Chapter 10
TEN
The next day, something is wrong. His puzzle is a cross-hatch of mistakes when there never has been one, and he’s on his second cup of tea. For a man of rigid routine, I extrapolate that a major crisis has hit. And not that I require confirmation, but proof enough is his conversation starter.
“What do you think is good , Rita?”
Not feeling entirely awake, my brain flits about. “Brownie edges…napping…sunshine, but not when it’s strong enough to make you sweaty…and…”
“That’s not what I meant. What makes a good leader, do you think?” asks Luke.
“I’m not sure I’m equipped to answer, considering I’ve led a cricket team once when I was in primary school, and immediately got ousted after Seeta brought almond kulfis for everyone.”
His mouth flattens.
“I’m guessing good snacks is not the answer you are looking for?”
“No, but I can tell you what I think,” he says, sounding disheveled despite looking as impeccably dressed as ever, which if my brain wasn’t occupied by this break in behavior, I might connect his suits with a metaphor about them being worn as shields of tailored armor.
“Power, peace, and goodness,” says Luke.
“When you add in profit, there doesn’t seem to be a platform where all those can meet.
If you add goodness to power, public attention turns to the source of power and how it was obtained in the first place.
And in a world like ours, power isn’t often achieved in a harmless way. ”
Is this a confession? Why does it sound like one?
He frowns. “Especially when it’s an institution too old, too big and too fucking lawyered to fall. Things get difficult .”
“How so?”
“Because a leader can’t see everything. Be everything. You have to trust the people you’ve hired to do the right thing… and then they don’t . Do you know how often that happens?”
I shake my head.
“Right. Never mind. That’s not— important . Sorry.”
“Okay,” I say, still not understanding what is going on, and also not missing the fact that my employer has actually apologized to me, bizarrely enough. “What is important?”
“ Everything . It’s all on your shoulders, and as a leader you can’t pull it all apart, otherwise things explode. People explode. But I’m going to handle it. All of it.” Luke stares, steel-gray eyes willing me to understand if not his words, then the strength of his frustration.
“Is there something I can do?” I offer, trying my best at being generally supportive despite having no real information. “Should I make more cakes for board members or business associates?”
Luke says nothing, but looks disturbed that I’m offering to help.
He stands. “I have to go. I shouldn’t have stayed back—I don’t know why I felt I had to—” He clears his throat. “Anyway, I’m late. I need to go.”
Well, that was cryptic , I think, watching him leave.
Not knowing what else to make of it, I get back to work. Under the rhythm of my routine, his behavior leaves my mind until it comes back again stronger as I scroll through my phone later that night.
A brash headline makes noise in the news.
Long-term hiring manager at a subsidiary of Abbot Industries accused of practicing decades-long gender bias.
Shock springs through me, though it shouldn’t. Didn’t I know who I was signing up to work for? I’m not a na?ve little summer child. I shouldn’t be disappointed at this reveal. It’s not like I expected better from him, right?
I click on a video link attached to the article.
The news anchor describes the evidence emerging as clear-cut and damning.
They talk about how this story is indicative of a toxic workplace that the relatively new CEO, Luke Abbot, has undoubtedly inherited as soon as he finally took over from his father, Otto Abbot, last year.
They continue, saying:
“In the past, we’ve heard whispers of cover-ups and internal retaliation for anyone trying to speak publicly about it.
Our own VPS News reporters have been blocked access with their PR representatives always declining to comment, regardless of whatever lawsuit or public image trouble their company has landed in.
However, in a move that has shocked the business world for being so out of the ordinary for this corporation, and perhaps indicative of the new times we live in, the Abbot CEO held a press conference today directly addressing the issue. ”
The video cuts to him. He strides to the podium with no hesitation or fear. However, it’s when they zoom in on his face, do I suck in a breath. Corners of his eyes and mouth are tight. A muscle feathers in his jaw. His pupils are pitiless.
“You’re pissed,” I say to no one.
Does anyone else see it? Nobody in the comment section mentions anything out of the ordinary, their observations a variation of the usual. Fawning (watching how cool and confident he is makes me happy!), derision (corporate shell wanker), and the absurd (justice for monkeys!).
He speaks: “ The person in question has been terminated immediately, and every hiring manager in our corporation will be undergoing training to ascertain whether they are fit to keep their position or not. I’ve got no tolerance for this kind of noise. This is not why I want to be in the news.”
He declines to answer further questions.
The reporter goes on talking about claims—still unsubstantiated—that the hiring manager was stripped of all bonuses, and will probably be named in aggressive legal cases. No golden parachute for him.
The video ends, and another follow-up link is suggested.
It’s an op-ed article profiling Luke with the headline: Does The Prodigal Son Have What It Takes To Rule? Experts weigh in.
With a growing lead stomach, I’m still hungry for more information. I click on it and it reads:
What do you think of Luke Abbot?
Gregory: With no presence on any social media platform, he doesn’t care about being liked. Outside of today, you can’t find him giving anyone an interview. No one knows who this man really is.
Michelle: I’m skeptical. He’s allegedly been groomed since childhood by his father to take over, but in this last year, how many times have you seen his father with him?
I can’t even think of one time. So does he have his father’s support?
I don’t think so, and for a CEO not to have support from a controlling shareholder on the board, that puts him on very risky ground.
Do you really think there is internal conflict between father and son?
Lafayette: Maybe. The father’s values are well-documented. He’s divisive and regressive, to say the least, but if I were Luke, I would stick to what has worked in the past few decades and keep supporting him. At least, publicly and within the company. Privately, who cares?
Michelle: Most of the shareholders are the old guard. They want to protect their investments regardless of any cost to society’s values. Even if Luke doesn’t agree with their thinking, he should pretend. Otherwise, the board will call a vote of confidence and try to force him out.
Gregory: I disagree. Seriously, if I were Luke, I’d agree to a buy-out and leave the dirty world of big business behind. You’d find me on a beach on an island somewhere sipping martinis! What luck!
I stop reading and think about their words. Since these past few weeks have passed, it’s like I’ve forgotten the type of man I’ve been working under. Have I let myself forget? Is he really a terrible person out there in the world, and somewhat, mostly, kind of always been generally decent to me?
My stomach is not doing well. It’s rolling around.
Earlier today, he was talking about his world, I realize.
Telling me about it before news of this scandal broke out.
That there are power struggles. Public appearances.
Multiple players fighting like bees trapped in a hornets’ nest. How nothing is as straightforward or easily accomplished even when you are in charge.
Lying down, I can’t sleep. The whole day is like a thumb pressing where I can’t reach.
I wonder about the weight on the shoulders of a CEO, but also how the world deserves answers after an injustice has been unearthed.
My soul aches for everyone who has not gotten the opportunities they deserve for who they are and what they look like.
I’m a bigger, brown-skinned woman. I know what it feels like. It’s polite ugliness when they say there’s no room for you. That you should go elsewhere, exist away from them, that you haven’t made the cut.
What makes a good leader, do you think?
On the morning of his company going through disaster, he asked me that.
Why? Did he not have the answer or was he gauging my own beliefs?
Did he think my stomach would turn on him after hearing the news?
That I’d square the blame at his feet because he’s in charge and therefore it should stick to his hands.
Maybe.
What makes a good leader do you think?
Again, those words carry through my head, making sleep unreachable.
I’m pulling up my phone and typing.
ME
I don’t know what a good leader is. And I don’t pretend to know your world. I’m not sure I want to know it because of how often it makes the news and for what reasons it does. But I don’t think leadership inherently attracts the worst.
I believe it’s when people are afraid to lose their power enough to do bad things, when they keep climbing away and on top of others in fear of someone else coming and taking it all away from them that a crisis of morality occurs.
I think. In my opinion.
Guess it’s comes down to?—
What are you afraid of?
Is it about losing it all?
Will you risk that by doing what is right?
He doesn’t answer my texts even hours later. I’m not surprised.
The next morning, I find myself oddly nervous. Part of me wonders whether he’ll ever show up in the kitchen again as I walk in.
“Rita,” says Luke.