Jake (JMJ2)
Well-Known Member
Hey everyone. This is another story that was posted on my Patreon Page. For more of these, they're on my Deviant Art page. Enjoy.
“Another day, another failed ad, huh Rick?”
Edward Gand reclined in his chair and threw his hands back over his head. The lanky 24 year old was in the midst of more complaining to his older co-worker.
“Yeah, you say the same thing everyday Eddie. Don’t think anything’s changed since yesterday at 5pm.”
The older gentleman tossed his coffee cup in their shared trash can and lifted his sports jacket off the hook to the door of their shared office.
“I know, but, like, I’ve been submitting ads for months and those assholes haven’t noticed me at all! What’s a man have to do to get ahead around here?”
He grabbed his wrinkled tie and undid it and placed it in his worn carry on. He unbuttoned the top button to his baggy white button down shirt and tried to relax. The blonde haired blue eyed man still couldn’t get comfortable however.
“I wouldn’t know. I’m 7 years older than you with a kid and I’m basically at the same spot in life. Well, Nicole wants me home to spend more time with Jacob so I’m out. See you tomorrow, Ed.”
Rick left the room and Ed was left to ponder his job. He was only 24 and had been working at “Delta Ads” for two years. He was always trying to come up with new ideas and ways for the company to get more business but not one of his 127 ideas that had been submitted received any sort of critiques or even acknowledgment that someone had read them. As it was, he wasn’t even sure if anyone other than his supervisor and Rick knew he worked there. Certainly, the board had no idea who he was.
The four horsemen of the apocalypse as they were called (which made no sense since on member was a woman), sat around their big conference room all day discussing plans with clients and generally ignoring everyone else other than the different department heads. Ed had ventured in there once by mistake and was amazed at how laid back they seemed, just sitting there, chatting and eating. The conference table was filled with an assortment of food and beverages, easily thousands of dollars just for their breakfast/snacks. It made sense too, seeing as how the smallest member of the board, Donovan, was easily 400 pounds, maybe more. Still, the business was profitable, no matter how much the food bills cut into the profit.
“One day, one day they’ll know I exist” he said, going back to his research.”
At around 6:30pm, Ed got a text from his wife to meet him at the bar for a post work drink. Sighing at the thought of spending more money, he logged off from his desktop and headed out into the rain.
*
He had just gotten off the subway when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Two men, both rather rugged looking, were accosting an elderly woman for her purse. Something inside Ed screamed help her and he raced towards them as fast as his spindly legs could carry him.
“Hey, you two! Pick, pick on someone your own size!”
The two men began to laugh and walk towards him but the ground was so wet that the bigger of the two slipped and landed on his back, hard. He cried out in agony and begged his friend for help. The other would be mugger just grabbed his cohort by the arm and dragged him away, yelling obscenities at their would be pretty and her rescuer.
“Oh, oh my goodness, thank you! Such a kind man” the woman said in a thick English accent. She brushed some of her gray hairs off of her face and smiled at him.
“You ok? Those two looked like they were ready to mess you up.”
“He-he, they certainly tried, but I’m no easy mark.”
Ed looked at the frail woman and thought she was joking.
“Well, good thing I was there to stop them, I’m sure eventually they’d have gotten this purse. Must have a lot of money in there.”
The woman noted the way he was eyeing her purse and instinctively clutched it tighter.
“You’d think that, but I’m really not rich. I’m just an old woman scrapping to get by. Had they gotten this, they’d have been very disappointed.”
This aggravated Edward to no end. Sure, he was glad that he had helped but he was hoping for a reward and it seemed like she wasn’t going to give him one.
“Wasted my time then. Help out and no reward, just fucking great.”
He stamped his foot in a puddle, splashing water everywhere.
“Sir, you helped me and have my gratitude but I don’t really have much to give. Is thanks enough?”
“I risked my life, what the hell do you think? Oh what’s the use, I’m done.”
He turned to leave but she stopped him by grabbing his arm. He felt almost electricity shoot through his body as she did, leaving him somewhat stunned.
“You shouldn’t leave like that. You saved Madam Rosewood, you should get something. Now, what is it you really want? Tell me.”
“Ha, money, obviously. But since you don’t have any, I’d really like the board of directors at my job to give me the recognition that I deserve. I’d love to be more like them.”
She smiled, flashing her yellow teeth at him. She reached into her purse and though he couldn’t see perfectly, Ed could have sworn she produced something out of thin air.
“That’s an easy request, I’m sure it’ll happen for you. I have something that isn’t worth much but at the least would make a good paperweight.”
She handed him a grey pig, one that seemed to be made of clay. The pig was no bigger than a staple remover. It was rather waifish looking and was dressed rather shabbily in jeans and a t-shirt, but it held money in one hand and food in the other.
“Thanks but I don’t need a paperweight. So, unless you have money.”
“Yes, here is ten dollars. It’s all I have on me. Sorry, it may have gotten wet in this rain. Enjoy.”
With that, she handed him a wet ten dollar bill and walked away. Ed just held the currency in his hand for a second before putting it in his pocket. Annoyed that he only got ten bucks for his troubles, he went back to walking to the bar to meet his wife.
*
“What took you? I’ve been here almost an hour!”
Ed watched his wife get up to greet him. Alexis Gand was exactly two days older than her husband and liked to brag about that when it came to who was wiser in the relationship. She was more than two inches shorter than him (he was 6-1, she 5’2) and he teased her often about this, calling her short stuff. She was skinny just like her husband, the two of them looking somewhat emaciated due to their living conditions. It wasn’t easy living in Brooklyn and their combined salary was underwhelming to say the least. Still, they were happy with one another if not their financial status.
“Sorry, I got caught up at work for a bit. Then I stopped a mugging!”
Alexis was shocked.
“A mugging? What are you, fucking crazy? You’d get hurt!”
She checked him for any marks but found none.
“I know, I don’t know why I did it either. Worse, the woman didn’t even give me a reward! She had ten bucks, that’s it.”
Alexis sighed.
“This is why I don’t go out of my way for strangers. They never give you anything in return. You wasted your time, babe.”
She patted him on the back and he just nodded in agreement.
“Actually, I forgot. She handed me this repulsive thing. Can you believe it?”
Alex looked at the clay pig and shuddered. It really wasn’t that awful looking but something about it gave her the chills.
“Ugh, put that thing away!”
He complied with his wife’s request.
“I did order you a drink, though it might be warm by now.”
Alexis motioned to the beer at the bar and her husband reached for it before taking a gulp. It was indeed warm.
“Whatever. Least the ten bucks will pay for this” he said before taking the still soggy bill out.
“He, the bill for our two drinks is 17.87 babe.”
Ed cursed.
“Fucking hell. Well, at least it pays for SOME of this.”
He tossed the a dry ten and an extra two dollars on top of the wet bill and tried to enjoy the moment with his wife.
Rising to the Top
By Jake (JMJ) and ST
By Jake (JMJ) and ST
“Another day, another failed ad, huh Rick?”
Edward Gand reclined in his chair and threw his hands back over his head. The lanky 24 year old was in the midst of more complaining to his older co-worker.
“Yeah, you say the same thing everyday Eddie. Don’t think anything’s changed since yesterday at 5pm.”
The older gentleman tossed his coffee cup in their shared trash can and lifted his sports jacket off the hook to the door of their shared office.
“I know, but, like, I’ve been submitting ads for months and those assholes haven’t noticed me at all! What’s a man have to do to get ahead around here?”
He grabbed his wrinkled tie and undid it and placed it in his worn carry on. He unbuttoned the top button to his baggy white button down shirt and tried to relax. The blonde haired blue eyed man still couldn’t get comfortable however.
“I wouldn’t know. I’m 7 years older than you with a kid and I’m basically at the same spot in life. Well, Nicole wants me home to spend more time with Jacob so I’m out. See you tomorrow, Ed.”
Rick left the room and Ed was left to ponder his job. He was only 24 and had been working at “Delta Ads” for two years. He was always trying to come up with new ideas and ways for the company to get more business but not one of his 127 ideas that had been submitted received any sort of critiques or even acknowledgment that someone had read them. As it was, he wasn’t even sure if anyone other than his supervisor and Rick knew he worked there. Certainly, the board had no idea who he was.
The four horsemen of the apocalypse as they were called (which made no sense since on member was a woman), sat around their big conference room all day discussing plans with clients and generally ignoring everyone else other than the different department heads. Ed had ventured in there once by mistake and was amazed at how laid back they seemed, just sitting there, chatting and eating. The conference table was filled with an assortment of food and beverages, easily thousands of dollars just for their breakfast/snacks. It made sense too, seeing as how the smallest member of the board, Donovan, was easily 400 pounds, maybe more. Still, the business was profitable, no matter how much the food bills cut into the profit.
“One day, one day they’ll know I exist” he said, going back to his research.”
At around 6:30pm, Ed got a text from his wife to meet him at the bar for a post work drink. Sighing at the thought of spending more money, he logged off from his desktop and headed out into the rain.
*
He had just gotten off the subway when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Two men, both rather rugged looking, were accosting an elderly woman for her purse. Something inside Ed screamed help her and he raced towards them as fast as his spindly legs could carry him.
“Hey, you two! Pick, pick on someone your own size!”
The two men began to laugh and walk towards him but the ground was so wet that the bigger of the two slipped and landed on his back, hard. He cried out in agony and begged his friend for help. The other would be mugger just grabbed his cohort by the arm and dragged him away, yelling obscenities at their would be pretty and her rescuer.
“Oh, oh my goodness, thank you! Such a kind man” the woman said in a thick English accent. She brushed some of her gray hairs off of her face and smiled at him.
“You ok? Those two looked like they were ready to mess you up.”
“He-he, they certainly tried, but I’m no easy mark.”
Ed looked at the frail woman and thought she was joking.
“Well, good thing I was there to stop them, I’m sure eventually they’d have gotten this purse. Must have a lot of money in there.”
The woman noted the way he was eyeing her purse and instinctively clutched it tighter.
“You’d think that, but I’m really not rich. I’m just an old woman scrapping to get by. Had they gotten this, they’d have been very disappointed.”
This aggravated Edward to no end. Sure, he was glad that he had helped but he was hoping for a reward and it seemed like she wasn’t going to give him one.
“Wasted my time then. Help out and no reward, just fucking great.”
He stamped his foot in a puddle, splashing water everywhere.
“Sir, you helped me and have my gratitude but I don’t really have much to give. Is thanks enough?”
“I risked my life, what the hell do you think? Oh what’s the use, I’m done.”
He turned to leave but she stopped him by grabbing his arm. He felt almost electricity shoot through his body as she did, leaving him somewhat stunned.
“You shouldn’t leave like that. You saved Madam Rosewood, you should get something. Now, what is it you really want? Tell me.”
“Ha, money, obviously. But since you don’t have any, I’d really like the board of directors at my job to give me the recognition that I deserve. I’d love to be more like them.”
She smiled, flashing her yellow teeth at him. She reached into her purse and though he couldn’t see perfectly, Ed could have sworn she produced something out of thin air.
“That’s an easy request, I’m sure it’ll happen for you. I have something that isn’t worth much but at the least would make a good paperweight.”
She handed him a grey pig, one that seemed to be made of clay. The pig was no bigger than a staple remover. It was rather waifish looking and was dressed rather shabbily in jeans and a t-shirt, but it held money in one hand and food in the other.
“Thanks but I don’t need a paperweight. So, unless you have money.”
“Yes, here is ten dollars. It’s all I have on me. Sorry, it may have gotten wet in this rain. Enjoy.”
With that, she handed him a wet ten dollar bill and walked away. Ed just held the currency in his hand for a second before putting it in his pocket. Annoyed that he only got ten bucks for his troubles, he went back to walking to the bar to meet his wife.
*
“What took you? I’ve been here almost an hour!”
Ed watched his wife get up to greet him. Alexis Gand was exactly two days older than her husband and liked to brag about that when it came to who was wiser in the relationship. She was more than two inches shorter than him (he was 6-1, she 5’2) and he teased her often about this, calling her short stuff. She was skinny just like her husband, the two of them looking somewhat emaciated due to their living conditions. It wasn’t easy living in Brooklyn and their combined salary was underwhelming to say the least. Still, they were happy with one another if not their financial status.
“Sorry, I got caught up at work for a bit. Then I stopped a mugging!”
Alexis was shocked.
“A mugging? What are you, fucking crazy? You’d get hurt!”
She checked him for any marks but found none.
“I know, I don’t know why I did it either. Worse, the woman didn’t even give me a reward! She had ten bucks, that’s it.”
Alexis sighed.
“This is why I don’t go out of my way for strangers. They never give you anything in return. You wasted your time, babe.”
She patted him on the back and he just nodded in agreement.
“Actually, I forgot. She handed me this repulsive thing. Can you believe it?”
Alex looked at the clay pig and shuddered. It really wasn’t that awful looking but something about it gave her the chills.
“Ugh, put that thing away!”
He complied with his wife’s request.
“I did order you a drink, though it might be warm by now.”
Alexis motioned to the beer at the bar and her husband reached for it before taking a gulp. It was indeed warm.
“Whatever. Least the ten bucks will pay for this” he said before taking the still soggy bill out.
“He, the bill for our two drinks is 17.87 babe.”
Ed cursed.
“Fucking hell. Well, at least it pays for SOME of this.”
He tossed the a dry ten and an extra two dollars on top of the wet bill and tried to enjoy the moment with his wife.
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