The old man was tough. Andall of his kids had turned out well. But it seemed as though Michael thought that he deserved to be given money for his college tuition, that he deservedto be given a nice car to drive when he was in high school, that he deserved to be given the company that Ben hadbuilt for 33 years. But as Ben and Julia left the dance floor and walked toward their table, he knew that if he didn't sell the company tohis son, this woman would never, never forgive him. That much was clear.
Businesses go under all the time.
There are no guarantees. True, the boy hasan M.B.A. from Wharton, and he did work for that place in Atlanta for three years, and he is doing well with the partof the company that he was managing. But all it would take is one mistake, and the whole company would go under. Investing too much in new equipment, or counting too much on one customer, or not foreseeing changes in the market- one mistake could wipe them out. Could wipe them all out.