by Marc Avery
“Respect is earned.”
“I know. That’s why I’m calling you like a man to say I was out of line, and it won’t happen again.”
“Oh, I know it won’t happen again. If it does happen again, I’m going to bust your ass.”
I smiled. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you too, son.”
I was back on speaking terms with my mother and I had my driver’s license. Now if I found me an agent, I would be batting a thousand.
July
I hit a brick wall like Wile E. Coyote in regards to gaining any traction with finding an agent or shining a spotlight on my screenplays.
I really felt like going through Kickstarter would be the last resort. If I wasn’t able to secure an agent, I would turn to the crowdfunding platform. Through extensive research, I found out the system was pretty simple. There were a lot of articles on how to launch a successful Kickstarter campaign. I went with the ones that made the most sense to me.
One of the articles I read said to set a realistic goal, so I set the goal at $6,000. When I tallied what I needed to make a short film, the amount would be more than enough.
The program would run thirty days, and I planned on passing out business cards for people to pledge funds. My Web site would be on the card, and what they would get out of pledging would be on the front page.
I had my business plan written, and I was ready to roll. I felt it in my bones that it was my destiny to be a part of Hollywood.
In addition to starting the Kickstarter program, I also wrote a resignation letter. I appreciated Phaedra for giving me an opportunity, but I needed to move on, and I had my mind made up already. I needed peace of mind more than anything.
Just as Essence came into the door from work, I waved her over to the dining-room table. I sipped cold coffee.
“You okay?” she asked.
“I’m nervous about this thing that I started.”
“What is it?”
“You ever heard of a program called Kickstarter?”
“No.”
“Me either, until I did some research. Basically, people donate money toward the completion of your independent project.”
“And strangers just blindly give you money?” She went to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee and came back to the table.
“I thought it was crazy too, but some people just like to support a good cause.”
“No offense, baby, but what do they get out of it?”
“I would put their name in the credits and give them a T-shirt and a gift card. It’s not much, but it’s something.”
“Don’t sell yourself short. That’s a fair enough exchange in my opinion.”
“You really think so?”
“Of course.”
I smiled and went to get another cup of coffee and put ice cubes in it.
“If this is going to work, I’m going to need your help.”
“Sure. Anything you need.”
“If you could hand out some business cards at your job, I would really appreciate it.”
“No problem at all.”
“I’m lucky to have you,” I stood and kissed her on the lips.
She smiled. “The feeling is mutual.”
After Essence and I watched TV and she dozed off, I sent a quick text message to my mother and Paul asking for their help with the Kickstarter campaign.
Eventually, I fell asleep thinking about how happy I would be if I hit my Kickstarter goal.
July
I’m not a morning person, but I got up bright and early so I could turn in my resignation letter to Phaedra. It was Paul’s birthday that day too, and I had a surprise lined up for him. Before I left the house, I drank a spiked cup of coffee just to loosen me up. Then I grabbed my wallet and house keys and bounced.
My normal commute took longer because of miscellaneous road work. Despite that, I couldn’t stop smiling. Just thinking about this new opportunity at the collection agency got me hyped.
I walked through Phaedra’s feeling like a fish in a fishbowl. For some reason, all eyes were on me. I shrugged it off. When Phaedra saw me, she waved me into her office. Something felt off about her, and I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“Close the door,” Phaedra said, her eyes looking tired. “I appreciated the work you did here. You were a great employee, and . . .” she began.
“Are you firing me?” I cut her off.
“It looks like we jumped the gun a little bit. We need to trim the fat, and you got caught in the crossfire. I’m truly sorry about this.” The sadness in her eyes was genuine.
For a split second I felt hollow. The news was like an uppercut to the chin. Then I quickly realized I had another job lined up, and I still had my part-time gig.
My frown melted into a smile, and I hugged Phaedra and thanked her for the opportunity.
She seemed shocked that I was taking this all in stride. Before I left the restaurant, I said good-bye to my coworkers.
Then I took the bus to Mitchell & Ness. I showed the salesperson a cell phone picture of the warm-up jacket I wanted, and he rang me up. I wore the Vancouver Grizzlies warm-up jacket out of the store.
Since I was downtown already, I went to Foot Locker in the Gallery Mall and bought some new sneakers.
Once I left the store, I sent Paul a text message:
You got any birthday plans?
Not really. I was trying to see what you were up to.
If you down, I got an idea.
I’m down. What’s up?
Paul agreed to meet me at Barnes & Noble after he got off work, and I made sure I had cash on me. I needed to tell Essence about losing my job, but that could wait. I just wanted my boy to enjoy his birthday.
Around 6:30 p.m. that night, Paul picked me up outside the bookstore.
“You feeling good?” I asked.
“Absolutely, bro. How about you?”
“I was until I got to work today.”
“What happened?”
“I got fired from Phaedra’s.”
“Are you serious?”
“Unfortunately.”
“You still got the other gig lined up, right?”
“I do.”
“You good then, bro.”
“I’m hoping so.”
“Don’t worry about that situation. Once you get this new job, Phaedra’s will be a distant memory.”
“Amen to that.”
Paul stopped at a stop sign. “So where are we going, bro?”
“Good question.”
“So, basically, you’re not going to tell me.”
“Nope, but I’ll give you directions.”
Paul drove along Columbus Boulevard, and then we turned into a crowded parking lot. He circled the parking lot for ten minutes until someone pulled out and he took their spot.
Once Paul saw the sign with a blue illuminated silhouette of a woman, he knew we were at a strip club. I found out about the place on the Internet. Paul couldn’t scramble out of the truck fast enough. I had never been to a gentleman’s club before, and I was excited to see some naked women too.
I paid our cover charges at the door, and I got hit in the chest with heavy bass from the loud hip-hop music blaring through the speakers.
“Thanks for bringing me here,” Paul said as we ventured deeper into the dimly lit club. The air smelled like sweet perfume, sweat, and Buffalo wings.
“I remember you said we need to hit up a strip club. There’s no time like the present,” I said. I rubbed my hands together as a pink thong-wearing big booty stripper pranced by.
We found a small table in the back corner of the club and ordered some drinks.
I sipped Cîroc and lemonade and watched the thick woman on stage work the pole like she owned it. The club allowed full nudity, so when she slid down the pole with her legs open, she showcased all her business. I hungrily licked my lips as the claps and cheers rained down on the woman.
The music abruptly cut off
, and there was silence for a few moments.
“What’s going on?” Paul asked, confused.
I patted him on the shoulder. “My gift to you. Happy Birthday.”
A spotlight shined on the spot the last stripper just vacated. Then the DJ said, “Put your hands together for Ms. Sapphire!”
The place exploded in whistles, claps, and cheers. Ciara’s “Ride” played in the background as she gyrated with the beat.
She was our favorite porn star.
Her skin was the color of coffee beans, and her jet-black hair tickled her shoulders. I personally spent many nights searching her videos on the Internet. I salivated over her horse ass, chunky thighs, and double D cup breasts. We locked eyes while she moved her hips from side to side. By the time she finished her set, the floor was a mess of dollar bills. I threw about fifty dollars up there myself.
I gave Paul an animated handshake. “This is the best birthday gift ever, bro!” he yelled.
“That’s what I wanted to hear!”
We ordered another round of Cîroc and lemonades. Feeling jittery, I waited for my chance to approach Sapphire, and once I got close enough, I felt a hand on my chest. I looked to her, and she gave the offensive lineman-built security guard the okay to let me pass.
I couldn’t even look her in the eye because she was so beautiful. She smelled like peach-scented perfume, and I almost had a heart attack when she pulled me close and whispered into my ear, “Tell me what you want.”
I closed my eyes and said, “Me and my boy want a lap dance. He can go first.”
“Sure thing,” she said and walked into the private room a few feet away from the main stage.
“Seventy-five,” the well-built security guard said with a stone facial expression.
Without hesitation, I slapped the money into his palm and waved Paul over. I gave Paul a stack of one dollar bills on the sly and whispered in his ear. “Enjoy yourself.”
“No doubt.”
While Paul got acquainted with Sapphire, I watched the other girls dance on stage and threw a couple of singles. I came for the main attraction, and all the other girls felt insignificant at the moment.
Fifteen minutes later, Paul emerged from the darkened room, and Sapphire summoned me with a curled finger. I never moved that fast in my adult life. I almost knocked over a table, I was so anxious to get to her.
When I got into the darkened room, Sapphire guided me to the padded seat that wrapped around the small room. As the R&B music pumped through the small speakers in the room, she bounced her gigantic ass on my crotch. I became hard beneath her, and when she reached back and squeezed my package through my jeans, I almost lost it.
After the song switched, she straddled me and her breath smelled like spearmint. When she put her dime-sized nipples near my mouth, I sucked on them like a hungry infant. Then she kissed me on the neck, and I held on to her fluffy ass for dear life. Her soft kisses sent a jolt of energy throughout my body. Between the drinks I had and her perfume, I was on cloud nine.
I didn’t want the lap dance to end, but when I heard banging on the door, I knew my dream had come to an end. Before Sapphire left the room, she kissed me on the cheek and disappeared back into the club.
I made my way back over to our table, and Paul had a huge smile on his face.
“How was it?” he asked excitedly.
“It felt like a dream. You know I watched every one of her videos, man.”
“Me too, bro.”
“How was it for you?”
“She let me do everything except stick it in.”
“Really?”
“Yup.”
“That’s how you’re supposed to enjoy your birthday!” I yelled, and we high-fived each other.
“Damn right, bro.”
My cell phone vibrated in my pocket. It was a text from Essence:
Hope you guys are enjoying yourselves. I love you!
I sent back: We are, and I love you too
Then I noticed I had a voice mail and pressed the play button. It was Emily Waters from the collection agency.
“I’m sorry, Anthony, but your job offer has been rescinded.”
July
When I got home after Paul and I left the strip club, I cried harder than I ever have. Every time I thought I did something right, it blew up in my face. To make matters worse, I found out I got offered the collections job because of a clerical error in human resources. I was supposed to get a rejection letter.
I took the weekend and the following Monday to cool off. Essence was super supportive and told me that I could lean on her. I needed to hear those words from her, and it helped to calm me down. I wasn’t going to let this situation set me back. I was determined to get back out there and find an even better job. I was done with the stress and failure I kept feeling. The best thing I knew to do was to channel what I felt into finding another job.
I lumbered into work and needing a jolt of energy, I grabbed a cup of coffee from the break room. I planned on going to my boss to request some OT or even be moved up to full time. Anything to put more money in my pocket.
One of my busty coworkers came into the break room and seemed shocked to see me.
“I’m sorry about what happened . . .” she trailed off.
I was taken aback. “Sorry about what?” I said and finished my coffee, and then threw the plastic cup away.
“I shouldn’t have said anything,” she said and abruptly left the break room. When I went to follow her, my boss swung around the corner. Her eyes beamed with sadness. My shoulders slumped, and I went into panic mode. What the hell happened now?
“Anthony, I need you to come into my office,” she said authoritatively.
I lumbered into her office and took a seat.
“Some troubling information has been relayed to me. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.”
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about at all.”
“Cassie said that you touched her inappropriately last week.”
I pounded my fist on the table. “She’s lying. I never touched her. I have a girl already.”
“She said you grabbed her breasts.” She looked at me skeptically.
I shook my head and laughed. This could not be happening to me. I had to be in the Twilight Zone.
“Like I said, I’m not guilty of anything. That girl is a flat-out liar.” I folded my arms.
“We take these claims very seriously, and we’re going to have to let you go. I’m sorry.”
My eyes grew wide in disbelief. “Are you serious? This girl can just throw some bullshit claims out there, and y’all believe her? I’ve busted my ass at this job, and I can’t get the benefit of the doubt?”
I was a lot of things, but I didn’t touch women uninvited.
Here I thought Cassie and I had an understanding, but I was dead wrong.
“I wish there was something more I could do, but the decision isn’t solely up to me. I have to play by the rules.” She gave me a sympathetic look.
I felt like gum on the bottom of a dirty shoe. I lost two jobs in the same month and lost out on an opportunity for a third. Honestly, I didn’t think I could sink any lower.
I flew out of my boss’s office. Just the smell of the place made my stomach hurt. Looking at all the familiar faces when I walked out upset me. After I emptied out my locker, I kicked over a discarded mop bucket and smiled in delight when the dirty water covered the ground.
Before I went home, I bought a bottle of vodka from Wine and Spirits. I needed a stiff drink to take the edge off.
When I got home, I called Essence on her office line at work, and she answered in a cheery tone. By that time, I was on my second shot of vodka.
“Hey, you.”
“Hey,” I said flatly.
“You okay?”
“No. I got some more bad news.”
“I’m listening.”
“I got fired from Quick Care too.”
“I’m so sorry, bab
y. Did they at least give you a good reason? Not that it means much.”
“Not really,” I lied.
“When I come home I can cook us some food and open a bottle of wine . . .”
“That sounds real nice right about now.” I smiled because I definitely needed a distraction.
When I hung up the phone, I felt a little better.
Essence kept her word when she came home.
She made us shrimp Alfredo with garlic toast, and we had a little too much wine with dinner.
After we made passionate love I held her close to me as I stared at the ceiling. I felt like losing these two jobs was a sign. It was time to focus on my screenwriting 100 percent.
I had to show and prove.
August
Even with Paul’s, my mother’s, and Essence’s support, I didn’t meet my Kickstarter goal. The goal was $6,000, and the pledges only reached $2,500. I didn’t meet the entire goal so no money changed hands.
Feeling bold and adventurous, I withdrew the last of my savings and hopped on a plane to Atlanta for a film conference down there.
It was seventy-seven degrees and sunny when I arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. I took an Uber to the Westin Hotel and settled in.
The city of Atlanta was beautiful, especially at night with all the bright lights and cool-looking skyline. The conference lasted four days, and a lot of heavy hitters in the film industry would be there. I took a shot of vodka to calm my nerves and went to bed.
The next morning, I wore business-casual clothing and had a few sips of spiked coffee before I went into my first pitch session. There were a lot of hopefuls sitting outside of the hotel conference room hoping their dream came true just like me. I sat there for a good forty minutes before a brown-skinned woman with a closely cropped haircut came and motioned for me to follow her.
The spiked coffee had me sweating. I wiped my face completely clean before I went into the conference room with the woman. I felt like the four people in the room were sharks, and they smelled blood in the water.
“Make it quick. We don’t have all day,” the woman who brought me in said.
I cleared my throat and pitched them my screenplay.
At the end of my pitch, they gave me a standing ovation. Their acceptance boosted my spirits. I felt like I nailed the rest of the pitches that day as well.
