Years of past success created invincibility which suddenly evaporates. Continual prosperity has allowed for annual employee salaries reaching well into the millions. But abruptly, circumstances dictate a precipitous decline in fortune. The bill is due and to survive, this business is now promoting a series of unethical behaviors. To accomplish this, ungodly sums of money are used as bribes to overcome voiced reservations as these activities are introduced to the rank and file.
As we celebrate Labor Day, the time of year set aside to recognize workers and their contributions to society and it's prosperity, I am vividly remembering three conversations from this movie.
Conversation 1.
Peter, a 27-year-old analyst, has taken the ball from Eric and completed an investigation which proves that the company is in dire straights. In this first meeting with an Executive Committee, his superior asks him for his credentials.
"I have been with the firm for two years working with Eric that whole time. But I hold a doctorate in engineering - as a specialist in propulsion, from MIT, with a bachelor’s from Penn."
His boss pauses for a few moments and then asks, “What's a specialty in propulsion?
Peter replies, “Well... in laymen terms, my thesis was a study in the way that friction ratios affect steering outcomes in aeronautical use under reduced gravity loads."
His boss again pauses, but for a much longer time before saying, “So you are a rocket scientist.”
Peter responds, “Um... I was... yes.
Jared then asks the question on everybody’s’ mind, “How did you end up here?”
“Well it's all just numbers really, you're just changing what you're adding up... and if I may speak freely the money is considerably more attractive here."
Conversation 2
After giving him a check (which appears to be enormous), the CEO is talking to Sam, a veteran analyst with 40 years in the firm, “ You'll get the bonus, the options, and keep your current base, but I need you to stay with me for another 24 months. O.K?
Sam, looking defeated, listens again as the CEO tells him, “For God's sake man put a smile on your face, you did some good today, you said so yourself. I'm starting to feel a little better about this whole thing. You're one of the luckiest guys in the world, you could've been digging ditches all these years..."
As Sam prepares to leave he looks at his boss and ruminates, “That's true, and if I had been at least there'd be some holes in the ground to show for it.
Conversation 3
Will, another young analyst has been sent to bring Eric back to the office even though Eric was relieved of duty earlier in the day. Before the firm recognized the consequences of the actions taken in the past, Eric had been doing the research that discovered this disaster. He had not been given the chance to explain before he was terminated. The company wants him back to curtail any exposure as they tie up loose ends.
Eric is resisting so Will says, “They'll pay.” He gives the impression that ‘pay’ will be staggering.
“I've already been paid enough by them," Eric replies. He continues, “Did you know I built a bridge once? I was an engineer by trade.”
Will seems confused by this conversation now, but Eric continues to reminisce.
“A bridge. It goes from Dilles Bottom, Ohio to Moundsville West Virginia. It spans 912 feet over the Ohio River. Steel through arch design. 12,100 people a day use the thing. It cut out 35 miles each way of extra driving to get from Wheeling to New Martinsville. That's a combined 847,000 miles of driving a day... and 25,410,000 miles a month and 304,920,000 miles a year saved."
He’s on a roll now as he calculates these colossal numbers in his head.
"I completed that project in 1986... 22 years ago. Over the life of that one bridge that's 6 billion...708 million...240 thousand miles that haven't had to be driven! At let's say... 50 miles an hour that's 134,164,800 hours... or 559,020 days... so that one little bridge has saved the people of those two communities a combined 1531 years of their lives not wasted in the car... give or take."
Quietly again with reverence, "One thousand, five hundred, thirty-one years..."
Both men sitting on the steps of a row-house see a Towncar pull up to the curb. Knowing it's the company vehicle sent to fetch Eric, they look at each other. Will knows Eric is not getting in that car. Shaking his head, he tells Eric, "You're a better man than me."
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23
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