38
ALEX
Boston, 1988
When Alex entered the bank on Monday morn
ing, he didn’t notice the man sitting in the corner of the lobby. On Tuesday, he registered the lone figure for a moment, but as he had a meeting with Alan Greenspan, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, to discuss OPEC’s latest demands on oil prices and the strengthening of the dollar against the pound, the lone figure didn’t remain uppermost in his mind. On Wednesday, he looked more closely at the man before stepping into the elevator. Could it be possible he’d been sitting there for three days? Pamela would know.
“Who’s my first appointment, Pamela?” he asked, even before he’d taken off his overcoat.
“Sheldon Woods, the new chairman of the local Democratic Party.”
“How much did we give them last year?”
“Fifty thousand dollars, chairman, but it’s an election year.”
“Election time always brings back memories of Lawrence. So let’s make it a hundred thousand this year.”
“Of course, chairman.”
“Anyone else this morning?”
“No, but you’re having lunch with Bob Underwood at the Algonquin, and don’t forget, he’s always on time.”
Alex nodded. “Do you know what he wants?”
“To resign. ‘Time to hang up my boots,’ if I remember his exact words.”
“Never. He remains on board until he drops dead.”
“I think that’s what he’s afraid of, chairman.”
“And this afternoon?”
“You’re clear until your session at the gym at five. Your coach tells me you’ve missed the last two workouts.”
“But he still charges me even if I don’t turn up.”
“That’s not the point, chairman.”
“Anything else?”
“Just to remind you it’s your wedding anniversary, and you’re taking your wife to dinner tonight.”
“Of course it is. I’d better go downtown after lunch and get her a present.”
“Anna’s already chosen the present she wants,” said Miss Robbins.
“Am I allowed to know what it is?”
“A Chloé bag, from Bonwit Teller.”
“OK, I’ll pick one up this afternoon. What color?”
“Gray. It’s already been gift-wrapped and was delivered to my office yesterday. All you need to do is sign this.” She placed an anniversary card on his desk.
“I sometimes think, Pamela, that you’d make a far better chairman than me.”