Twilight. Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein and Goldman mouthpiece Lucas van Praag are alone in his office. They’re looking at the computer, which is open to the New York Times Website, to a page that says Swiss bank UBS has “followed their lead” and sworn off bonuses for its top executives, and New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is urging Citigroup to do the same.
Van Praag: “We really did it, didn’t we?”
Blankfein: [Nods] “Everyone wants to be us.”
Van Praag: “No, sir — [he casts his eyes downward demurely and Blankfein can’t help but notice how long and lustrous his lashes are] “Everyone wants to be you.”
Blankfein: “That’s true.”
They look into each other’s eyes, and a flicker of something passes between them.
Van Praag: [Nodding briskly] “Well, I’d best be going, sir. I hope you get everything you want for Christmas.”
Blankfein: [Throatily] “I think I already have.”
Cuomo Urges Citigroup to End Executive Bonuses [DealBook/NYT]
