me finish. When we leave, when we leave here, and we're gonna basically report, say, you know what, the guy dodged us. He kept giving excuses, you know whatever time, [Mike] didn't call me at this time…
NM: Oh my God!

PS: No listen to me…

NM: But that's not true!

PS: No, let me finish. A series of events is going to be put into motion. And once you put it into motion, and honestly I, I'm out of it. I honestly do not care. I'm going home, you know I got a vacation to plan, I got this [inaudible] other kinda stuff, my life goes on. Yours might change. And it's not going, it might not be necessarily to your liking. But, this is what's going on, but the whole dodging, you're telling, oh, no, this time, that time, all that kind of stuff, frankly I don't believe it. And again, I really don't care. I'm getting ready to pack my bags and go. But when I go, when [Mike] goes, you know, that door closed on ya. A new chapter will open up for ya, and it's going to be a new chapter of your life, but you’re going to remember that this was the day where I could walked through that door, and ya didn't. But that's all I'm going to say, and I'm going to give you back to [Mike], and…

NM: No wait, hold up [Peter], you can't just…

PS: …and you guys can say nah nah nah nah…

[crosstalk]

NM: That's a blatant threat, and you're going to put in your report that I, how are you? [crosstalk] That I don’t have an excuse to come, when I'm trying to frickin accommodate.

PS: Dude, dude, dude, no let me tell ya, I was not born yesterday. I haven't been doing this job since yesterday, okay? I know when somebody is yanking my chain. Okay? And I'm seeing…

NM: This ain't the states! This ain't the states!

PS: … a major chain yank. Okay, this is not the first time, believe me. I've dealt with guys who've done that, and all that kind of stuff, and I've just learned, you know I've got a callus built up. I walk away. And then, whatever happens then, honestly, all I know is I can sleep at night knowing that every opportunity was given, you know, the guy decided not. I've helped people out, on the opposite side, people have been helped out tremendously, and that's something that I'm very proud of. People that were in deep shit, who are no longer in shit, and are living a good live, because I was there for them, and they took that door, they took the opportunity and walked through that door, man. And seriously, honestly, it's the same thing that's available to you. But again, you will remember this day, and you're gonna say, "Shit, I shoulda talked to these guys. And I shouldn't have been doing all excuses." If you didn't have any business going on today, or any kind of a things like that, you're gonna find how minuscule and worthless it was compared to this fork in the road, that you're about to take.

NM: What are you talking about? No, why don’t you come out and say it? Why'n't you come out and say what fork in the road are you talking about?

PS: Dude, I honestly don't care. I'm getting out of here. I don't care. Okay? And, you know, when I tell somebody, hey, you know what, if you cross the street without looking you're gonna get run over, that's not a threat. You know, that's advice. [crosstalk] You're about to cross the street without looking both ways…

NM: No.

PS: And I'm telling you, you know what You might get hit by a car—that is not a threat. That is a solid piece of advice. But you don't want to take it. But seriously I'm done, here's [Mike].

NM: [Mike], do you know what Istikhara is? Do you know what Istikhara is? [Mike]?

MJ: What's that?

NM: Do you know what Istikhara is?

MJ: Yeah.

NM: Yeah, I prayed Istikhara two days ago, and I'm so glad I did. And with a clean heart, I'm trying to accommodate this meeting. And this ain't the states where you make appointments. This is Sudan time, Africa time, as you know. You've been doing your job, I've been doing mine, as a business development, and as a relationship guy in this area for a long time.

MJ: Naji–

NM: And I make my money because I know how these guys work and I have the patience to accommodate. Apparently you guys are coming and threatening me. And thank God, the Istikhara is opening its doors, it's revealing itself to me. Because if you guys are going to come and make blatant threats against me, you guys can get written up for that. You know what I'm saying?

MJ: Naji. All we said is that one door opens– when one door open, a door may close.

NM: I know what you said. I know what you said. No, I know what you said. You made blatant threats. You made blatant threats. And I'm supposed to rely on you guys?

MJ: Naji…

NM: You guys are not gods. You know what I'm saying? And you can go and do what you want, do what you want to.

MJ: Naji. Naji… Call me back in 20 minutes if you're still interested. But, okay, we're gonna end this conversation now. If I hear from you in 20 minutes, you're still interested. But if not, I think that's it. [inaudible]