Baltimore, 199x.

(PSSSH)

Cohen: I can see why you like this place. Lovely acoustics. What I can’t see is why Walker International would suddenly want to make the jump into broadcasting. Are you really that bothered by someone else playing in your Being-research sandbox?

Walker: That’s quite a leap you’re making, young man.

Cohen: Are you saying I’m wrong? Speaking of Beings, where’s yours?

Walker: Around. How about yours?

Cohen: Left it at home. I didn’t want to treat this like a challenge. And in that spirit, I’ve brought you a peace offering.

As much as I love business, my real passion is for linguistics . . . so I did some exploring on big cats.

The word leopard is a compound of the Greek λέων — lion — and πάρδος — panther. Back in the day, it was believed that leopards were hybrids of the two. Hadn’t figured out that panthers are just black leopards . . .

Ironically, the root word of “panther” means “white-yellow” or “pale”. It goes back to the Sanskrit पाण्डर — a derivation of their word used for, among other things, tigers. I had all of this typed up on —

Walker: — the disc, I take it? Quite thoughtful of you.

(YOINK)