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over to Mimi’s desk, since she seems to be a master of office culture.
    “Mimi, can I bother you for a minute? I need help with something.”
    “Of course, sweetie, how can I help?”
    “It’s Rikash’s birthday today and I want to take him out to lunch. Do you know his favourite places to eat?”
    “Sorry, I don’t. But it’s ‘restaurant week.’” She rummages in a drawer. “Here’s a Zagat . Go for the names in bold print.”
    “Thanks. I owe you one.”
    I hustle back to my desk and start dialling numbers. Four Seasons, Fully booked. Le Cirque, fully committed. Aureole, nothing before 3:30 pm. I try a few more places before I stumble upon the listing for the 21 Club. “ Yes, we do have one table for two available at 1:00.”
    “Wonderful. I’ll take it.”
    “This place is such a boys’ club. I wish we were people watching at the Café de Flore.”
    Obviously my choice isn’t the hit I hoped it’d be.
    “Okay, it isn’t exactly the trendiest scene, but I read that it used to be a former Prohibition-era speakeasy. It’s kind of exciting, don’t you think?”
    “Pfff, the days of Prohibition are long over and thank god for that. I’d die without my gin and tonic after work.” He removes his sunglasses from the top of his head.
    “Gin and tonic? I thought you’d be more of a flavoured martini type.”
    “Don’t be fooled my sweet exterior. I enjoy my liquor strong, straight up, and with no artificial flavours.”
    I go through the menu and decide on one of their classiclunch offerings. “I’ll have the 21 burger with fries and a glass of red wine. What are you having?”
    “How do you eat all that fattening food and stay so thin?”
    “I’m French, remember?”
    “Oh right, and I’m not, so I’ll have the house salad. Bathing suit season is just around the corner.”
    “Do you want some wine?”
    “No thanks. I have a strict rule about waiting until after five.”
    “I probably should too, but having a glass of wine is a ritual that I just can’t go without.”
    “I’m sure you were introduced to it early in life. In India, I drank contaminated water as a child. Luckily, I can go without.”
    “So you’ve opted for gin and tonic instead?”
    “Yes, it stimulates the palate and the mind.”
    “Wine also stimulates the mind. Baudelaire once said that there would be a major void in human intelligence if wine didn’t exist.”
    “That void already exists at our firm, in case you haven’t noticed. And if my memory serves me right, Baudelaire studied law, developed a fondness for booze and hashish, contracted syphilis, and died, so I’m not sure I would follow his lead.”
    I laugh, amused by his wry sense of humour, but stop when he doesn’t join in.
    “Why the long face, Rikash? It’s your birthday. Come on, lighten up.”
    “Sorry, sweetie, I’m just a bit pissed off. Bonnie the ice queen made me miss something really important yesterday.”
    “What?”
    He hesitates before answering. “The Dolce and Gabbana biannual sample sale,” he says with equal parts pout and reverence.
    “Why didn’t you ask someone else to cover for you?”
    “Like I didn’t think of that! I did everything I could to get out of the office, including kicking and screaming in reception, but Bonnie wouldn’t budge. I had to finish one of her documents since Maria and Roxanne were both out shopping at Daffy’s.” The disdain is nearly dripping off his face.
    “Rikash, it’s just a sale.”
    As soon as the words come out of my mouth, I know they’re a dumb thing to say. He gives me a look that suggests I’ve violated a sacred oath.
    “Just a sale? Are you serious? That sale is the cornerstone of my wardrobe. God, I even sleep in Dolce.”
    “Okay, sorry. I guess I’d be upset if I missed a Dior sale.”
    After I commiserate, his face softens. I’m dying to tell him about my new Dior mandate but decide to wait until we get back to the office to avoid leaking sensitive information to