— But, but wait Virginia what’s in the box.
— It’s this Indian suit Mister Bast you…
— Chief’s outfit box is just big because of the feathers guarantee it’s authentic three hundred dollars rental it ought to be, honorary ceremony standing in for the Boss all the rest of them done up in feathers didn’t want you to be embarrassed he…
— Embarrassed! but what kind of…
— Don’t worry about it whole thing laid out in the script here might run through it with Milliken on the plane down from Wonder’s funeral pep him up about getting in the act want him right up there on the platform with you sending a man out from Endo to handle the appliances topflight sales…
— Wait no wait Mister Davidoff I mean this whole trip is something I hardly…
— Don’t worry about it haven’t wanted to bother you with…
— I’m not worried about it! Now will you…
— But holy, I mean look Mister Bast glad to go to your funeral pow wow with your Indians myself but the Boss wants me on deck here pull your band together set up your taping tramp out these brush fires get as much of this off your back as I can but you don’t make it easier Mister Bast try to help you out but you don’t make it easier, little communications gap between you and the Boss glad to be the messenger boy but I can’t help what’s in the message even tried to back you up to him he comes right back with how much he’s done for you responsibilities as the parent’s chief executive officer option on five thousand shares at ten I might feel a little different but just coming in to carry your PR load see what it’s like running the store here brush fires calls gang camped out over there on the sofa feeling I’m the only one that keeps things…
— Mister Davidoff listen I know…
— Dave just make it Dave time we got on a first name basis Bast look I know the Boss isn’t easy to handle never are or they wouldn’t be where they are but hire a topflight speechwriter to draft his statements get some mileage out of them hardly reach him myself but some press boy calls him last night he hands out the word on She over the phone, draft of your speech here for the security analyst boys probably call and read them that on the phone too says he’ll call here and doesn’t when he does sounds like he’s in Afghanistan sends through these blunt memos have to fill in the spaces myself wants us to look into Ampex Campbell’s Soup Union Underwear Franklin Mint this SSS insurance outfit tie in with his Health Package Champion Plywood Erebus Productions talk him out of Western Union he finds Walt Disney selling for peanuts wants to look into that sounded on the phone like he said he’d just like to get Mickey Mouse by the short hair even asks me how’s Russia making out, says he has these Russian Imperial bonds what he’s got against Mickey Mouse not saying he’s stupid Bast wouldn’t be where he is if he was real feeling for the gut issue some of this though I just tie up my…
— I know yes but please sit…
— Wants a receptacle for these depletion allowances has Nonny set up Alsaka Development Corp all this energy crisis legislation comes along chance to get in on these gas exploration write-offs retains Milliken’s hometown law firm out there to represent Alsaka so now Milliken’s in touch with the AEC about setting off an underground blast golf game arranged down there for you to discuss it what else can I do carry your golf bag? Even sheep membranes Milliken in on that one too minerals gas timber up to our ass in Indians I mean holy shit Bast what am I supposed to do!
— Yes well, well please just sit down Mister Davidoff I…
— Yes didn’t mean, just reach the point ask Mooneyham over there for a time cost estimate clean up that pollution mess out at X–L to head off this lawsuit he starts to describe a dream about a hair growing out of his eyeball see what I, what, what’s…
— Just your, your foot here I’d better just put my case down on the…
— Foot? Oh, oh top page there brush right off certainly do meticulous work don’t you Bast wrote a novel once myself you know, maybe a little jealous of you boys with a knack for the arts luxury I can’t afford never finished it, couldn’t just sit on my butt and indulge myself like that why the Boss is impressed the way you keep both balls in the air corporate picture and a hand in the music game had a feeling though since I came on board your corporate hold slipping a little Bast, mind not quite focused may just be the pressure of…
— No it’s, I’m thinking of leaving it the company I mean, I…
— What leaving the, leaving the company? Knew you and the Boss had a little communications gap didn’t know things had gone that far though Bast you…
— No it’s not exactly that it’s just, you see I…
— Always happens better offer someplace else these headhunters sniffing around first whiff of dissatisfaction they know it before you do the way we got Mister Ten-forty there, have you bought and sold before you know what’s happening the Boss know it yet?
— Yes well I’m sure he expects, I mean you see I just came in originally to help him to…
— Get things on their feet see why they came after you, not exactly a secret what you two put together overnight here really just starting to take off though can’t be planning to pull out tomorrow of course or you wouldn’t have picked up this option probably talked to Piscator just so you don’t plan to sell…
— No I mean I thought that’s why the loan was the only way I could…
— Don’t worry about it just so you’re not planning to sell, get it straight with Nonny wouldn’t leave you up the creek like the lawyer company I just left little weasel named Beaton father was a law partner of Senator Broos’ brother and their Washington lobbyist Frank Black only reason they keep him, left the barn door open when their top man picked up his option day before he quit ten minutes later they’re facing a minority suit paid out a fistful…
— Yes but all I…
— Better ride uptown with you put our heads together with the Boss go over the whole thing Bast heard he started looking at Diamond Cable when it fell to sixteen may be another of Crawley’s stunts specialist for Diamond probably sold it short there himself when Typhon pulled back on that tender offer rumor some big blocks in family trusts didn’t move when old man Cates cracked the whip but with City National banking Crawley Wiles all the rest of them got the Boss up to his ass in bellies on these five percent margins price drops and…
— Yes but listen Mister Davidoff about this stock opt…
— Thinking of leaving the company Bast sooner we sit down with the Boss the better see he’s expanding the board of directors for instance couple of names I never heard of looked in the Directory of Directors for Urquhart and this other one Teets? Not there either where he recruited them…
— No well you see I recruited them all he wanted was I think the law requires a certain number of…
— Seen how I’ve been running the store here Bast might want to put in a word at dinner for what’s this Virginia, Angels East what’s Angels East…
— That bald man Mister Davidoff his name is Mister Wall…
— Decker here give him this tell him I’m in conference oh and Virginia gang on the sofa there tell them Mister Bast and I have to get uptown the Boss wants…
— No please I’m listen I…
— Little embarrassing for me sometimes you know Bast admit I’ve never met the Boss put this profile together want to get a little feel for him chance to get across his image start grooming him for something big just take this X–L pollution mess, make a front page image as the good corporate citizen but he’s so mad at that smartass Boy Scout came up with those color ink samples from the stream there some school science project wants to let them sue get the kid in court have Nonny wipe up the floor with, wait you didn’t wear a coat?