Chapter 4

           AsFrankFrinkwatchedhisex-employerwaddledownthecorridorandintothemainworkareaofW-MCorporationhethoughttohimself,ThestrangethingaboutWyndam-Matsonisthathedoesnotlooklikeamanwhoownsafactory.HelookslikeaTenderloinbum,awino,whohasbeengivenabath,newclothes,ashave,haircut,shotofvitamins,andsetoutintotheworldwithfivedollarstofindanewlife.Theoldmanhadaweak,shifty,nervous,eveningratiatingmanner,asifheregardedeveryoneasapotentialenemystrongerthanhe,whomhehadtofawnonandpacify."They’regoingtogetme,"hismannerseemedtosay.

           AndyetoldW-Mwasreallyverypowerful.Heownedcontrollinginterestsinavarietyofenterprises,speculations,realestate.AswellastheW-MCorporationfactory.

           Followingaftertheoldman,Frinkpushedopenthebigmetaldoortothemainworkarea.Therumbleofmachinery,whichhehadheardaroundhimeverydayforsolong—sightofmenatthemachines,airfilledwithflashoflight,wastedust,movement.Therewenttheoldman.Frinkincreasedhispace.

           "Hey,Mr.W-M!"hecalled.

           Theoldmanhadstoppedbythehairy-armedshopforeman,EdMcCarthy.BothofthemglancedupasFrinkcametowardthem.

           Moisteninghislipsnervously,Wyndam-Matsonsaid,"I’msorry,Frank;Ican’tdoanythingabouttakingyouback.I’vealreadygoneaheadandhiredsomeonetotakeyourplace,thinkingyouweren’tcomingback.Afterwhatyousaid."HissmallroundeyesflickeredwithwhatFrinkknewtobeanalmosthereditaryevasiveness.