Chapter 9

Well ... I guess it could be worse, right? I snuck a glance at the phone on my desk. 9 messages. I gulped and picked up the receiver.

"Dude! Congratulations! I saw you in the fuckin paper, man! That's so awesome. Give me a call when you get this!"

... I had no idea who that was. I sighed and hit the button for the next message. More of the same. I actually knew two of the people, but didn't really like them. Gee, I wonder why they were so friendly all of a sudden. I sighed and placed the receiver back on the cradle. It rang immediately, and I started to ignore it when I noticed the displayed name.

Jen.

Damn. Shit. Fuck!

I let it ring and ring, my heart thumping hard against my chest. Finally it stopped, and I watched for another thirty seconds or so. Then, there it was.

1 new message.

I closed my eyes and turned away, logging into my PC and trying not to think about it. All those feelings of freedom had vanished. I felt like a rat in a cage. People were already starting to come out of the woodwork, looking for a handout, and all those wonderful feelings of freedom had drained away completely. What did Jen want? Some of the money? Our last encounter hadn't exactly been all that great, either, and I wondered if I was somehow in trouble with the law or something. My head just swam as my computer loaded up. I glanced out the entry of my cubicle and caught Paul, a coworker of mine, in quiet conversation with Ben, the both of them glancing my way. Great.

I popped open my email and was more resigned than surprised to see 31 e-mails waiting for me. A quick scan told me what they were all about, and I deleted them all, feeling surly. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but it was still disheartening. These people were so damn FAKE! One or two people I could understand, and there were a few acquaintances who I would almost be disappointed in, if they didn't take their shot, but this was ridiculous. And it was just the first day! I was still sitting in a cubicle, driving my tiny little sedan, and fresh off a Wall Market shopping spree. Good lord.

I called Dino upstairs.

"Dude ... I was in the fucking paper!"

"I know, man. And they got your good side, too!"

"Dude ... not funny. I've already got people calling and emailing like crazy, all of a sudden wanting to be my new best friend!"

"So tell them the position's already been filled, and fuck em"

"But some of them are people I still have to deal with! What do I do if Ben wants to borrow some money? I can't just tell HIM to fuck off!"

"Dude ... you're really hopeless. Why should you give a fuck what anyone says? If Ben busts your chops, or even fires you, what the hell does it matter? I don't know why the hell you're even HERE today, man! You should be out deciding what you want to do with the rest of your life!"

I couldn't say anything. He was right. My life wasn't the same as it was before, no matter how much I might want some parts of it to be. I couldn't keep living the life of a nobody, the consummate camouflaged cubicle-dweller. MY circumstances had changed too much.

I leaned back and looked at the ceiling, feeling a little sad and more than a little anxious. I didn't know how to live the kind of life I was being forced into. I didn't have any kind of handbook for being rich. I just wanted to have my buddies, my simple life, and maybe a few luxuries. That I could handle. This? Hell, I was totally lost.