And then I unveiled my design. The CEO looked at it stunned. After a few minutes he asked me if it was a world map. I told him that it was not a world map—DUH!—but a sculpture of Hiphopper that was six feet tall looking majestically over the JHA campus, his eyes eternally watchful. And—my trump card!—IT WOULD BE MADE ENTIRELY OF BALL BEARINGS. OF THE EXACT SAME TYPE THAT CHOKED HIPHOPPER!

The CEO looked at me blankly for a few minutes. And then he stood up, his eyes welled up with tears and he hugged me.

He said it was brilliant. It was bold, it was monumental and it was spectacular. And it was like spitting in the face of Hiphopper’s murderers. After a few moments, when both of us felt a little uncomfortable we stopped hugging. He immediately asked for a copy of the presentation and for a rough calculation of the raw material costs. I told him that he shouldn’t cap the quantity of bearings and really just buy as much as he could afford. That way later, when there was maintenance work of the sculpture, they could just replace defective parts instead of trying to repair them.

Before he could call the purchasing department for a quotation request I told him that as my final gift to him before I returned with the Dufresne team I would take care of the entire ball bearing purchasing process. I told him to think of it as my little bit for Hiphopper’s soul.

We hugged briefly again.

When I left his room I had a spring in my step.

Why?

Because I had cracked the scene! And because he had agreed to personally tell Prasad how awesome I was.

The rest of the day was a blur of bliss. I told Saraf to keep his trap shut till I left and then to present the CEO with a properly redated purchase order. The payments would be approved in a flash as the CEO wanted the sculpture up in a month at the latest.

Of course no one must ever know of how Saraf botched up my EOQ calculations or how I helped a grieving man cope with a terrible loss but also got a superb rating on my project evaluation. When I called Gouri to tell her she cut my phone AGAIN.

I haven’t spoken to her in a week. I don’t know what’s got into the woman.

But now is not the time to worry. Einstein, yet again, cracks the bloody scene. High five, World!

Bought an illustrated copy of the Kamasutra from the airport bookstore. Have put a card in it for Gouri with the inscription: ‘I did it first with you! Or something like that. I love you, G!’ That should bring her back on track.

11.20 p.m.

MOTHERFUCKERS!

Jenson just called. Jerry wants to promote Vineet to associate. The official announcement will be made in March. But the news is now a public secret. Vineet is already getting a new BlackBerry!