Requirement

Ian is really out of money. There is the big carnival coming up in
college and he really needs at least a thousand pounds to enjoy himself
there. He cannot ask Dad for an advance on his monthly pocket money.
The reason is simple. Dad is attending a conference in Hong Kong. He
must use his brains to earn some money as he has done many times in the
past. He tells Mom that he is going out for a walk. Very soon Ian is
near City Centre. Now City Centre is a remarkable place. It not only
has numerous shops selling anything you can think of, it has an
exclusive club called The Circle and a huge clinic called 'Medico' with
all kinds of doctors who are available at various times. Ian has always
wanted to visit The Circle. The club has a fabulous indoor cricket
facility. But to be able to enter the club, which is rather exclusive,
one has to be a member. And Ian was definitely not one. Nevertheless,
Ian decided to chat up the security guards of the club. He entered
through the intricately carved door and perched himself on the
beautiful sofa in the reception area. As he had expected one of the
guards approached him immediately. "What do you think you are doing
here?" the guard asked brusquely. "I am the plumber." Ian said the
first thing that came into his mind. The guard seemed satisfied. "They
will call you" he said. After a while the guard began to talk. The next
day was the foundation day of the club. Someone important always
delivered a speech in the club on this occasion. In Calcutta a club is
a place where people meet and dine and play games. There are dance
clubs too but The Circle was not a dance place. Even as the guard spoke
Ian's eyes were drawn to an item in the newspaper that was lying on the
sofa. A daughter had just been born to the famous industrialist Roger
Sen. The baby would be visiting a paediatrician at 'Medico' the next
day with her nurse. Since it was her first visit to the outside world
the newspaper had deemed it fit to publicize it. Suddenly Ian had an
idea. An idea that would fetch him at least ten thousand pounds. He
excused himself from the security guard and began looking for the
bathroom. When he found it he made a lot of noise there. Then he asked
for the club secretary. When no one would direct him to the secretary's
chamber he found it himself. He entered the room and wasted no time at
all. He put forward his proposal directly. He told the secretary that
he could arrange for a top businesswoman to address the members of The
Circle the next day. For this he would charge ten thousand pounds. The
secretary threw him out of the room. But as Ian was leaving he was told
that he would receive the money only after the guest had spoken. The
foundation day celebrations of The Circle began the next day at ten am.
The guest was supposed to deliver her speech at eleven. Roger Sen's
chauffeur-driven Mercedes entered through the gates of City Centre at
quarter to eleven. The doctor was going to see the baby at eleven. As
the nurse and baby left the car Ian appeared from his hiding place. He
spoke to the nurse for a few minutes. The nurse smiled and nodded.
Together they started walking towards The Circle. The auditorium of the
club was packed with well-dressed men and women. As Ian and the nurse
entered, a lady on stage declared loudly that a very important
businesswoman was going to address the gathering. As Ian and the nurse
climbed on to the stage, the audience noticed the baby who was very
sweet indeed. The men and women dressed in their best had no idea as to
why a newborn baby was being carried to the microphone. It became clear
soon though. Ian addressed the gathering "Ladies and Gentlemen, I had
promised that I would bring a top businesswoman to The Circle to
deliver the foundation day speech. Well, here she is. I admit that she
is a bit young, only a month old. But she is industrialist Roger Sen's
daughter. And you will all agree that one day she will become a famous
businesswoman." As he said this, the nurse held the baby close to the
mike and the little sweetheart made a beautiful gurgling noise. And
then she fell asleep. "I am sorry" Ian said "that speech was really too
brief!" The crowd burst into laughter. That evening Ian had ten
thousand pounds in his wallet.