Chapter Ten.

When I arrived at the dining car, Jim and Susan were already seated, and facing each other. Jim sat closer to the edge of the bench, so I sat down next to Susan. She had put on a different dress, and had removed the ribbon from her pony tail to let her blonde hair fall loose around her face.

When the turbaned waiter brought us our menus, I asked him what was good tonight. I accepted his recommendation and ordered laal maans, a Rajasthani curried mutton stew. Jim did not bother looking at the menu. He ordered a grilled steak, very rare, with a baked potato and "a big glass of bourbon." Susan asked for a Caesar Salad.

After the waiter left, Jim asked where I gone to University. He appeared to believe that St. Andrews was a notch below Cambridge.

He told me that Susan had finished her first year at Rice University in Texas. He preferred Rice over the University of Texas, because it was "closer to home," and "U of T is too full of those Austin liberals." He said the last word with the same mixture of scorn and derision that he had used when he mentioned the word "coal" in our initial conversation. He bragged that Susie had pledged to Kappa something or other, which was evidently a prestigious women's university club.

I asked Susan what she was studying. She told me that she had not yet chosen a major, but was leaning toward "Fashion Design."

She seemed a bit surprised, but pleased, when I followed up by asking her opinion about the relative merits of textiles made with American and Egyptian cotton. She, in turn, surprised me by starting a very intelligent discussion of the pros and cons of short staple American cotton and long staple Egyptian cotton. She included some facts I did know, particularly about the rare, very expensive, extra-long staple cotton of South America, which my family firm had never traded. She had used it when she made an evening gown as a project for one of her classes.

'You shouldn't look so surprised, Angus,' her father said. 'Just because Susie is pretty doesn't mean that she's not smart. And don't forget, Texas isn't just oil country. It's also cotton country.'

'Susie is a true Texas girl.' he continued, 'who knows and loves everything about Texas. In fact, he favorite music is Texas music.'

'Daddy,' she said, 'please don't do this, again.'

'The first song she ever learned,' he said, was "Deep in the Heart of Texas." I used to sing it to her when she as a little girl. I'd bounce her on my knee, and we'd clap our hands together, in tune with the song.'

Susan looked both embarrassed and annoyed, but Jim started to sing: 'The stars at night, are big and bright, …'

Fortunately, the waiter interrupted Jim's rendition by bringing our plates of food to our table.

'What about you?' Susan hurriedly asked me as the waiter left. 'Daddy already told me about you studying the history of your family business. What will you do when you graduate from Cambridge? Will you join the family firm?'

I started to explain that it wasn't "my" family firm, and that I was only a poor cousin of the branch of the family who owned and ran the firm. I said that I had depended upon scholarships to finance my education. I also insisted that I was more interested in academic life than in business. Depending upon the reception of my dissertation, I stood a very good chance of being offered a position as Lecturer at Cambridge.

"Don't be a fool,' her father told me. 'Professors make peanuts, barely enough to live on, much less to support a family.'

When I started to explain that not everyone considered money the most important thing in life, he cut me off.

'Of course it's not,' he said. 'It's power and influence that really counts. Money is simply the measuring stick that most people use to add up how much you have, how successful and powerful you are… And it's also the means of assuring that you can give your wife and children the life they deserve.'

He paused to take a long drink of bourbon.

'Look,' he continued. 'When I called you a fool I didn't mean to say that you were stupid. You obviously aren't. But you are deluding yourself, if you think that you can be happy if you spend the rest of your life just being a professor.'

'I've had my eye on you, ever since this trip started. I've watched you walk around and explore the different stores and markets whenever this train makes a stop. I've seen you haggle for the best bargain when you stop for a bite to eat. When we had our first little talk, you immediately started quizzing me about oil, gasoline, and about the costs and differences of using trucks or trains to carry goods. Son, you're a born businessman.'

He took another drink of his bourbon.

'And don't give me any hogwash about you just being a poor relation,' he said. 'You're just two funerals away from being a Lord. Your family firm is run by your two brothers – and they're not doing a very good job of it. They're keeping the firm limited to simply importing and wholesaling goods, and only within the Sterling Area - what used to be the old British Empire. That needs to be changed.'

I did not like the idea that Jim or anybody else had been keeping an eye on me, or knew anything about my family. I was, however, definitely interested in hearing his opinion of the firm's business strategy. From our earlier discussion of trains and lorries, I'd realized that he was a shrewd businessman, and especially well versed on logistics. In retailing, logistics is crucial.

I nodded for him to continue.

'Suez showed everybody that the British Empire and the British pound are definitely on their way down," he said. 'and that America and the American dollar are on their way up, to ruling the entire world. The only thing stopping us now is the Commies, and even they're beginning to fight each other.'

I mentally noted that Jim, like all the other Americans I'd ever talked to, always avoided using the phrase "American Empire ."

'It's the same way with coal and oil,' he continued. 'Few people in Britain or Europe realize it yet, but coal is a thing of the past. The future belongs to oil, and automobiles… and shopping centers.' For the next half hour, he explained how cheap oil and cheap automobiles were letting everyone move out of the cities. It was happening in America, and would soon be happening in Britain and Europe.

It was during that conversation that I first heard the phrase "shopping mall" for the first time in my life.

That conversation would change my life, but not in the manner which Jim intended. His main motive became apparent, when he started talking about how important it was for a man of business to have the right type of woman as his wife.

I turned to look at Susan, expecting to her to be embarrassed and to her admonish her father again. Instead, she just smiled and stared intently into my eyes.

'What about it, Angus?' she asked. 'Is there anybody special in your life?'

I became flustered, and started to say that I was already somewhat involved with somebody, and… Susan's smile grew larger, and she tilted her head.

"So, what is the lucky girl's name?' inquired Susan in a skeptical manner. 'What is she like, and how did you two meet?'

'Her name is… Ruth,… Ruth Grimsby,' I stammered, picking the first female name I could think of . It belonged to a secretary at the History Department who was married to one of the University's Geology Professors. I had attended his retirement party a week before I left Bombay.

'She is very nice,' I said, trying anxiously to recall a plausible female image, 'and has lovely short brown hair and very dark eyes. She's also a student at the University of Bombay, and will be waiting for me when I return from New Delhi.' Actually, Ruth and her husband were now on a voyage to Auckland, New Zealand, where they would be visiting her husband's family.

'She may be nice,' said Susan, 'but nice doesn't mean special. If she was, she wouldn't let you be traveling by yourself for so long.'

I started to say something about Ruth having "prior commitments," but my voice trailed off as I racked my brain to find some plausible sounding details.

Susan gave a little laugh, and again stared at me. Her eyes now seemed more grey than blue. She looked adorable.

'Angus,' she said, 'tell us more about this Ruth Grimsby. If she's so special to you, then you must know her favorite color, and what she likes for breakfast.'

'Tell us, Angus.'