Karbon Kapucha, the world’s most carbon conscious corporate leader and the CEO of the world’s largest company, was presenting at the World Climate Action Summit. 

From the moment he strode to the center of the stage, one could sense the passion and deep sense of purpose. Here was a man, his entire presence seemed to suggest, who could be relied upon to tackle the deadly perils and take our blessed earth to a safe zone.

Over the next 30 minutes, Karbon sloshed through slide after slide that detailed the extraordinary efforts that his modestly named company TGD Inc (Total Global Domination Inc) was engaged with in every sphere of climate action - from solar power plants to carbon sequestration to green buildings.

After dishing out 75 slides with breathtaking rapidity combined with scintillating acumen, Karbon felt justified in believing that his audience would be mesmerized.

And when he turned back to look at them, the effects of mesmerization were indeed visible - half of the audience appeared to have dozed off, and most of the rest seemed to be looking glassily up at the ceiling. 

In summary, no one seemed to be listening to his awesome presentation!

Even for one of the world’s most sanguine souls, this was depressing. Was there no one at all who would be interested in knowing the gigantic, world saving efforts by TGD?

He scanned from left to right, front to back, and all he encountered was a mass of human heads looking different due to their diverse backgrounds but united rock solid in being absolutely uninterested in what was going on stage.

Karbon’s spirits had just about reached their lowest depths of despair when he saw a tall, well-built man dressed in a neat brown suit, standing on the side, looking earnestly at the screen. He seemed to lap up everything Karbon was saying with a keenness that suggested that he knew something about the importance of time and the urgency of the matter at hand. 

Here, felt Karbon, was one paragon, a role model for the hundreds of dozers to look upon as an enlightened human, and a soulmate he could rely upon during times of extreme distress.

Invigorated, Karbon finished off his presentation pronto, and, as his was the last session before lunch, dashed down to meet the man. He would hug him, yes, and his mind was even tossing around the exhilarating experiment of kissing him.

Where was he? Karbon rushed about hither and thither, and at last he saw him there, near the head of the lunch table, with his back to Karbon, animatedly talking to someone who looked like his colleague.

Karbon was just about to hug him from behind when he heard the chap say to his colleague - “I was wondering if the last speaker was ever going to finish his stupid presentation. Lunch was getting cold.”