Dagny walks past me, the scent of gardenia oil, wafting off of her delicate skin makes for an interesting sensual contrast with her business suit. She steps into my Knight MKV

"The looters printed up 1.2 trillion dollars today."

"I know."

Dagny steps to the curb and I take off my wool trench coat and place it around her. She turns and smiles at me and here eyes dance and sparkle. She spots a panhandler approaching us and she takes the initiative and walks over to him.

"What's yoiur story?"

The man is taken aback a bit and then goes into his well rehearsed routine.

"I used to work down at the dairy, but I was kicked by a cow and now I have a hard time concentrating. No one is hiring these days anyway."

"You know how to collect money," Dagny says matter of factly. I have an opening for a part-time cashier in the station. The pay isn't great, but it's certainly more than you will make panhandling out here in this present economy. How much do you make a day?"

The man is taken aback at Dagny's forthrightness and pure honesty. It's strange but I see a spark of hope flicker inside the man, a look as if he is being awoken from a bad nightmare.

"I make about thirty-five bucks on a good day. Bad days see about ten bucks. I usually don't have to pay for meals either."

"Not bad," Dagny smiles, "I'll see you your thirty-five and raise you to ten an hour. A six hour shift will make you sixty dollars a day plus you get a uniform to wear and after two months you will be on our corporate health plan. That sound more appealing than loitering around mooching money from others that they earned and you didn't?"

The man is still stunned and is taking it all in. After a moment he speaks.

"Yes. That does sound better. When do I start?"

"Here's thirty bucks. Get a haircut down at Ferdinand's Barber shop two blocks south from here. Tell Ferdinand, the proprieter, that Dagny sent you. You'll get the works for fifteen bucks. Spend the rest as you see fit. Do you have any place to sleep?"

"I usually get a 7 dollar a night room at the flophouse when I have a good day."

"After work tomorrow I'll show you a decent place where you can get a clean, safe room for a fair rent and I'll advance you enough salary to cover your first month. Report to the cashier's office in the station at 8:00 o'clock tomorrow morning. What's your name?"

"Jack...my name is Jack Petersen."

"OK Jack, my name is Dagny Taggart and I run Taggart Transcontinental." Dagny shakes his hand and starts to walk away. I just watch as this entire man's dignity and self-respect has been restored in less than five minutes.

"Thank you Ms. Taggart. I will do my very best."

Dagny turns back, "No need to thank me. I am going to be getting a loyal, hardworking employee. This is not charity, this is a fair exchange."

I open the passenger door for Dagny on the Black Phantom. It's black paint sparkles in the evening sun and yet it seems dull next to Dagny whose entire essence is radiating an aura that puts any bauble or toy to shame.