The Round Table that Never Sleeps

"'Just kicking into high gear? Ronnie, look at this schedule' He slapped the piece of paper. 'Appearing in front of groups I've never heard of to discuss subjects I know nothing about' His collar was unbuttoned, his tie draped over the chair nearby. They'd been working practically the entire night and the strain was beginning to show." pg. 206

This part of the story, being in New York in the 1980's, reminds me heavily of Wall  Street finance culture. One of the staffers was disgruntled after a meeting and has been working all night.

"Merlin walked in, dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt 'Morning all' he said 'Percival's right behind me--he's stopping to get a bagel' He shook his head 'Facinating thing, a bagel. Not quite a donut, but not yet quite a muffin. Not quite anything, and yet it's everything. All things to all people. It's the brunch of baked goods."

Merlin, in this story, reminds me of an eccentric personality in the dusk to dawn corporate culture that existed in New York. His comments about the bagel were very tacit in nature, and reminded me of a manager working in finance, to focus on every detail and confuse his workers.