Part 2 (1/2)

The increase _was_ comparable after another two weeks. In fact, the efficiency figure jumped to 8.9. Quay was too excited to be knocked down this time, and Cutter was unable to suppress his own pleasure.

”This is really it this time, George,” Quay said. ”It really is. And here.” He handed Cutter a set of figures. ”Here's what accounting estimates the profit to be on this eight-nine figure.”

Cutter nodded, his eyes thinning the slightest bit. ”We won't see that for a while.”

”No,” Quay said, ”but we'll see it! We'll sure as h.e.l.l see it! And if it goes much higher, we'll absolutely balance out!”

”What does Bolen figure the top to be?”

”Ten percent.”

”Why not thirty-six point eight?” Cutter said, his eyes bright and narrow.

Quay whistled. ”Even at ten, at the wage we're paying--”

”Never settle for quarters or thirds,” Cutter said. ”Get the whole thing. Send for Bolen. I want to talk to him. And in the meantime, Bob, this is such a G.o.dd.a.m.ned sweet morning, what do you say we go to lunch early?”

Quay blinked only once, which proved his adaptability. Cutter had just asked him to lunch, as though it were their habit to lunch together regularly, when in reality, Quay had never once gone to lunch with Cutter before. Quay was quite nonchalant, however, and he said, ”Why, fine, George. I think that's a good idea.”

Bolen appeared in Cutter's office the next morning, smiling, his eyes darting quickly about Cutter's desk and walls, so that Cutter felt, for a moment, that showing Bolen anything as personal as his office, was a little like letting the man look into his brain.

”Quay tells me you've set ten percent as the top efficiency increase we can count on, Bolen.” Cutter said it directly, to the point.

Bolen smiled, examining Cutter's hands and suit and eyes. ”That's right, Mr. Cutter.”

”Why?”

Bolen placed his small hands on his lap, looked at the tapered fingers, then up again at Cutter. He kept smiling. ”It's a matter of saturation.”

”How in h.e.l.l could ten percent more efficiency turn into saturation?”

”Not ten percent more efficiency,” Bolen said quietly. ”Ten percent _effect_ on the individual who _creates_ the efficiency. Ten percent effect of that which _causes_ him to be ten percent more efficient.”

Cutter snorted. ”Whatever the h.e.l.l that d.a.m.ned gimmick does, it creates confidence, drive, strength, doesn't it? Isn't that what you said?”

”Yes,” Bolen said politely. ”Approximately.”

”Can you explain to me then, how ten percent more confidence in a man is saturation?”

Bolen studied what he was going to say carefully, smiling all the while.

”Some men,” he said very slowly, ”are different than others, Mr. Cutter.

Some men will react to personality changes as abrupt as this in different ways than others. You aren't too concerned, are you, with what those changes might already have done to any of the individuals affected?”

”h.e.l.l, no,” Cutter said loudly. ”Why should I be? All I'm interested in is efficiency. Tell me about efficiency, and I'll know what you're talking about.”

”All right,” Bolen said. ”We have no way of knowing right now which men have been affected more than others. All we have is an average. The average right now is eight and nine-tenths percent. But perhaps you have some workers who do not react, because they really do not suffer the lacks or compulsions or inhibitions that the Confidet is concerned with.