Chapter 10Figure CrunchingGetting father involved with the project did the trick. He outlined the project for us and spoke of ways to bridge the gaps between what was already done and what more could be added. He spoke of logistics figure crunching. Naturally, we were quite impressed.Father said that it was time to do some figure-crunching. This is something I am an ace at. With father as a banker at a national bank here, I think I may have acquired some of his mathematical genes.So far, yes, you will not believe this, 42,000 dollars have poured in. Father thinks that it was a great amount but not sufficient for the homeless to build back their homes. We selected a tiny village from the tsunami-affected island of Lipu Lipu. The overall target is to re-construct five to ten homes as well as the neighboring beach area.“I think you need to be a little more ambitious that that,” Pa says.We are seated in Miss R’s office. She had called my father for a meeting and is listening to him carefully.“How can we send the money?” she asks.“Do you know what I think, Madam? Sending the donation cheque by hand, through the girls themselves along with a supervising adult in-charge would be the wisest thing to do. The team can see to the logistics of building the homes and also personally see where their money is going to; in short, give them the responsibility to oversee the project.”“How can we do that?” asks Miss R, looking at my father like he’s a little child who does not understand the situation. “Do you think it easy to dispatch children to the wilderness? And what about the cost?” She poses the questions sternly.“Yes, that is something that needs to be worked out,” says Pa.Furtively, I peek under the table to see if my father’s legs are shaking. Mine do in the presence of Miss R, but my father sits straight and tall.“Maybe some big company would sponsor that,” he suggests in a smooth voice. “I know of an airline that has approached our bank to assess how to project their CSR and...’’“Really? Hold on, you mean the bank’s corporate social responsibility would be to help the tsunami-stricken? Well, of course, a worthy task!” Miss R interrupts him. “However, would that not bring unnecessary publicity to the school? And, mind you, I do not want people to think we are on the path to a publicity stunt.” She gives my father a stern look.‘’Well, true,” says Pa. “You will get the local press, and maybe even the international press, interested. But there’s nothing wrong with that. It can rake in more funds. And wouldn’t sending a group of young adults mean the school is inculcating moral responsibility? That makes sense to me; what do you think?I know my father is a banker, but I am convinced he would have made a persuasive salesman.We sit quietly, looking at Miss R. It does not take much time to see that she’s buying the idea. She stays silent for a long while and then, suddenly, springs up from her chair, takes my father’s hand, and shakes it vigorously. We look at her, surprised at her behavior. She’s like a little girl who has been handed a huge present on her birthday.“Wonderful, Mr. Rai, quite wonderful,” she says, again and again.Sandy, Rhea, and I are akin to a trio of statues, sting transfixed at the scene unfolding before us.“We will do it, we will do it,” our taciturn principal reiterates. “We will send school representative to that stricken island, rescue the hapless people, and make a splendid educational project!” She flashes a triumphant smile at all of us!We look at each other and secretly cross our fingers, while my father and Miss R continue to shake hands.We are going to Lipu Lipu for real!