“Lowell, I just wanted to check on how those thumbnails were coming
along. Our presentation is at 2:00, you know. Anything we can look over yet?”
“Not quite yet, Robert. Not quite yet. But don’t you worry. Just a few finishing touches. I should be ready around 1:00.”
Stinson looked at his watch. “1:00 — that’s cutting it pretty close, Lowell. Only leaves us an hour.”
“Yes, a whole hour. What could we possibly talk about for an hour, Robert?”
“But what if we need to make some changes …”
“There will be no changes, Robert. Now, if you don’t mind, I really should get back to work.”
“Not quite yet, Robert. Not quite yet. But don’t you worry. Just a few finishing touches. I should be ready around 1:00.”
Stinson looked at his watch. “1:00 — that’s cutting it pretty close, Lowell. Only leaves us an hour.”
“Yes, a whole hour. What could we possibly talk about for an hour, Robert?”
“But what if we need to make some changes …”
“There will be no changes, Robert. Now, if you don’t mind, I really should get back to work.”
“Of course. Please, yes, by all means Lowell. Would you buzz me when
you’re ready? Mr. McMahon would like to join us — he’s
very excited about this account.”
“How nice. Charles has deigned to come visit us in the trenches has he? It will be a pleasure to see him again. You know, he and I started with this firm at the same time — nearly 20 years ago now. He was once just a sprightly young account executive like yourself, Robert. Something to think about, my lad.” Lowell reflected for a moment: “Funny how once one gets his name on the walls he suddenly disappears right into them — invisible, yet omnipresent. The god of advertising.”
“Uh, right; yeah. Anyway, we’re to meet in his office upstairs. I’ll tell him
“How nice. Charles has deigned to come visit us in the trenches has he? It will be a pleasure to see him again. You know, he and I started with this firm at the same time — nearly 20 years ago now. He was once just a sprightly young account executive like yourself, Robert. Something to think about, my lad.” Lowell reflected for a moment: “Funny how once one gets his name on the walls he suddenly disappears right into them — invisible, yet omnipresent. The god of advertising.”
“Uh, right; yeah. Anyway, we’re to meet in his office upstairs. I’ll tell him
1:00
o’clock sharp. Okay, Lowell? Please, I don’t want to keep Mr.
McMahon waiting.”
“Ah, a visit to the inner sanctum it is. I shall dress for the occasion.”
“1:00 o’clock. Okay, Lowell? Buzz me when you’re ready.”
“Naturally, Robert. I’ll most certainly buzz you.”
Stinson spun and click-clacked down the corridor in his shiny black shoes — a metronome setting the pace for the Haydn sonatina that Lowell once played as a boy. A company of chubby blue treble notes danced along the walls and shooed Lowell back into his office.
The sun now laid its glowing arm across just one corner of Lowell’s board, allowing color to return to the inchoate
“Ah, a visit to the inner sanctum it is. I shall dress for the occasion.”
“1:00 o’clock. Okay, Lowell? Buzz me when you’re ready.”
“Naturally, Robert. I’ll most certainly buzz you.”
Stinson spun and click-clacked down the corridor in his shiny black shoes — a metronome setting the pace for the Haydn sonatina that Lowell once played as a boy. A company of chubby blue treble notes danced along the walls and shooed Lowell back into his office.
The sun now laid its glowing arm across just one corner of Lowell’s board, allowing color to return to the inchoate
images
he had been developing. Lowell sat on his stool and picked up his pen. He
thought about his deadline: 1:00 o’clock. He had about two and a half
hours left. Two and a half hours to create something brilliant. How is it
possible to place a time constraint on creativity? he thought. One cannot
simply call upon inspiration. One must always have an extra place set at the
table should inspiration show up at the door. But there is no telling at whose
home this fickle friend might make an appearance. One must simply be prepared—and
wait.
Lowell scratched a few lines on the paper and dressed up his headline text. He outlined the space for two more thumbnails — a place setting — and sat back in his stool. Lowell ran his hands through his graying
continue reading >
Lowell scratched a few lines on the paper and dressed up his headline text. He outlined the space for two more thumbnails — a place setting — and sat back in his stool. Lowell ran his hands through his graying
continue reading >
