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By Root 2184 0

the new lords of the world, and how our employees, from the humblest we never see to the executives who work closely with us, are all commodities, material to be bought and sold and used as needed. “Our intelligence and foresight and energy have given us the power,” he said, “to enrich them or impoverish them … or devour them, if we will it.”

And God help me, I could not tell the others that he was wrong. He had already proven himself right. He has seduced them, my friends along with my competitors. I could see their minds churning, thinking of how they might top Chambers’s feast. Condelli is next month’s caterer, and he seemed thrilled beyond measure at the prospect.

My desire to spread civility has set something quite the opposite into motion, and I do not see how I can stop it. Honor compels me to remain silent, but also to end what I have unwillingly begun. I would do so immediately, but if that is not possible, I have nearly a year until it is once again my turn to serve as caterer, and many things can happen in a year. …

Third Meeting

THE HAVENS, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND JANUARY 26TH, 20—

Present at table: All Signs. Aries, caterer.

MENU:

Minestrone Small eggplant

Roast leg of Philip Lamb, mint sauce …

January 27th:

… Lamb was Condelli’s Director of European Operations. At first I thought it possible that he simply might have contributed his leg and survived, since the cost was far less than for Chambers’s dinner, but my investigations show that Philip Lamb has disappeared.

Such an act boldly throws down the gauntlet for the other Signs. Lamb had been quite important to the success of Condelli’s overseas ventures. It was as though Condelli was saying that anyone can lose an anonymous office drone, but he was willing to make a real sacrifice. …

Fourth Meeting

DOUBLE R RANCH, DALLAS, TEXAS FEBRUARY 23RD, 20—

Present at table: All Signs. Taurus, caterer.

MENU:

Shysters Rockefeller Hot wings

Double R Chili with beaners Texas fries

Bar-B-Q Veep …

February 24th:

… bad enough that Rank would discard his two top drilling men from his Mexican offshore rigs, but to further weaken himself by barbecuing his distribution Vice-President for that terrible beef/veep pun was utterly foolish. But far worse was his disposal of his entire legal team as a mere appetizer. Of course, he’ll put together another, but still it seems insane. …

Fifth Meeting

THE DEVORE HOUSE, BOSTON, MA MARCH 30TH, 20—

Present at table: All Signs. Cancer, caterer.

MENU:

Caviar Dinde sauvage rôtie Parie aux

Potage velouté Chantilly marrons

Roast breast of Mindy, sauce Nautun … Gelée d’Airelles

March 31st:

… a return to fine dining after Rank’s reprehensible Texas barbecue. But Devore has taken the whole thing to a new plateau—or an even lower depth. Perhaps he felt the only way to top Rank was to make more than just a business sacrifice. I have no doubt that he loved Mindy. She had been his mistress for seven years. Psychologically, a loss like that can be far more devastating to a man and his business than the loss of personnel alone can be, and I could see that Devore was feeling the loss deeply. It will be interesting to see the progress of his holdings over the next few months. Rank’s growth has certainly been curtailed in the wake of his dinner. Perhaps after Chambers is dealt with, I might try a silent run at Double-R Industries. …

Seventh Meeting

CEO de lait, rôti …

Ninth Meeting

Directeurs à la crème …

Eleventh Meeting

Pére à la organe …

Twelfth Meeting

THE TAYLOR HOUSE, MIAMI, FLORIDA NOVEMBER 30TH, 20—

Present at table: All Signs. Virgo, caterer.

MENU:

Huitres Salade Nicoise

Potage botsch polonais Asperges en branches,

Vol-au-vent of very young virgin sauce mousseline

sweetbread Bombe Alhambra

Baron d’agneau Beauhamais Petis pois au beurre

Pommes noisettes

WINES:

Krug 1978

Chateau Latour 1946—Magnum

Clos de Vougeot 1948

Madeira, rainwater 1886

Napoleon brandy 1873

Most of the Signs seemed in somber mood this evening, in spite of Brother Virgo’s splendid repast. Though Bro. Virgo