It was only 11:00 A.M., but from the frenetic motion coming from the trading pits, it was obvious the day was going to be even more chaotic than usual. David, of course, knew the reason for the tumult: a few days earlier, the National Weather Service had predicted a warmer than normal winter for the Northeast—which meant that the demand for heating oil would wane. The report would be devastating to some traders and a boon to others—but to David, at the moment, the shouts, screams, and shoving were simply background noise. At the moment, he was on a mission. It took him less than a minute to spot Vitzi and his bright orange and red jacket, leaping up and down a few feet deep into the main trading pit. He was obviously trying to unload some crude position—and just as obviously failing to get the price he wanted. But David knew it was a temporary loss for the big kid; Vitzi was fast becoming one of the most successful meatheads in the game, and David was glad for their burgeoning friendship.
