Scattered Seeds

"I'm not so sure about this anymore," Tom spoke warily.

Long fingers rubbed back and forth over his mouth, and his brow creased with concern.

Tom scanned the mob that congregated outside the talent agency's building: chattering flocks of people, mostly females, their numbers lining the crowded sidewalk until it disappeared around the corner of the block. He noted their short skirts, high heels, made-up faces, and the items they held waiting to be autographed. He doubted there were few, if any, truly qualified applicants to join him on his next excursion, and disappointment ate away at him even more.

"Well you thought it was an excellent idea in the beginning," Luke replied dryly, coming to stand beside him to peer out the window.

His eyes widened at the sight of the multitude below; an expression of second thought flashing across his dainty features. "Uh," Luke spoke with hesitation. "It will be great publicity for both UNICEF and yourself, Tom," he assured half-heartedly. Patting Tom's shoulder, he turned away from the daunting mass.

"Taking a fan on a charity outreach project," Luke continued, now standing at a table with his back to Tom. "Two months to intimately learn the country's culture, language, their needs, and to help first hand in building a school and implementing water purification systems."

Tom drowned Luke out as he recited a long list of reasons why he was still sure it was a fantastic idea to bring a fan along.

"We should have just stuck strictly with video submissions," Tom muttered, moving back to the large rectangular table covered in letters, photographs, digital media cards, and CDs.

He pushed through some of the entries, coming across a photo of a very large middle-aged woman. Tom regarded her kindly, but then shook his head and thrust the picture at Luke. "You see?" he asked, with noticeable irritation.

"What?" Luke questioned, eyeing the photo but not taking it.

Tom let out an exasperated sigh. "Bless her for having the heart to volunteer," he began. "But she wouldn't last two days out there, Luke, let alone two months!"

Luke reviewed the entry closer when Tom tossed it to the table after running a hand through his hair in frustration. He did not have to vocalize how correct his client was.

Luke had already scoured the majority of the candidates. Considering there were literally thousands of them, it was quite the endeavor on his part. Many a night Luke sat up sorting applicants into three neatly organized piles: No, Maybe and Definite Potential.

The No's were gathered and placed in large totes to be preserved later. To his credit, Tom insisted on keeping anything and everything his fans sent him.

The Maybe's and Definite Potential's numbered over three hundred, and received a personal invitation to Hamilton Hodell. They were to be interviewed by a board which consisted of Louise O'Shea and Pauline Llorca of UNICEK UK, Micheal Symons, Tom, and Luke. Today was the beginning of those interviews, approximately 105 applicants per day over the next three days.

The entries on the table were late, having been received that very morning. Luke was just beginning to sort them when Tom had pulled the older woman's out.

Luke silently apologized to her, matching her photograph and letter together before gently filing them alphabetically into a No tote.

"If we'd stuck to just video entries not everyone who wanted to participate may have had the chance," Luke reminded Tom.

He shot Luke a pensive glare, and then moved his gaze over tote upon tote, stacked up three high, down the entire length of the far wall. "Heaven forbid."