Page 19 of 12 Years
‘This company that I’m valuing has issued a lot of stock options to its employees. ESOPs, you know?’
‘Yeah, I do.’
She shook her head; the ponytail swayed in tandem. ‘There are multiple layers and tranches of ESOPs, all of which we need to account for.’
‘Yes. If the company has issued too many stock options, you’ll have massive dilution,’ I said.
‘Exactly. However, these particular ESOPs are complicated. It involves valuing complex options.’
‘Beyond the Black–Scholes formula?’
She nodded.
‘I can help,’ I said after a pause.
‘What?’
‘I’ve valued complex stock options during my Yellowstone years. We can discuss the ESOPs you’re dealing with. Just don’t give me any names or other confidential details about the company.’
‘Yeah? We can do that?’
‘Why not? You have the ESOP details? I can look at it now.’
‘Not today. It’s your big night.’
‘When do you want to do it then?’
‘I can do it tomorrow. I’m going to my parents’ place in Ghatkopar tonight. But I’ll return to my own place in Parel tomorrow. I can stop in Bandra on the way back,’ she said. ‘Will that be convenient for you?’
‘Extremely. I live in Bandra. Okay, let’s meet at Bombay Salad Co. tomorrow? That’s where I go for lunch on Sundays anyway.’
‘Sounds too healthy,’ she said doubtfully.
‘Is that a problem?’
‘No.’ She laughed. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘One Ironman chicken salad. Also, one Feel Good salad with tofu, Jain, no onion or garlic, not even in the dressing,’ I said to the server at Bombay Salad Co.
‘No tofu either, please. I hate it,’ she said.
Payal wore a dark-blue salwar kameez with tiny golden polka dots all over it. A matching bindi adorned her forehead. She had removed the dupatta she was wearing and had placed it next to her large Gucci tote bag. She had worn jhumkas as well—long silver ones with peacock feathers that matched the colour of her clothes dangling from the ends.
‘Are those real peacock feathers?’ I said, pointing at her earrings.
‘Yes. But they’re Jain-friendly. No peacocks were harmed in making these.’
‘How do you know that?’ I smiled.
‘Peacocks shed feathers naturally, that’s how. Anyway, I know I’m overdressed. Totally out of place amongst these Lululemon ladies of Bandra in the restaurant here.’
Almost every other table around us had people in athleisure attire.
‘I look like someone who’s come to eat a Gujarati thali before garba night,’ she said.
I laughed.
‘It’s my mother. She buys all this for me and then forces me to wear them every time I visit them.’
