“Of course I real that, John. I read your report very carefully in deed. And your report also says that on most days we put less than two parts per million into The river. No, wait, listen to me for a minute! We both know that no drinking water comes out of this part of the river, don’t we? And in two kilometres the river goes out into the sea. So why is it dangerous? Nobody is ever going to drink it, John! We don’t need to build these new machines!”
John thought of his children playing on the beach and swimming. “We’re got to build them!” he said.
David Wilson looked at him carefully. His voice, when he spoke, was very quiet and hard. “Listen to me, John. You’re a very good scientist, and we’re lucky to have you in the company. But you are not a businessman, and I am. Look at this.” He picked up a sheet pf paper, and held it across the table for John to see. It showed how much money the company had. “We borrowed ten million pounds last years, and we employed four hundred more people. Think how much that means to a small town like this!”
“I know,” said John. “But…