[first lines, addressing Russian workers at FedEx hub in Moscow]

Time rules over us without mercy, not caring if we're healthy or ill, hungry or drunk, Russian, American, beings from Mars. It's like a fire. It could either destroy us or keep us warm, that's why every FedEx office has a clock. Because we live or we die by the clock. We never turn our back on it, and we never, ever allow ourselves the sin of losing track of time! Locally, it's 1:56, that means we've got 3 hours and 4 minutes before the end-of-the-day's package sort; that's how long we have, that's how much time we have, before this pulsating, accursed, relentless taskmaster tries to put us out of business! [sees Nicolai] Hey, Nicolai. Hey. Nicolai, good to see you. How are you, kid? Look what you did. You just delivered you just delivered your very first FedEx package. That deserves something special, like a Snickers bar, and a CD player. And something to listen to, a CD. [hands Nicolai a Snickers bar, a CD player and an Elvis CD from his duffel bag] There, Elvis Presley, 50 million fans, can't be wrong. [holds up package, to workers] You all recognize this, don't you? I took the liberty of sending this to myself, I FedEx'd it before I left Memphis. You're probably wondering what could be in here. [opening the package] What could it possibly be? Is it architectural plans? Maybe technical drawings? Is this the wallpaper for the-- for the bathroom? It is... [pulls out a timer] a clock, which I started at absolute zero, and is now at 87 hours, 22 minutes and 17 seconds. From Memphis, America to Nicolai in Russia, 87 hours. 87 hours is a shameful outrage! This is just an egg timer! What if it had been something else, like your paycheck? Or fresh boysenberries, or adoption papers? 87 hours is an eternity! The cosmos was created in less time! Wars have been fought and nations toppled in 87 hours! Fortunes made and squandered.