(Today I am starting episodic content based off my “Mediocre Assassin” short story. If you’re unfamiliar with it, feel free to read it here.)

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. As I watched the absolute seconds pass on a clock on the wall, eventually it signalled the end of my shift. Let me fill you in. My name is Brad Flint, and up until a year ago I was the CEO of a major corporation. As many companies felt the recession, I was one of the casualties. As someone in the board felt that I was being paid too much, they cut me to pave the way for a new, cheaper CEO. Months passed and I found it hard to find a job anywhere. At thirty four years of age, it was actually damn near impossible. Sadly, we had to sell the acreage we lived on for a more modest dwelling. Still unemployed and looking for work, I found myself getting to know recruiters and they were getting to know me. But the day everything began to change, was the day my wife lost her job.

Two kids. A house we owned, but electricity and gas that we never could. As both of us tried our best to acquire new jobs, we had a tough time convincing the kids that everything was okay. We would spend all of our efforts with them trying to be positive, trying to find jobs. Once night fell and the kids were in bed, my wife would burst into tears in my arms. I always told her everything would work out. Our luck had to change sooner or later. I mean, do people really have bad luck for their entire lives?

So eventually I found a job as the clerk for the local post office. Local post office, just not my local. A half hour drive away, the small town for some strange reason had the busiest place I’d ever seen. This was where I met Dwayne Longstead. This guy when I first started was a regular guy: Average frame, no tattoos, basic smile. As time went on he and I became really good friends, one might even say the best of friends. I’d been working there for almost four months, but sadly my wife still hadn’t found a job. This brings us up to speed on where I am now. Tick. Tock. Oh yeah, I’m already done.

Dwayne stood outside waiting for me. The guy was probably mid thirties like me, however if you saw him and I side by side, he looks like a supermodel. In the past few months Dwayne became obsessed with super heroes and action movies. He started working out more than he brushed his teeth. Oh yeah, and he got some dental work done. Remember how I described him? Regular guy? Now the damn guy was some kind of Adonis, his muscles had muscles, his tan had a tan, and I can only assume he got that tan from his incredible smile. It was hard for me to hate the guy, he worked harder than anyone and travelled a lot. He worked so hard nowadays that I had forgotten he came around the first and third Thursday of every month to take me to lunch. Must be Thursday today… Good to know.

Dwayne immediately grinned when he saw me. “Jesus Brad, you’re looking great.” I looked at myself. I had managed to buy meat again since I started working there and had put some weight back on. I was also not as pale as I used to be. “Thanks Rockstar, nice tattoos by the way.” Dwayne laughed to himself. “Oh these things? Has it been that long since you saw me last? Look it doesn’t matter! What’s new with you, how’s the wife and the kids?” He somehow always had this way of getting you excited about anything, he was like a giant muscular, tattooed puppy. I smiled at the thought of him with big floppy ears and replied. “They’re okay…” Dwayne may have seemed naive to me at first, but after getting to know him more and more the guy was as sharp as a samurai sword. “Is everything going well with the house?” He nailed it. Right on the head. Never failed to impress the ever loving crap out of me. “Yeah, not so good on that front Dwayne.” I felt as though I had kicked that excited, muscular puppy with the look Dwayne was giving me. “Damn man, well lunch is on me today.”

We walked into Ellen’s Diner and there was Ellen, smoking a cigarette behind the bar and gabbing away on the telephone. We seated ourselves as always and before I knew it everything was pouring out of me. “I told them I’d have the money, but they wouldn’t listen. So I may have borrowed some money… illegally.” Dwayne stared at me with one eyebrow raised. “Illegally? Did you rob a bank?” I laughed the notion off. “Uh, no. But I did get it from a loan shark.” I was then on the receiving end of the most disapproving look ever since my Dad caught me looking through his porn collection. “I could have loaned you the money Brad!” Dwayne was virtually yelling at the top of his lungs, but I decided not to give in. Calm and quiet, I replied to him. “I owe you enough, but thank you. I know you’ve been there for me in the past few months unlike anyone before you, but I didn’t want to burden you. I mean, you just moved uptown.” Dwayne sighed heavily and ran his hands over his head. “Did you ever think I moved uptown because I’m doing a lot better?” I shrugged. “Of course, why would anyone move uptown?” Dwayne shook his head just as our meals arrived. Ellen stood beside the table smiling. “I just assumed the usual, but if you change your mind let me know.” She sensed the tension and walked away, but not before making a comment under her breath. “Geez, a thanks would have been nice… or even a nod… I hate customers.”

As we ate in silence, the food worked wonders to ease the tension. Something about a nice, juicy steak with gravy and mashed potatoes just eases all of my woes out the door. As we both sat back, arms resting on the back of the booth, we caught each other just grinning. Dwayne leaned forward first, shaking his head. “Brad, I have a proposition for you. I make roughly half a million dollars a year, and I work part time. How would you like to do the same thing?” I was shocked, half a million? No wonder he moved uptown. “Uh, yeah. But do I have to be as ripped as you are?” Dwayne laughed and shrugged. “You don’t have to be, but it helps in my line of work. If you’re interested, you’ll need next Thursday off to attend a small gathering at a friend’s place.” I grinned wildly. I hadn’t socialized since I had my first kid ten years ago. “Hell yeah, that sounds awesome.” Dwayne grinned from ear to ear at my response. “Glad to hear it, wear your finest suit. Oh and bring your ‘A’ game.” As he got up he handed Ellen enough money for both our meals and she got caught grinning as well. “Thanks D-Dog!” As Dwayne walked out of the Diner, he just kept shaking his head at her comment. I laughed and she glared at me. “What? That’s what I call him.” I pondered what this party was going to be for, but it almost didn’t matter. Socializing and half a million dollars… what would I do with that? I spent the next little while daydreaming until I decided to head home for the day.