This author has a talent to introduce eccentric characters, and these chapters were no different. As the story continues unfolding, our protagonist, like many other protagonists, begins to grow stronger as he builds a network of allies. Our newest companion, Belinda, seems to know a greater deal than Mr. T appears to do about managing. She is a mentor on Webster’s journey to raise this country, even though she was already teaching him before they met (if I understood correctly, she wrote the book Tompkins was reading). And yet, she seems to have come to a rather contrasting conclusion now than she did three years before or when she wrote the book. Something weird happened to this woman who was at the pinnacle of her career and had a decent curriculum, something which will without a shadow of doubt be revealed later and play a tremendous influence in our main character’s ability to make decisions, for good or ill.
Although she seems authentic, I do feel uncomfortable towards her «hunch» when choosing employees. It is not that I do not trust the guts of someone better than me, or that it does not make sense, but to put it simply: relying on someone to do 85% of the job destined to me gives off a vibe or sensation that makes me wonder, what did I really do? Just as our friend Mr. T wonders that himself at the end of the chapter, he defends his standing with the «I did the paperwork first» excuse to leaving most of the recruitment to Belinda.
But let’s be fair: he reflects on his weaknesses about doing the recruiting on his own. He admits being impatient, too talkative, probably aggressive on his approach when compared to her. So it is a matter of time until he can run things unaided.
Coder Bebop 