Document:

Exhibit 10.53

                             FINAL MERGER AGREEMENT
               PEN INTERCONNECT, INC./ THE AUTOMATIC ANSWER, INC.
                                October 23, 2001

This  final  merger  agreement  between  Pen  Interconnect,  Inc  (Pen)  and The
Automatic  Answer,  (tAA)  is being consummated by both parties this 23rd day of
October  2001.  This  agreement  is  in  reference  to "The Agreement to Acquire
Shares",  (definitive  agreement)  signed  by  both parties on April 13th, 2001.
Whereas Pen is a public Utah company and tAA is a private California company and
both parties have completed their respective due-diligence reviews with positive
results  and  the  representations  and  warranties brought up in the definitive
agreement  having been met as defined below, it is now time for both parties who
are  in  agreement  to  complete  the  merger.

     CONSIDERATION

     There  were  two options for completing the merger, the greater of: (1) Pen
was to issue 67% of its stock to tAA in exchange for 100% of their stock, or (2)
$10  million  of common stock using the average closing market price from the 20
days  prior to the Closing.  Item (2) was the greater of the two and the average
price  of  the  stock  was  $0.0245/share. This divided into $10 mil is equal to
408,163,265  shares,  which  are  to  be  issued to tAA and will be unregistered
unless  otherwise  noted.

However,  because  Pen only has 500 million shares available, it has been agreed
that  the  tAA  preferred  shareholders  and  most of the debt holders will each
receive  new  classes  of Pen Preferred shares (C & D) with a conversion rate as
defined  in  the schedule "Distribution of PENC Shares to tAA".  Both classes of
Pen  Preferred  shares  (C  & D) will have demand registration rights upon their
conversion.  The  Pen  Preferred  shares  Class C may not be converted to common
shares  for a period of at least 3 months.  The Pen Preferred shares Class D may
not  be converted to common shares for a period of at least 12 months.  Pen will
commence immediately, upon receipt of the tAA shareholder list, to cause the new
Amanda  common  shares  to be issued by its transfer agent.  Before the transfer
agent  issues a new share to a particular shareholder, the respective tAA issued
share,  or  representation  thereof,  must  be  collected.

It  is  also  agreed that there will be an early limited registration of certain
shares  as defined in the schedule "Distribution of PENC Shares to tAA" based on
prior  agreements  as  defined  in  the  definitive  agreement.

Pen's present preferred shareholders, warrant holders and option holders will be
allowed  to  keep  their  interests  in those vehicles and allowed to convert to
common  shares  and  a  timely registration of such shares will be provided when
ever  they  desire  as  long  as  there  are  unissued  shares  available.

Peter  Benz will be issued up to 50 million shares for his work in providing the
initial  financing  to  the  two  companies  and providing the ongoing financing
package.  The  board  must  review  the  agreement  and  the  past financing and
assistance  provided  by  Peter  to  insure  that the shares to be issued are in
accordance  with  every  one's understanding. His shares will also be under rule
144,  i.e.  not  registered.

The  board  will  need to cause a reverse split of the shares within 120 days to
allow  for  the preferred shareholders to convert their shares to common shares.

     It is understood that if the average share price for the next 60 days falls
below  the  $0.0245/  share  price, then additional shares will be issued to the
previous  tAA  common shareholders, preferred shareholders, and debt holders, to
cause  the  $10  million  price  to  be  upheld.  Furthermore, should the shares
distributed  to  tAA fall below 67% of the total issued Pen shares due to any of
Pen's  present  conversion  instruments (including, but not limited to preferred
shareholders,  warrant  holders,  option  holders, and debentures) converting to
common  shares, then additional shares will be issued to the previous tAA common
shareholders  only (not the preferred shareholders or debt holders) to cause the
67%  distribution  to  be  upheld.

     CLOSING

By definition in the definitive agreement this closing, although being completed
on  the  23rd  of the month, will be effective as of the 30th of September 2001.
For  accounting  purposes  it  will  be deemed consummated as of 11:59 PM on the
effective  date.  The  closing  will be consummated by the exchange of completed
signature  pages.

TAA  confirms  that  it  has  provided  the items as defined in item 2.2, a-d as
defined  in  the  definitive  agreement  and  as  per  the  attached  schedule.

Pen  confirms  that  it  has  provided  the items as defined in item 2.3, a-e as
defined  in  the  definitive  agreement  and  as  per  the  attached  schedule.

     REPRESENTATIONS  AND  WARRANTS

     Pen  represents  that  it has provided the information as requested in item
3.1  through  3.16  as  attached  in  a  separate  schedule.

TAA  represents  that  it  has provided the information as requested in item 4.1
through  4.7  as  attached  in  a  separate  schedule.

     COVENANTS

     Pen  and tAA confirm that they have abided by the established covenants and
agreements  per  the  attached  schedules.

CONDITIONS  PRECEDENT  TO  OBLIGATIONS  OF  TAA  AND  PEN

     The  obligations of tAA to consummate the transactions contemplated in this
agreement  have  been  fulfilled  except  as  noted  in  attached  exhibits.

     The  obligations of Pen to consummate the transactions contemplated in this
agreement  have  been  fulfilled  except  as  noted  in  the  attached exhibits.

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

This  is  the  entire agreement, which also includes the definitive agreement as
referenced  hereinabove.  The  laws  of the state of California will govern this
agreement.

The  Automatic  Answer,  Inc.  (tAA)

By:  /s/  David  Woo

Its:  CEO  Chairman

Dated:  ________________________

Pen  Interconnect  Inc.  (Pen)

By:  /s/  Steve  Fryer

Its:  CEO

Dated:  ________________________AMENDMENT LETTER NO

EXHIBIT 10.14

 

AMENDMENT LETTER NO. 1

 

                                                                                                                       
Dated as of March 12, 2002

 

To the Class A Conduit Purchasers,

the Class A Committed Purchasers,

the Managing Agents, the Program Agent

and the Trustee

Ladies and Gentlemen:

      We refer to the Series 2001-1-VFC Supplement dated as of August 24, 2001 (as amended, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Supplement"; the terms defined therein, unless otherwise defined herein, being used herein as therein defined) among Stage Receivable Funding LP, as the Transferor, Specialty Retailers (TX) LP, as the Servicer, and Bankers Trust Company, as the Trustee.

      It is hereby agreed by you and us that, effective as of the date of this amendment letter (this "Amendment"), the Supplement is hereby amended as follows:  Section 10(r)(i) is amended by deleting the figure "$25,000,000" set forth opposite the reference to Fiscal Year 2002 in the table thereof and replacing it with the figure "$45,000,000".

      This Amendment shall become effective as of the date first above written when, and only when (x) the Program Agent shall have received (i) counterparts of this Amendment executed by the Transferor, the Servicer, the Trustee, Corporate Receivables Corporation and Blue Keel Funding Corporation, as the sole Class A Conduit Purchasers, Citibank, N.A. and Fleet National Bank, as the sole Class A Committed Purchasers, Citicorp North America, Inc. and Fleet Securities, Inc., as the sole Managing Agents and Citicorp North America, Inc., as the Program Agent, (ii) the consent and agreement attached hereto executed by the Parent and (iii) an executed copy of that certain Letter Amendment and Waiver No. 5 relating to the Credit Agreement dated as of August 24, 2001 among Specialty Retailers (TX) LP, Stage Stores, Inc., the Lender Parties party thereto, Citicorp USA, Inc., as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent and Salomon Smith Barney Inc., as Arranger and Book Manager and (y) the Transferor shall have paid to the Program Agent all fees, costs and expenses of the Program Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery and administration of this Amendment (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Program Agent).

      The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment shall not, except as expressly provided herein, operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of the Trustee, any Class A Conduit Purchaser, any Class A Committed Purchaser, any Managing Agent or the Program Agent under the Supplement or any related instrument or agreement, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of the Supplement or any related instrument or agreement.

      This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Amendment by telecopier shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment.  This Amendment shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

      By its execution below, the Transferor confirms that it is the sole Holder of the Exchangeable Transferor Certificate.  By their execution below, Citicorp North America, Inc. and Fleet Securities, Inc., as the sole Managing Agents, confirm that (a) their consent (as evidenced by such execution below) to the terms of this Amendment constitutes satisfaction of the Rating Agency Condition for purposes of Series 2001-1-VFC and (b) they are the sole Holders of Series 2001-1-VFC Certificates for the sole benefit of (i) in the case of the Series 2001-1-VFC Certificate held by Citicorp North America, Inc., Corporate Receivables Corporation and Citibank, N.A., and (ii) in the case of the Series 2001-1-VFC Certificate held by Fleet Securities, Inc., Blue Keel Funding, LLC, and Fleet National Bank.

      If you agree to the terms and provisions hereof, please evidence such agreement by executing and returning a counterpart of the attached agreement to this Amendment.

                                                                                                                       
Very truly yours,
STAGE RECEIVABLE FUNDING LP,

as Transferor

By  Stage Receivable Mgmt LLC,

its general partner

By:_/s/ Richard E. Stasyszen

     Name:  Richard E. Stasyszen

     Title:  Manager

SPECIALTY RETAILERS (TX) LP,

as Servicer

By  SRI General Partner LLC,

its general partner

By:__/s/ Richard E. Stasyszen

     Name:  Richard E. Stasyszen

     Title:  Manager

Acknowledged and Agreed:

BANKERS TRUST COMPANY,

not in its individual capacity but solely as the Trustee for Stage Stores Master Trust

By:__/s/ Louis Bodi

     Name:  Louis Bodi

     Title:  Vice President

CORPORATE RECEIVABLES CORPORATION,

as a Class A Conduit Purchaser

By:  CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC.,

as Attorney-in-Fact

By:__/s/ Susan M. Olsen

     Name:  Susan M. Olsen

     Title:  Vice President

CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC.,

as Program Agent and as a Managing Agent

By:__/s/ Susan M. Olsen

     Name:   Susan M. Olsen

     Title:  Vice President

CITIBANK, N.A., as a Committed Purchaser

By:__/s/  Susan M. Olsen

     Name:  Susan M. Olsen

     Title:  Vice President

BLUE KEEL FUNDING, LLC,

as a Class A Conduit Purchaser

By:__/s/ Andrew Yearde

     Name:  Andrew Yearde

     Title:  Vice President

FLEET SECURITIES, INC.,

as a Managing Agent

By:__/s/ Amy L. Baribeault

     Name:  Amy L. Baribeault

     Title:  Managing Director

FLEET NATIONAL BANK,

as Committed Purchaser

By:__/s/ Daniel Platt

     Name:  Daniel Platt

     Title:  Assistant Vice President

 

CONSENT AND AGREEMENT

Dated as of March 12, 2002

      The undersigned, as the Parent under and as defined in the Parent Undertaking Agreement dated as of August 24, 2001 (the "Parent Undertaking"), in favor of the Trustee (as such term is defined in the Supplement), hereby consents and agrees to the foregoing Amendment Letter No. 1 (the "Amendment") and also agrees that notwithstanding the effectiveness of such Amendment, the Parent Undertaking is, and shall continue to be, in full force and effect and is hereby ratified and confirmed in all respects, except that, on and after the effectiveness of such Amendment, each direct or indirect reference in the Parent Undertaking to the Supplement, shall mean and be a reference to the Supplement as modified by such Amendment.

 

                                                                                                           STAGE STORES, INC.

                                                                                                           By:  /s/ Richard E. Stasyszen

                                                                                                           Title:  Senior Vice President, Finance and Controller

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