But on Monday, it became a place where Suren Seneviratne, a 22-year-old disc jockey, stood atop a 26-foot-high plinth, wearing a homemade panda costume and hyperkinetically talking on the phone.

Such a Man looks upon Fame, not as a Reward of his present Virtue, but as an Earnest he has given of his future Performances; and is ashamed to underlive the Credit he has won, and not outshine his past illustrious Actions.

the snowful sky in this pale December

The car quickly became his most prized possession.