Silver / clay

⊱ 25 ⊰

"Here he is."

Caleb entered the boardroom, leading with his smile, the one he knew they wanted to see. He followed the ringmaster, Damien, shaking hands with each prospective client one by one, before being herded to his prescribed position at the head of the room, for the main event.

"What was it like?" said a brave soul, eyes twinkling with anticipation.

Caleb acted gravely concerned. "Tough," he said.

Damien nodded for him to elaborate.

"Forget everything you've heard," continued Caleb. "It's not just drugs and mental illness, though they're never far away; it's not the freezing nights, or hunger pains, or the chance that the roof of the derelict place you're staying the night in comes crashing down -- but that one did happen, ask me about it later."

The whole room nodded, leaning forward, proverbial saliva dripping from the corners of their mouths.

"It's not the threat of coming into contact with the wrong cop on the wrong day, who just wants a bit of fun. No, the real struggle is to maintain the drive to want to better yourself when all around you they're trying to pull you down. It's not just misery that loves company -- try dealing with other homeless people who don't want to change their position in life, and who'll do anything it takes to maintain the status quo."

More sage nods. The script was easy enough to remember, and some of it wasn't entirely untrue. The main goal was to tell them what they wanted to hear.

"Charities?" said a CFO.

"When volunteers aren't beaten or threatened into giving it all up, and they actually care about helping and not just spreading a message, charities can still barely keep up. Make no mistake, it's dog eat dog."

"I can relate," said the CFO. It received the requisite chuckles based on his position and company status.

"But you pulled yourself up, anyway," said Damien, prompting.

"Through being smart," said Caleb, "and hard work."

"Makes sense," said the CFO. "It's how we're all in these positions. But with the election so soon, there's a new mob who want to give it all away -- everything we've earned, really -- to people who add nothing to society."

"Not if we can help it," said Damien, patting Caleb on the back.

He was thanked out the room once his role was complete, leaving the big boys to complete their business. He could tell by the lascivious ogles that he'd managed to arouse their imaginations, leaving firmly imprinted on their psyches a deep impression of the blood sport called living on the streets. What-if's circled their thoughts, as each considered how they'd react in the same situation, forcing false bravado into the cracks of their own deficiencies. He hadn't completely lied about the drive needed to survive, but it was the kind they'd never know.

Instead of Amala, it was Xifeng's face that filled his vision, as he nearly toppled her over. She didn't flinch, her eyes firmly fixed on his, her mouth tightly wound. There seemed a lot that mouth wanted to express, but it said far more by its mere appearance.

"It's just PR," said Caleb, shrugging off the performance.

"I know," said Xifeng.

"I'm not really getting access to anyone special, I'm a performing monkey who does what he's told."

"I know."

"So there's nothing I can do about it," said Caleb.

"I'm better at this job than you," said Xifeng. "I'm better than you."

"I know," said Caleb, repeating her line, his tongue a little in his cheek.

Xifeng breathed in deeply, then discarded some of her anger with a quick hiss. "I heard they're putting you on TV."

"Oh, the political ads," said Caleb.

"You'll be the face of the company," said Xifeng.

"I wouldn't go that far. They just want to get their point across."

"Aren't you worried?" said Xifeng.

"Worried?" said Caleb. "About what?"

"What does this mean for your future?"

He hadn't thought that far ahead. Following orders was entrenching him within the company, securing his place in case of a sudden restructuring, and would provide a good platform from which to get promoted. "It's fine," he said.

"You should be worried," said Xifeng. "About what happens next. About where you're going."