Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism

by Sarah Wynn-Williams

gravely. “Mark and Priscilla are trying to conceive,” he shares in a whisper, never mind the fact we’re on a phone call and no one can overhear us. This immediately feels too intimate. Like we’re courtiers of conception admitted into the royal bedroom. “Riiiight,” I say warily. “Well, you can guess the problem,” he says conspiratorially. I’m guessing the dates of the summit don’t work out with the dates of ovulation, but that is way too much information for me. CEO conception plans are definitely not part of my job description. I let his statement hang there unanswered. “Zika,” he says. There’s no way that Mark can expose himself to Zika or push back his plans for a second child. Mark had once told me that he wanted a “tribe” of kids, so I understand his reluctance to delay. Elliot had been talking to Mark and the current guidance was to wait three months after travel to a Zika-infected area before trying to conceive, so either the trip should be canceled or we should look at serious measures to protect him from exposure. At this time, Lima barely had any Zika. Neither Elliot nor I mention that Facebook sent me to ground zero of the Zika outbreak while I was pregnant, but it hangs in the air. Elliot asks me to see what the Peruvian president’s office can do to stop Mark from getting Zika. Confidentially, of course. I assure him I’ll do everything I can. In reality, I don’t even know how one broaches the idea of asking a presidential office to safeguard your CEO’s sperm. Pa...