“Could you possibly babysit for a few minutes?” she asked Ed’s “Executive Assistant,” the modern equivalent of a secretary, but without the shorthand. She looked gratifyingly thrilled. No doubt it would make a nice change from being Ed’s underpaid and undervalued henchwoman. “She loves it if you scratch her in the soft bits, just behind her ears.” Then, because she always overdid it when she was nervous, she added, “Don’t we all?” along with a forced, high-pitched laugh. Ed’s assistant shrank back in her chair, looking startled.
