Calling all HBS Fall 2010 Candidates

This Side of Paradise (Fitzgerald,F.Scott )

“Oh, Tom, any mail?”

”Yes, your result’s here.”

His heart clamored violently.

“What is it, blue or pink?”

“Don’t know. Better come up.”

He walked into the room and straight over to the table, and then suddenly noticed that there were other people in the room.

They seemed to be mostly friends, so he picked up the envelope marked “Registrar’s Office,” and weighed it nervously. “We have here quite a slip of paper.”

”Open it, Amory.”

”Just to be dramatic, I’ll let you know that if it’s blue . . . my short career is over. Watch my face, gentlemen, for the primitive emotions.”

He tore it open and held the slip up to the light.

”Well?”

”Pink or blue?”

“Say what it is.”

“We’re all ears, Amory.”

“Smile or swear–or something.”

There was a pause . . . a small crowd of seconds swept by . . . then he looked again . . .and another crowd went on into time.

“Blue as the sky, gentlemen. . . .”