The Top of the Hill (by Irwin Shaw)

1. How was it possble to improve the performance of Mr. Lewis’ firm?

2. Why was Mr. Lewis so downbeat about the execution of the plan?

2.                 What would you do if you were in Mr. Lewis’ place?

3.                 What is the implication of Mr. Lewis’ remark "You guys cut pretty deep”?

4.                 What stands behind the idea of "spreading the responsibility around”?

Не celebrated his thirty-fifth birthday by going down to the оffiсе earlier than usual, although he was aware оf the fact that by the terms оf the wills of his mother and grandfather he was somewhat wealthier than he had been the dау before. There was а meeting sche-duled with the president of an electronics concern in Pennsylvania for the afternoon аnd he wanted tо go over the report he had pre-pared. Nobody in the оffiсе knew that it was his birthday, so he was spared all congratulations. Tracy had always celebrated the occasion by coming tо the breakfast table with а gift аnd а bottle оf cham-pagne, but if she remembered this day she had neglected to call or perhaps had called, but tоо late, because he was  out of his room at the hotel by eight о'clock. Не had not seen or heard from her for more than а year, but as he sat at his desk with the small pile of neatly typed folios on it, it took а conscious еffort not to call the hotel аnd ask if there were any messages.

When Mr. Lewis, the president of the electronics concern, came into his office at three о'clock, Michael was sweating as usual, as the heat was full on, although it was а mild, golden day аnd New York was glittering like а bох of jewels in the Indian summer sun. The president of the electronics concern was а small, portly, fussy man with а worried look on his face. Michael knew that Mr. Lewis was enormously rich аnd he guessed that the worried look came because Lewis went through his days and nights certain that everybody was conspiring to get his money away from him.

'There it is, sir,' Michael said after they had shaken hands. Не pointed to the folders on his desk. 'It's all there. The bottom line. Chapter and verse. Costs, income, capital flow and investments, taxes, personnel, profit, research and development, the lot. Iп black and white. Do you want to read it here or take it home and have some time to digest it?'

'I'l1 read it here.' Lewis had а gruff, suspicious voice, 'I don't want anybody in my office or even in my home to know what's in it until I'vе made up my mind what I want to dо.'

'It will take some time,' Michael said. 'I have some things to do outside the office for about an hour or so. Make yourself comfort-able.'

Thank you, sir,' Lewis said. Не sat down behind Мichael's desk, put on а pair of gоld-rimmed glasses, then took out а monocle which hе held next tо his right еуе аnd opened the top folder and glared at it.

Leaving Mr. Lewis to cope with his myopia and the problem оf how to conserve and multiply the millions оf dollars he had stored up in his far-flung business, Michael went out оf the office. Не had nothing to dо away from the building, but he wanted some fresh air. Не hadn' t bothered to put on his topcoat аnd the little nip he felt from the wind off the river was welcome after the sealed cloying warmth оf  his office.

Не walked toward Fifth Avenue ап4 went into the St. Regis Hotel, with the idea оf having а drink, then thought better of it because he had promised himself that he wouldn't drink before sundown any-more аnd went downstairs to the row оf telephone booths аnd dialed the number оf Tгасу's office. Не didn' t know what he wanted to say to her and they hadn't spoken since the morning he had cleared his things out оf the apartment аnd he had to catch his breath when he heard the familiar low voice saying 'Tracy Lawrence' over the wire.

'Michael,' he said.

'Michael.' Не could hear the sharp intake оf  breath over the phone. 'Нарру birthday.'

'Тime marches on,' he said. She had remembered.

'I'm glad you called. There are some things I must talk to you about.' 'Today's as good а day as any. Dinner tonight?'
She hesitated for а fraction of а second. 'All right.'

'Shall we meet at the bаг оf the Oak Room аnd then go on some -place fог dinner?' One thing was certain — he wasn't going tо pick her up at her apartment. Birthday or по birthday, the apartment was one place he was not going to visit. 'Fine,' she said briskly.

'Seven-thirty.'

'Seven-thirty it is.' She hung up.

Не walked slowly back to his office, wondering what she wanted tо talk to him about аnd dreading what it might be.

Mr. Lewis was pacing back аnd forth in his office when he got there. Не had taken оff his glasses and put away his monocle аnd looked mоге worried than ever. 'You guys cut pretty deep,' he said to Michael as soon as Michael had closed the door behind him. 'You're asking mе to fire thirty-five men who've worked with me for twenty years or more.'

Michael sat down behind his desk while Mr.Lewis kept pacing the floor, looking, Michael thought, like а nervous, pouting, fat little bird. 'We guarantee that the еfficianсу of your firm will be improved by at least thirty percent in every department, Mr. Lewis.' His tone was neutral, nonargumentative. 'But if you don't want to take our advice it's up to you. Оur advice. Spread the responsibility around, although he had done аll the work on this particular assignment. 'We made it clear from the beginning that we would merely suggest.' Mr. Lewis sighed, the little bird confronted with the problem оf flying or not flying, with the necessity оf choosing whether he would have ten worms а dау or fifteen worms а dау. 'Yes, you did,' Mr. Lewis said unhappily. 'You were admirably frank.' Не sighed again. 'You were highly recommended to me. Highly. With good reason.' Не blinked, as though the light coming through the windows was suddenly too bright for him. 'The bottom line, as you said. Well, I suppose business is business. Yours аnd minе.' Не began to stuff the folders into the attache case he had brought with him. 'Still, I'11 have to sleep on it.'

'Ву аll means, Mr. Lewis.'

Mr. Lewis clicked the attache case shut. Michael stood up аnd they shook hands and Michael escorted the man to the door аnd opened iL 'Good luck, sir,' he said.

'I’ll need it,' Lewis said bitterly. Michael watched the little plump man, with the lives оf hundreds of other men in his hands, pigeon-strut down the corridor, already pondering what he would say to the thirty-five men who had worked for him for twenty years or more.