Author: Marianne Jennings

Publisher: Amacom Books

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 128

ISBN-13: 9780814471975

Meet Edgar P. Benchley. Charitable people tend to call him a nerd. Others use less subtle descriptions. If you hear Edgar chatting to himself, don't be alarmed. He has an invisible friend who's kind of a cousin to Harvey from that old movie of the same name with Jimmy Stewart. Edgar's rabbit, Ari, possesses many charms. Ari adores Aristotle and Peter Drucker, detests ambulance-chasing lawyers, is well versed in theories of moral development, and can't resist Godiva ice cream. (Hey, even consciences have their weakness.) In high school, Edgar would study for tests all weekend instead of writing the answers on his hands as his friends did. In college, he would write for three days straight rather than buy term papers from We Cheat, Inc. Chalk it up to Ari's influence. With ethics as impeccable as Edgar's, it's no wonder he begins his career as a toll collector. Edgar does have friends, though, who come through and land him some plum jobs. Edgar becomes bookkeeper at Zenon, Inc., which sells million-dollar parts for $11 million. Then he's responsible for compliance at WCAE, a hotbed of insider trading. In his best-paid gig, Edgar samples executive life at a high-flying, IPO-poised start-up that just happens to sell items with a teeny little carcinogenic leak. Somehow - surprise! - Edgar always ends up getting canned. Maybe it has to do with Ari's tireless nudging of Edgar to speak out against the wrongdoings he sees. "If we played by your rules, this country would look like Uzbekistan," one boss angrily tells Edgar. But what Edgar's boss doesn't realize is that taking the ethical route can lead to opportunity knocking. While Edgar's so-called friends eventually get their just deserts, our hero ends up cashing in while keeping his conscience clear. He even gets the girl. Anyone who has ever been challenged by questions of ethics will relish this lively work of fiction and the thought-provoking discussion material that accompanies it.