Behold the Dreamers(112)

“I can almost picture that!” Clark said, guffawing and slapping the table. “I can completely see that happening.”

“He can stay with me and my wife until he gets tired of being in one place.”

“Oh, I’m sure he won’t have a hard time finding a new place to go to. He told me if his business idea doesn’t work out in India, he might head to Bolivia. Don’t ask me what’s in Bolivia.”

“Maybe a lot of mindful people, sir?”

“Maybe a lot of mindful people!” Clark said, and they laughed together.

“The boy is a very special young man, sir,” Jende said as their laughter died down.

“Yeah, special is a good word.”

“If there were ten thousand more young men like him in this world, or even just one thousand, I swear, sir, there will be more happiness in the world.”

Clark smiled.

Jende shifted in his seat. He was enjoying his time with his old boss, but the new secretary had warned him that Clark had only thirty minutes for the meeting. He glanced at his watch. Not much time left. He had to quickly say what he’d come to say.

“Sir,” he began, “I came here not only to say goodbye but also to personally thank you for the job you gave me. You may not understand how it changed my life, but because of that job I was able to save money and now I can go back home to live well. Even though I would have liked to continue working for you and stay in America longer, I am happy that I can now go home and live a better life than the life I lived before I came to America. So I am just very thankful, sir.”

Clark shifted in his seat and rubbed his eyes with his palms. “Wow,” he said. It was apparent no one had ever traveled so far to thank him for doing nothing more than pay for a service. His desk phone rang, but he didn’t pick it up.

“I hear all these things that people are saying about Wall Street people, sir, about how they are bad people. But I don’t agree with them. Because it was you, a Wall Street man, who gave me a job that helped me to take care of my family. And you were very nice to me. I think you are a good man, Mr. Edwards, and that is why I came to thank you.”

Clark Edwards stared at his former chauffeur, clearly thinking of the best words to convey his surprise at what he was hearing. “I’m very touched, Jende,” he said. “Really, and I thank you, too. It was a great experience for me, having you. Quite a thrill many times, actually. And if I never said it, I hope you know how much I appreciated your loyalty and dedication.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“And I’m sorry, Jende …”

“No, please, Mr. Edwards, don’t be sorry. For what?”

“That our time together had to end. I’m not sure how to put it, but … It’s a pity, you know?”

Jende shook his head. “Our people say no condition is permanent, Mr. Edwards. Good times must come to an end, just like bad times, whether we want it or not.”

“Indeed,” Clark said. “I’m just glad we can part as friends.”

“I’m also glad, sir,” Jende said, nodding as he pushed his chair back and stood up.

Clark stood up, too, and the men shook hands, the streets of New York on which they once drove together visible through the window beside them.

“Do pass on my regards to Neni,” Clark said.

“I will, sir. Please tell Mighty that me and Neni send him special greetings.”

“Will do. He was very fond of you guys. You may not have realized it but your presence in his life really did impact him a great deal. He still tells me, Jende said this, Neni did that.”

“We think about him also, especially after Mrs. Edwards died. I thought sometimes about maybe I should call you and try to see him, but … me and my wife, we had so many troubles going on that I did not even have time to do a lot of things I wanted to. But we don’t forget him. He is a good boy.”

“He is. I’m glad he’s looking forward to moving to Virginia. If he didn’t want to go, I would have passed on the opportunity, even though it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”

“Barclays is transferring you to work in another office in D.C., sir?”

“No, I’ll be starting a whole new job. Heading a lobbying firm.”

Jende moved his hand to scratch his head.

“It’s a firm that lobbies to protect the interest of organizations,” Clark said. “I’ll be heading one that lobbies for credit unions. The work’s going to be very important in this economic climate. Very exciting opportunity for me.”

“It sounds like it is a different kind of work, sir.”

“It is. Wall Street’s been good to me, but I don’t think there’s room for the likes of me here anymore. Besides, with everything that’s happened, I’m ready for a change.”

“I am very glad, sir,” Jende said, smiling. “I hope you have success with the lobbying.”

“Thank you,” Clark said, smiling back. “I hope so, too.

“By the way, Jende,” Clark called as Jende began walking toward the door. “I forgot to ask you. Why are you going back home?”

Jende did not need time to think about the best answer. He immediately turned around, walked back to the desk, and told the truth. “My application for asylum was not approved, sir.”