“What line of work is that?”
“Asset management. Of sorts.”
“Sounds exciting.”
He glances at the traffic passing by in the opposite direction, not noticing the sarcasm. “It’s a living.”
“What does asset management involve, exactly?”
“Buying a firm, firing the workforce, outsourcing the essential functions on the cheap while keeping the vastly increased profits for yourself and then doing it again elsewhere.”
“So you fire people for a living? How rewarding that must be for you. No ethical dilemmas about taking away people’s livelihoods?”
There’s no emotion in his voice. “Once I’m involved, the business is on borrowed time. I rip off the band-aid fast so everyone can move on faster.”
“How noble. And I’m sure they all feel better being jobless knowing you have 180,000 Euros worth of watch on your wrist.”
“What’s your job involve? Rescuing stray kittens? Feeding orphans? Being morally self-righteous?”
“I’m a personal assistant to a fashion magazine editor.”
He smiles, but his eyes remain cold. “Ah, the last remaining truly selfless role that helps society immensely. Surprised you don’t have a medal on your chest.”
“I never said I had a noble job.”
“What magazine? I might know it.”
“Unique Couture Monthly.”
“I know it well. Always thought you could cut one of the words, though. Have more cover space.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Unique and Couture mean the same thing, don’t you think?”
I want to clap my hands together, but I resist. “Exactly. I said that at my interview!”
“I take it your boss didn’t listen?”
“She doesn’t do a lot of listening. Does a lot of ordering me around.”
“You don’t like your work?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Your tone of voice did. Why do it if you don’t like it?”
“Because there’s this system where you pay for goods and services with money.”
“Why not do a different job?”
“I like fashion.”
“After your boss’s job or hoping to poach their clients and strike out on your own?”
“Would you stop that?”
He looks amused like he knows he’s winding me up and enjoying doing it.