Unit 2 The Company Man Ellen Goodman1 1 He worked himself to death, finally and precisely, at 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning. 2 The obituary didn’ t say that, of course. It said that he died of a coronary thrombosis — I think that was it — but everyone among his friends and acquaintances knew it instantly. He was a perfect Type A2, a workaholic, a classic, they said to each other and shook their heads — and thought for five or ten minutes about the way they lived. 3 This man who worked himself to death finally and precisely at 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning — on his day off — was fifty-one years old and a vice-president. He was, however, one of six vice-presidents, and one of three who might conceivably — if the president died or retired soon enough — have moved to the top spot. Phil knew that. 4 He worked six days a week, five of them until eight or nine at night, during a time when his own company had begun the four-day week for everyone but the executives. He worked like the Important People3. He had no outside “ extracurricular interests,” unless, of course, you think about a monthly golf game that way. To Phil, it was work. He always ate egg salad sandwiches at his desk. He was, of course, overweight, by 20 or 25 pounds. He thought it was okay, though, because he didn’ t smoke. 5 On Saturdays, Phil wore a sports jacket to the office instead of a suit, because it was the weekend. 6 He had a lot of people working for him, maybe sixty, and most of them liked him most of the time. Three of them will be seriously considered for his job. The obituary didn ’ t mention that. 7 But it did list his “ survivors” quite accurately. He is survived by his wife...
