Friday's Harbor: A Novel by Diane Hammond

Author:Diane Hammond
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Literary, Family Life, Contemporary Women, Fiction
ISBN: 9780062124210
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2013-10-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

IN HIS OFFICE Truman went over the numbers again and again. Before he presented them to the zoo’s executive committee he wanted to be absolutely sure they were accurate. And once he was sure the figures were correct, he called his mother, Lavinia, and asked if she’d run them herself, which she did, appearing in his office in a pair of impeccably tailored wool slacks, a cashmere twinset, and what she liked to call her “weekend pearls.”

The numbers matched exactly. Seeing his face, she asked if he was all right.

“I’m fine, but I’m not looking forward to presenting this.”

“It’ll be fine, I’m sure. For heaven’s sake, Truman, they’re businesspeople. They’ll understand.”

“I know,” Truman sighed. “Still, it’ll complicate things.”

“Then your job is to keep it simple. Don’t let them get lost in the minutiae.”

“I know, Mother. But still. The bottom line is what it is.”

“Well, be strong,” Lavinia said, looking faintly amused.

Half an hour later Truman reported to his committee that in the nearly six months since Friday had arrived at the zoo, the total number of visitors had jumped by 700 percent from the same period the previous year.

“So why the voice of doom, bud?” Dink Schuler asked, clapping him on the back. “Hell, I thought somebody might have died.”

Truman took a beat and then said carefully, “There are people out there who think we took this animal in strictly to make money. And they’re people with loud voices.”

“Show me where it says we can’t make money,” said Dink dismissively. “Hell, we deserve it, after the last three years we’ve had—there’ve been a few times I’d have shut the place down if it had been up to me. I’m not kidding—show me where it says we can’t be successful. You can’t.”

“It’s more of an ethical issue than a fiscal one,” Truman said. “That is, it’s not about the money, per se; it’s more about what brought the money in, if you see what I mean.”

“Look, three years ago, who got rid of the single most popular animal in the zoo? We did! Because that was the right decision for that animal. Now this animal needed someone to help him, we were that someone, zip-zop, story over.” Around the conference table all the heads nodded. “We have absolutely nothing to feel ashamed of. And I’m pretty sure I speak on behalf of the entire board when I say our balance sheet could use a few more years of having this fish here.”

“Mammal,” Truman said.

“Whatever. Cash cow.”

Truman blanched. “Please be careful who you say that around.”

Dink leaned across the conference table to slap him on the shoulder. “Jesus, lighten up, buddy—don’t go all bleeding heart on us. It’s fine! Hell, the board will probably give you a nice fat raise.”

“I’m just saying we all need to be cautious. We don’t want to come across as exploitative and money-hungry.”

“But we are money-hungry.” Dink grinned. “Don’t know about the exploitative part.”

Truman smiled weakly. “Look, here’s what I’d like to recommend to you, and, if you agree with me, you can propose it to the full board.

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