policy of mine for years to never deal or interact in any way with those sorts of individuals.
Frankly, they scare me. I’m a legitimate businessman, Jeff, not a criminal.” Mr. Hope scratched at his cheek delicately and smiled. “I need people I can trust, people with ethics and morals, businesspeople, professionals. I need someone who can do this job correctly, in a civil manner, and if that someone has a particular need that I’m in a position to meet by hiring them in exchange for their services, all the better. Of course even if we did decide to offer you the position, were you to find it unsuitable, simply resign and we’ll part as friends. But hopefully you’d find it to your liking, remain with us and excel in the position. However you must also understand that you’d begin on a trial basis. Generally the period only lasts the length of a single assignment, and we make a decision from there whether it’s working for us or not. Again, if not, we part as friends. But if we like what we see once you’re in action then we move forward together and welcome you permanently to the International Facilitator family.”
Though Hope’s explanation helped to soften his initial apprehension, he wasn’t sure he liked the emphasis the old man put on the word permanently. It was an odd conversation at best, and with a total stranger to boot, but curiosity had slowly gotten the better of him. He still knew virtually nothing in terms of specifics, but that would come later. He needed this job and the hefty salary promised along with it. “Well I hope we can pursue this then,” he said. “I think I’d like to learn more and see where it takes me.”
“Splendid.” Hope rose to his feet and gave Jeff a pat on the shoulder. “We’ll review your application information and someone will be back to you very shortly, most likely later this evening or perhaps tomorrow. If you haven’t heard from us by tomorrow evening you can assume we’ve decided to go in a different direction. I thank you for your time.”
“Not at all, thank you, sir.” Jeff stood and they shook hands.
“I look forward to hearing from you.”
“I take it you can see yourself out. Good day.”
Jeff watched the old man turn and stride off through the door, uncertain if this was the luckiest day of his life, a total waste of a few hours, or if he’d just met the Devil himself.
4
When Jeff returned to his apartment building he saw that the homeless man had again taken up position on the front steps. Though it annoyed him he was too distracted by everything that had taken place that morning to give a damn. Rather than confront him he simply flashed the man a dirty look then started up the stairs without comment.
“You should stay away from her.”
Jeff froze, slowly turned back to him. “Excuse me?”
“The woman you were talking to before.” The man looked up at him.
“You should stay away from her.”
Anger welled in him, followed by a touch of fear. “What woman?”
“The pretty one you were talking to in Copley Square.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes you do.”
“Have you been following me?”
The man shook his head and sighed.
“Answer me,” Jeff said, moving a step closer.
“No,” he mumbled, “I haven’t been following you.”
“Then how do you know about her?”
“I was already hanging at Copley Square. A vendor there gives me a pretzel for free every morning. He’s a good guy. Anyway, I saw you talking to that woman. Then I saw you two leave together.”
“Yeah, well that’s none of your business.”
“She offered you work, didn’t she?”
Jeff tried to swallow, nearly choked. “How do you know that?”
“Guy like me, I see a lot, hear a lot. Most folk-especially city folk-don’t notice someone like me. No more than streetlights, garbage cans or telephone wires running over their heads. It’s all right there in front of them, but they learn to filter it out until they don’t even see it anymore.”
“Apparently you missed your calling as a poet, but-”
“I’m just saying you should stay away from her is all.”
“And why would you say that? Do you even know who she is?”
“Do you?”
“It was a business meeting and none of your concern, I-for Christ’s sake-I don’t have to stand out here and explain myself to some homeless loser like you.” Jeff stabbed a finger at him. “You stay the hell away from-”
“I’m trying to help you.”
“Well if you don’t mind I’ll skip the life advice from the local neighborhood bum.” Jeff started up the steps again then thought better of it and turned back. “I’m not telling you again. Stay away from me, my wife and this building. Got it?”
“I’m not some piece of garbage, you know,” the man said, his face a mask of sorrow. “I’m a human being, the same as you.”
“You’re nothing like me.”
“Neither is your wife. She’s a very nice person.”
“Leave my wife out of this.”
The man struggled to his feet and stumbled back a few steps, bloodshot eyes never leaving Jeff. “She’s beautiful, intelligent, caring and very giving.”
“Get the fuck out of here or I’ll call the cops.”
“Do you ever wonder what she sees in you?”
“I’m warning you, asshole.” Jeff’s hands clenched to fists.
“Stay away.”
“Or what?”
“Or I’ll kill you.”
“Go ahead.” The man smiled. His teeth were brown, many were broken, his gums bloody and diseased. “I’m dying anyway.”
Jeff was still taking the stairs to his apartment when his cell phone began to ring. His former coworker Craig Henderson’s number appeared on the small screen. They’d worked together for years and Craig had become his closest friend in that time. “Hey, man.” Jeff pinned the phone between shoulder and cheek as he fumbled keys from his coat pocket. “What’s up?”
“Got some great news.”
“Good, I could use some.”
“You know that general manager gig I was going for at that independent superstore on the cape? They just called me back. I got it.”
Jeff unlocked the apartment, slipped inside, closed the door and leaned back against it. “Congratulations, Craig, that’s awesome.”
“Here’s where you come in. I can replace any existing staff I want. If you’re up for running the car audio department I’ll bounce the current guy.”
The idea that someone else would have to lose their job in order for him to get one was troubling, but Jeff told himself he couldn’t worry about such things. “It’s a bit of a commute but yeah, of course, definitely.”
“Not exactly sure what the salary is because I haven’t seen the budget yet, but from the numbers they threw at me I know it’ll be real close to what you were making before. I start next week. You’d be starting about a week later.”
