Page 27 of Collin: Episodes 1-3
“Damian has support and resources to be and present the way he shows the world now. And he has me to anchor him, rein him in, force him to take care of himself. He doesn’t work three jobs and live off of instant noodles. He doesn’t have to figure out how to get his laundry done in the one or two shared machines of his apartment building when he’s barely ever home to even check to see if the machines are open. He doesn’t wash his own sheets. He doesn’t cook his own food. His hair stylist has a regular appointment, prepaid for and scheduled by Damian’s virtual assistant. The amount of decisions and labor that Damian doesn’t have to do so that he can present the way he does and spend his time doing what I ask him to do is exponential. You could never be Damian as you are now because Damian is a composite of the resources and efforts of hundreds of people, focused on one presentation in this one form.”
Mr. Reevesworth squeezed Damian’s shoulder. “Just like I could not be who I am without dozens of Damians. And this city could not be what it is without dozens of individuals like me throughout history who have made it what it is, who stand on the top of a pyramid of individuals and are able to focus all that will and power into a vision that marches into the future.”
Collin sat staring out the window far into the night petting Artemis. Mr. Reevesworth’s words repeated over and over in his head, a litany and a chant. Why had he never considered that before? Why had he always felt less than because he couldn’t be what those shiny, put-together people were?
In a folder on the side table was a contract. A lengthy one. That he couldn’t yet read. It was there, though, for when he could read it. There was no official decision to be made yet though. Mr. Reevesworth had said they had to wait. A decision made so soon after a head injury could be considered suspect.
But he already knew what his answer was going to be.
He wanted what Mr. Reevesworth could give him. He would accept his offer. If for nothing else, then because of his curiosity. Could he be everything he’d told himself he would be one day? Could he walk into a room and command respect, instead of being hustled to the side to carry the suitcases, to park the car, or to pour the tequila?
He had nothing to lose. And potentially everything to gain. Damian might have said this road would cost him his pride, but Collin’s pride was somewhere below the streets in the gutter anyway. To have access to the kind of safety and rest that he had felt, pinned down under Mr. Reevesworth’s leg for those hours he had been there, was a dream.
If Mr. Reevesworth wanted to tear him apart and put him back together again into someone who wasn’t this afraid, who wasn’t this trapped, who could care for his family, then he could do it. Collin would help him.
Episode 2
Tuesday
A small tongue scraped over the edge of Collin’s eyes. He swiped at it.
“Artemis!” Mr. Moreau strode through the door. “A single moment of inattention and you will remind me of it, will you not? Good morning, Collin.”
“Good morning, sir.” Collin rubbed sleep out of his eye. “She’s fine to stay.”
“She’s escaping her morning medication.” Mr. Moreau scooped up the black feline. He was half dressed in linen lounge pants. Lengths of beautiful dark skin reflected early morning beams of light from the half open window.
Artemis hissed. Mr. Moreau kissed the top of her head, holding her so she couldn’t scratch. Muscles tightened and lengthened as his spine swayed with each step moving him away from Collin’s vision.
Collin rubbed his eyes again. He rolled onto his back and dropped his head back on the pillow. Above him, the ceiling recessed twice, painted to match the walls except for center design that looked like a fractal flower opening around the central light fixture.
His phone rang. So much for the quiet. He grabbed it off the side table and thumbed the button to answer.
“Asshole.”
Collin rolled upright, his feet hitting the floor. “Andy.”
“What’s this shit you’re feeding Jinx? Moving out. Ten days’ notice?”
Collin pressed a fist into his eye until it hurt. “I’m sorry. I just…”
“Friends don’t do this kind of shit to friends. Where do you think we’re going to get the money, huh?”
“I told Jinx to find someone else. I’m not holding the space.”
“Like who wants to move in when someone else’s shit is still all over the place! I thought you were better than this, Collin! I trusted you!”
More like were desperately looking for someone, anyone, when I came along, not that I’ m going to say that.
“I told Jinx my stuff would be gone by the end of the week.”
“Jinx might be a softy who lets jerks like you walk all over her, but I’m not. Get your stuff out of here by tonight, or it’s on the curb.”
“You can’t do that! I’ve paid for that space through to the end of the month!”
“Well, with you not giving thirty days’ notice, looks like I’m going to have to pawn this shit just to cover rent.”
“Andy! No! Look, just put a notice up. Someone is going to want the spot.”
