Special Circumstances Read Online Free PDF Page A

my Visa bill and a year of rent dance in myhead.
“Not enough,” I say.
“Make it a hundred and we may have something to talk about.”
Chuckles shakes his head.
“Too much, Mike. No can do.”
Patton trots out his “mad dog” persona for a preemptive strike, if onlyfor effect. His act loses some of its impact when you’ve seen it asmany times as I have.
“Look,” he says, “if it had been up to me, I would have thrown yoursorry ass out of here at least two years ago.”
For an instant, I think Leiand Simpson’s picture is going to spring tolife.
“Yeah,” he’d say, “I would have thrown your sorry ass out of here atleast three years ago.”
Patton isn’t finished. His bald dome turns red.
“Use your head for once and take the fucking money,” he bellows. I’mtold he can actually make his head explode.
I place my fingertips together in my best Mother Teresa imitation.
“Arthur,” I say slowly, “if you’re going to lose your temper, you’regoing to have to go to your office and take a time-out.” I’ve beenwaiting five years to say that to him. I stand and walk toward thedoor, where I turn and face them.
“Gentlemen, I’ll see you in the morning. I wouldn’t want to miss thereading of the Estimate.”
When I arrive at the office at seven the next morning, I have voicemail messages from five associates who are furious about the decisionon bonuses.
Three ask me to be a reference. As always, the first person I see isAnna Sharansky, a Soviet refugee who begins every day by brewing enoughPeet’s coffee to fill the sixty coffeepots placed around the firm. S&Gspends over a hundred thousand dollars a year on coffee. We exchangepleasantries. She never complains. I’ll miss her.
At seven-forty-five, I walk to a sparsely furnished conference room onthe forty-sixth floor to get a seat for the reading of the Estimate.The ceremony usually takes place in the PCR. We have moved downstairsbecause Bob Holmes won’t move the closing documents for Russo’s deal.It smells like a French pastry shop. Croissants, muffins, scones andfruit are lined up in neat rows on silver platters. Anna has filledthe coffeepots and set out the bone china bearing the S&G logo. In thecenter of the table sit ninety envelopes, each with a partner’s nameon it. They look like seating assignments at a wedding.
By 7:55, the room is full. I pour myself a cup of coffee and take acroissant with the sterling-silver tongs. The blue sky frames theGolden Gate Bridge.
Several partners wish me well. Let the exercises begin.
Patton always wears his tuxedo to the reading of the Estimate. Heseems to think this lends a festive mood to the occasion. I think helooks like a maitre d’. At precisely eight o’clock, he makes his grandentrance, his face glowing.
For Patton, this is what it’s all about. For fifteen minutes a year,we look like everything our recruiting brochure says we are: a big,collegial family of highly trained professionals who admire, respectand trust one another. He beams from the head of the table. We clappolitely.
“Thank you for coming at this early hour,” he says.
“I know how hard it is for some of you to get here when you’ve been outpartying all night.” Forced laughter.
“I want to get Bob Holmes down here to report on Vince Russo’s deal. Wewill start in just a couple of minutes.”
He asks Chuckles to find Bob. Chuckles seems pleased he won’t have aspeaking role today, and he darts out. The sound of clinking chinaresumes. Several partners take calls on their cellular phones. Ifocus on the envelope in the middle of the table that bears my name.
Ten minutes pass. Chuckles and Joel appear outside the glass door.Chuckles looks more gaunt than usual. Joel looks distraught. Chucklesopens the door and says in a barely audible voice, “Art, can I see yououtside for a minute?”
The room goes silent. Patton motions Chuckles in. Chuckles tries toconvince him to step outside. After a moment’s hesitation, Chucklescomes in