Episode 256

Apparently not everyone was taking the layoffs well though the terms had been spelled out months in advance and were generous, very generous especially compared to what some of the record companies were doing to their people.

Art got an email that said the bosses were stupid and insensitive, had terrible judgment and poor management skills. Why else would a venerable movie company such as this one be shedding so many talented people. So the owner could make more billions? The guy was over 90 and had more money than Croesus, how much more did he need?

Another one was furious that the writer was being cut short of his third year which limited the amount of severance. There were a whole series of responses to the last one, people "people replying" all, so many in fact that it slowed the system and then finally crashed it.

Episode 255

Another group left and just before they departed the building a shower of emails, everyone sayong good bye, proferring contact information on one another. Art deleted all these unread. The subject line made it easy. He didn't read them because in awhile he'd be the one sending them out.

Was it necessary? An important way to network.

Two weeks to go and he was counting the days. The panic attacks in the car had lessened a bit. He was accepting what was coming.

A few days went by and no word from Shelley.

Art found that he liked the silence.

Episode 254

As soon as he closed his eyes. As soon as he took one unencumbered breath safe from wanted criminal taxi drivers and overzealous private security guards who believed that anyone out of place was a terrorist threat. He gave and he slept but if he hoped it would be all day and all night he was mistaken. The alarms failed because the power went out, so he came to realize later. It was his bladder that woke him, that insistent pressure which built up whether or not he had anything to drink. And he had drunk maybe close to a quart of water when he first got in. He was so thirsty. A desert in his throat, a patch of baked ground for a tongue. His bladder woke him after only twenty minutes. He lumbered up, his eyes and head heavy to find none of the lights working.

He got in the shower and when he came out the power turned on suddenly tripping both the alarms he had set, their klaxon call loud in the space.

Episode 253

He should just call in sick or not show? Who was going to know? Who was going to say anything? He hadn't seen or talked to Jadert in several weeks. Art had gone up to try to catch a few minutes with him but the door was closed and the assistant only shook his head. No more information was forthcoming.

"I'll put you on the list but I wouldn't hold my breath. Just being straight with you."

Art got home and lay down for ten minutes. He set two alarms before he did, one of which was across the room.

Later, he believed he fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

Episode 252

He got a couple of blocks away and went into an alley. He loitered around a dumpster. He disturbed a cat which went off with a screech. The top of the dumpster banged open and a homeless man who had been sleeping inside demanded to know what was going on.
That surprise sent Art off, back in the direction of the garage. Now he was hiding in alleys. The whole thing was ridiculous.

He vowed to never again do a good deed. What sense in it? Shelley could get home on her own. What did he care if she was angry? In another couple of weeks they'd be gone, permanently separated from the company -- and each other he believed.

It was getting lighter. The garage was open. The private security car nowhere to be seen.

Art went inside.

Episode 251

Police or someone coming to rob him, he didn't care at this point. If the garage opened at six as it said, he'd be home just before seven. Not enough time for any sleep before work.

It was a private security guard who pulled up and kept the light in his eyes.

Art stood up rapidly to get the glare off of him. He brushed the back of his pants. He took a look around to see if anything was handy on the ground. A rock. Something. Nothing.

He just walked off.

The guard got out of his car. "Come back here."

Art never stopped and didn't turn around.

Episode 250

Something was really bothering his foot now. He stopped and sat on a bus bench. His trousers snagged a splinter causing him to pull back in pain. He was able to get the splinter out but put a small hole in his pants. Something else to get fixed.

He took off is right shoe and upended it. A pebble came out. He took his sock off and tried to examine his foot in the weak light of a street light. Something was going on and didn't look good.

He put the sock and shoe back on, stretched his legs. The totally wrong shoes for walking distance.

He went on through a shopping district. Shoe stores and clothing and jewelry and a fast food chicken place all closed now and dark. But even at night he still had a shadow.

He back to the restaurant and found the parking garage closed and locked until 6 AM. Only an hour to wait.

He sat down on a curb. From down the block a car shown a searchlight on him.