"And got robbed," Win added.

Zuckerman put a hand to his chest. "You wound me, Win."

"Crispin told me the numbers," Win said. "Myron would have gotten him a far better deal."

"With all due respect to your centuries of upper-crust inbreeding, you don't know what the hell you're talking about. The kid left a little money in the till for me, that's all. Is that a crime nowadays for a man to make a profit?

Myron's a shark, for crying out loud. He rips off my clothes when we talk. He leaves my office, I don't even have undies left. I don't even have furniture. I don't even have an office. I start out with this beautiful office and Myron comes in and I end up naked in some soup kitchen someplace.' ' `

Myron looked at Win. "Touching."

"He's breaking my heart," Win said.

Myron turned his attention to Esme Fong. "Are you happy with how Crispin's been playing?"

"Of course," she said quickly. "This is his first major, and he's in second place."

Norm Zuckerman put a hand on her arm. "Save the spinning for those morons in the media. These two guys are family."

Esme Fong shifted in her seat. She cleared her throat.

"Linda Coldren won the U. S. Open a few weeks ago,"

she said. "We're running dual television, radio, and print ads they'll both be in every spot. It's a new line, completely unknown to golf enthusiasts. Naturally, if we could introduce Zoom's new line with two U. S. Open winners, it would be helpful."

Norm pointed his thumb again. "Ain't she something? Helpful. Nice word. Vague. Look, Myron, you read the sports section, am I right?"

"As rain."

"How many articles did you see on Crispin before the tournament began?"

"A lot."

"How much coverage has he gotten in the past two days'?" I

"Not much."

"Try none. All anybody is talking about is Jack Coldren. In two days that poor son of a bitch is either going to be a miracle man of messianic proportions or the most pitiful loser in the history of the world. Think about it for a second. A man's entire life both his past and his future will be shaped by a few swings of a stick. Nuts, when you think about it. And you know what the worst part is?"

Myron shook his head.

"I hope like hell he messes up! I feel like a major son of a bitch, but that's the truth. My guy comes back and wins, you wait and see the way Esme spins it. The brilliant play of newcomer Tad Crispin forces a veteran to crack. The new kid stares down the pressure like Palmer and Nicklaus combined. You know what it'll mean to the launch of the new line?" Zuckerman looked over at Win and pointed. "God, I wish I looked like you. Look at him, for crying out loud. He's beautifiul."

Win, in spite of himself laughed. Several ruddy-faced men turned and stared. Norman waved at them, friendlylike. "Next time I come," Norm said to Win, "I'm wearing a yarmulke."