Jeremy often exchanges smiles with Tara, knows that she is a cashier at local Waterman’s Downtown store, but sadly fears that she even knows who he is. Tara too is a regular customer at the Old Coffee Stop although she has not been a regular as long as Jeremy or Mrs. Dooley. Tara grabs her take away coffee smiles at Jeremy and Mrs. Dooley as she leaves and heads down the street. Jeremy watches out the window until Tara is almost out of view and quickly says goodbye to Mrs. Dooley and heads out the door seeing Tara some short distance ahead.
Jeremy doesn’t really know why he is following Tara although deep down there is an infatuation and he simply has a desire to see her walk back to work. Then suddenly Jeremy is distracted. ‘Jeremy…..Jeremy’ he hears his name yelled loudly from over the road. It’s Matthew Warren, Jeremy’s boss and he is excitedly crossing the road and heads towards him. Jeremy turns to take one more glimpse of Tara and can’t believe that she has vanished. Vanished, almost into thin air! He stops and stares down the road in disbelief. Where did she go? He can’t believe it, there are no side alleys or laneways and yet Tara clearly is not in sight. As he fixates on the road she travelled, Matthew is now standing next to him and shakes his arm to get Jeremy’s attention. ‘What’s wrong Jeremy? You look as though you have seen a ghost’, Matthew laughs as he says it.
‘No, it’s OK’ adds Jeremy. ‘Anyway how are you?’ he asks. ‘Well you see me every day so I suppose you would know if I wasn’t OK’ Matthew again laughs as he finishes his sentence. ‘Jeremy, walk with me. My apartment is just down the road and it’s been a while since we have caught up for a decent chat’, Matthew adds. As the two men walk Jeremy ponders for a moment and thinks to himself that he has never been to Matthew’s apartment. In fact whilst the two get on okay at work and Jeremy respects Matthew as his boss, apart from a working relationship the two rarely catch up and have never had a decent chat. The pair exchange pleasantries and idle banter about nothing as they slowly walk to Matthew’s apartment.
Once inside Jeremy’s eyes dart around the small interior and sitting room, taking in the nick knacks that adorn the room, and admiring the large screen television mounted on the wall whilst Matthew makes coffee. Matthew is aged thirty five and is ten years older than Jeremy, but the pair get on well so age has never seemed important. Jeremy looks around admiring the furniture and equipment that adorn the small but neat apartment. He doesn’t really want another coffee but Matthew insists and so he sits patiently while his boss makes coffee in the kitchen area just off from the sitting room. ‘You know Jeremy I haven’t really shared with anyone before, but being a Manager within a reasonable sized firm can be frustrating you know’, Matthew pipes up as he finishes pouring the cups and yelling loud enough for Jeremy to hear. As he walks in and places the coffee on the small table in the sitting room Jeremy feels obliged to answer and politely adds ‘Well…er, NO I didn’t really know that.’ Jeremy feels he has to politely offer some words of encouragement albeit that he doesn’t really know what Matthew’s career aspirations are.
Carter Gibson lawyers is an old and established firm, and although Jeremy has been employed straight from University and has been working as a lawyer for some two years he is still pretty junior in what is a relatively large firm. Matthew his boss has always been pleasant but is to a large degree guarded about his career aspirations, so Jeremy is finding this sudden meet in the street, sit down and chat thing a significant change to the relationship they enjoy. Jeremy enjoys the atmosphere at Carter Gibson but there is a clear distinction between Partners, Senior Partners, Managers and the rest that includes Jeremy, the law clerks and office staff. Jeremy is happy to find his feet within the firm so he doesn’t really concern himself greatly about promotion at this point. As Matthew sits in front of Jeremy, he notices a different side to his boss. He notices that Matthew is very anxious, very agitated. ‘You know Jeremy there are times when I really wonder what I have to do to be noticed, what I have to do to be invited to take that next step. Do you know what I am saying?’ Jeremy could do little more than nod and be seen to be there for his boss, he thinks. It is difficult for him to offer an opinion so Jeremy decides that he would nod, smile and offer encouragement and support.
‘I feel that the only way I can be noticed is to be involved in a big case. You know it’s all about money Jeremy, all about the dollars that come in. That seems to be the only way that you get noticed. That seems to be how the world works these days, doesn’t it?’ Matthew adds. Jeremy maintains his position of support by nodding, smiling and appearing to be interested in everything that Matthew has to say. ‘You know that dickhead Brian Topping. I mean what an absolute Wally he is. He told me two years ago that it was just a matter of time and I would be welcomed as a partner and that was fucken two years ago. Two years ago and still no change!’ Jeremy again just smiles; he really doesn’t want to add any commentary or opinion where it relates to a Senior Partner, and certainly not anything about Brian Topping who is almost as senior as anyone that Jeremy could think of.
There was little that Jeremy could add and he waited an opportunity to excuse himself so that he could head home. Matthew had calmed down seemingly getting all of his emotional baggage off his chest. Now just staring around the room, Jeremy adds, ‘Well I best be off.’ No sooner had he spoken and he is heading out the door with a pat on the back and big thank you from Matthew for hearing him out. Jeremy politely nods and walks down the street meandering and not really knowing where or why he is heading in the direction he is. He again unwittingly places his small finger in his ear and thrashes it around for a brief moment.
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About The Author
Mark Lee Ryan lives in Brisbane is married, and has two adult children. A relatively new writer, Mark has long held a desire to be an author but has procrastinated until NOW. His first book ‘After Dark – The Story begins’ is a Sci-fiction adventure recently released and this book is the second in what will be a series of adventures to follow.
Mark is also a children’s book writer and his first children’s book is similarly due for release in July 2016 and titled ‘Sam Sam and Marzipan – The Cubby House’. A series of books revolving around the central character are similarly planned to roll out.
With a background in finance and banking Mark has enjoyed a number of Senior Management positions in banking over a twenty six year career prior to establishing his own diverse Financial Services business in 2003, which he continues to manage day to day when not plotting his next book.
After Dark: Chicago Fire (Science Fiction Anthalogies Book 2) Page 4