wandering
here anymore.”
Chapter
8
New York,
October 17, 2013, 5:00 PM
The previous day’s events had left Ronnie distraught. Ever since
his workday had begun, he’d been unable to concentrate on any of his
assignments. From the moment he’d signed the FDA document, approving the
continuation of the trial, his destiny had been tied
to that of TDO. He analyzed the situation again and again and always reached
the same conclusion. He had only two options: sign the documents or resign. The
second option was probably the wiser and more cautious, but Ronnie knew his
nature wouldn’t allow him to avoid the challenge. The meeting with Dr.
Jörgen Zimmerhof, from which he’d just returned, reestablished his
belief that using the existing medicine posed no real danger, but before he
received a written opinion, he knew that the risk he’d taken might come back to
haunt him at any given moment. He wondered what Liah might say about all this
and dialed her number. He hung up after the first ring. The entire undertaking
is top secret, he reminded himself and felt embarrassed by the question which
popped into his mind: Why can’t I trust the woman who’ll soon be my wife?
An impatient honk rescued him from his own thoughts. He returned
to the right lane, allowing the long line of vehicles that trudged behind him
to move on. With his right hand, he called Gadi, who, as usual, answered after
a single ring.
“What’s happening?”
“A lot. I don’t even know where to
begin.”
“It’s your fault. If you’d called yesterday, you would have fewer
things to bitch and moan about today. Why didn’t you call?”
Ronnie began to relax. “Just because. Lots of things happened and I didn’t think you’d be interested.”
“Like what?”
“I’ve been promoted to partner,” Ronnie announced dramatically,
and immediately added, “and I proposed to Liah and she accepted.”
“Without consulting with me first? You
can’t be serious. This is exactly how you get your life into a mess,” Gadi
answered, completely ignoring the bit involving partnership.
“Not in this case, definitely not in this case.”
“Then you leave me no choice. I’ll be taking the first flight
tomorrow, and we’ll go out to celebrate. It’s been almost three years since the
last time I paid you a visit. If I understand things correctly, Liah will soon
be your new boss, thus I have to establish the rules of the game with her. I
hope it goes well, or else…” Gadi laughed.
“Don’t be insane and don’t waste your money,” said Ronnie, but
in his heart he prayed that Gadi wouldn’t change his mind.
“I’ll take business class and send you the invoice. Tomorrow at
six-thirty, I’ll be picking you up from the office. Get reservations for a
fancy, expensive restaurant. You’re paying for that as well.”
“Honestly, I’m really happy you’re coming,” answered Ronnie and,
for the next half hour, updated Gadi with everything that’d taken place during
his meeting with the TDO CEO.
“Awesome. We’re going to have a blast. Bye.” Gadi finished the
call in his usual abrupt manner and hung up the phone.
Ronnie was now all smiles and tranquility. Gadi was his best
friend, against all odds, actually. When Ronnie was seventeen, he’d
volunteered, like all his classmates, to instruct at-risk youth in the City of
Lod. During their opening conversation, the social worker explained to the volunteers
that according to her philosophy most of their energies should be invested in
trying to save the youths who had not yet begun to lead a life of crime, those
who still showed up at school now and then, their occasional attendance
indicating a desperate call for help more than any real desire to study.
Ronnie raised his hand and passionately expressed his opinion
that the system was choosing the easy way. “It does not matter whether they
show up at school, we need to find the ones who have
real potential and invest in them so that
here anymore.”
Chapter
8
New York,
October 17, 2013, 5:00 PM
The previous day’s events had left Ronnie distraught. Ever since
his workday had begun, he’d been unable to concentrate on any of his
assignments. From the moment he’d signed the FDA document, approving the
continuation of the trial, his destiny had been tied
to that of TDO. He analyzed the situation again and again and always reached
the same conclusion. He had only two options: sign the documents or resign. The
second option was probably the wiser and more cautious, but Ronnie knew his
nature wouldn’t allow him to avoid the challenge. The meeting with Dr.
Jörgen Zimmerhof, from which he’d just returned, reestablished his
belief that using the existing medicine posed no real danger, but before he
received a written opinion, he knew that the risk he’d taken might come back to
haunt him at any given moment. He wondered what Liah might say about all this
and dialed her number. He hung up after the first ring. The entire undertaking
is top secret, he reminded himself and felt embarrassed by the question which
popped into his mind: Why can’t I trust the woman who’ll soon be my wife?
An impatient honk rescued him from his own thoughts. He returned
to the right lane, allowing the long line of vehicles that trudged behind him
to move on. With his right hand, he called Gadi, who, as usual, answered after
a single ring.
“What’s happening?”
“A lot. I don’t even know where to
begin.”
“It’s your fault. If you’d called yesterday, you would have fewer
things to bitch and moan about today. Why didn’t you call?”
Ronnie began to relax. “Just because. Lots of things happened and I didn’t think you’d be interested.”
“Like what?”
“I’ve been promoted to partner,” Ronnie announced dramatically,
and immediately added, “and I proposed to Liah and she accepted.”
“Without consulting with me first? You
can’t be serious. This is exactly how you get your life into a mess,” Gadi
answered, completely ignoring the bit involving partnership.
“Not in this case, definitely not in this case.”
“Then you leave me no choice. I’ll be taking the first flight
tomorrow, and we’ll go out to celebrate. It’s been almost three years since the
last time I paid you a visit. If I understand things correctly, Liah will soon
be your new boss, thus I have to establish the rules of the game with her. I
hope it goes well, or else…” Gadi laughed.
“Don’t be insane and don’t waste your money,” said Ronnie, but
in his heart he prayed that Gadi wouldn’t change his mind.
“I’ll take business class and send you the invoice. Tomorrow at
six-thirty, I’ll be picking you up from the office. Get reservations for a
fancy, expensive restaurant. You’re paying for that as well.”
“Honestly, I’m really happy you’re coming,” answered Ronnie and,
for the next half hour, updated Gadi with everything that’d taken place during
his meeting with the TDO CEO.
“Awesome. We’re going to have a blast. Bye.” Gadi finished the
call in his usual abrupt manner and hung up the phone.
Ronnie was now all smiles and tranquility. Gadi was his best
friend, against all odds, actually. When Ronnie was seventeen, he’d
volunteered, like all his classmates, to instruct at-risk youth in the City of
Lod. During their opening conversation, the social worker explained to the volunteers
that according to her philosophy most of their energies should be invested in
trying to save the youths who had not yet begun to lead a life of crime, those
who still showed up at school now and then, their occasional attendance
indicating a desperate call for help more than any real desire to study.
Ronnie raised his hand and passionately expressed his opinion
that the system was choosing the easy way. “It does not matter whether they
show up at school, we need to find the ones who have
real potential and invest in them so that
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