Idle Tom: The World’s Most Accomplished Person
I’d always thought that Princeton was quite a classy university - up there, at least, with Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge.
And yet now I discover that Princeton is on the very verge of including Idle Tom the Publisher in a list of "The World’s Most Accomplished People."
"Is this some kind of joke?" I said to Tom. "Are you pulling my leg?"
"It’s genuine," said the Idler. "They’re drawing up a list of the world’s most accomplished people. There’s a good chance that I’ll be included."
"Well. Well!" Talk about having the wind knocked out of your sails.
"Yeah, they’ll probably have a big ceremony and that sort of thing, and I’ll get to be on some big list. Might even get my name carved up in marble -"
It was all too much for me. "Well!" By now I was sounding a bit like Lady Bracknell. "This is just unbelievable!"
"Pretty good isn’t it," said Tommy, coolly. "Bet you never realised you had such a hot-shot publisher -"
"Tell me it’s not true."
"It is true! I’m on Princeton’s most wanted! They love me out there!"
"Don’t tell me - they’re going to give you an honorary doctorate for services to publishing -"
"Definitely on the cards."
"Maybe I’m missing something about you Tommy -"
"I think you have been, Mr Coles, what with all that snidey stuff you’ve been writing about me in your blog. Your finger’s not on the pulse any more -"
"Was it ever?"
"Yep, face it Mr Coles, I’m smoking at the moment. You’re damn lucky I’ve decided to go with Project X. I’m on the up!"