One week had passed since Michael’s birthday. A lot had happened since then, but since none of it involves Michael, I’ll just sum it up in one paragraph. I had bought an apartment, how? Well, let’s just say that the SherMichael to Dollar exchange rate is pretty good. I had enough money to buy a pent house but I didn’t want to arouse any unwanted suspicions and hence settled for a small apartment in Manhattan. Then I looked over the certificates that I had brought with me back in time, according to the papers … I was born on the 29th of August 1958 (o wow! The exact same date), I was an orphan, I had done my high schooling in New York, gotten a 179 on my LSAT’s and had graduated Suma Cum Laude from Harvard Law.
It took me three days to complete the entire law syllabus. Not showing off, well ya, maybe a little bit.
I had completed two of the things on my checklist
Buy an apartment [done]
Become legally identifiable [done]
Now I had to get to know people and form some connections, connections that would help me get into Michael’s inner circle. I decided to pay a visit to Michael’s lawyer John.
*********************************"
“Hello, how can I help you?” the lady at the desk asked as I entered the office
“Hi, I’m here to see Mr. B. John?”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but its urgent, it would be really helpful if I could meet him today”
“I’m sorry but Mr. John is busy”
Sharp blue shirt, crisp ironed
trousers, sleek back pony tail and a portfolio, you’re here to apply for a job, there’s no chance in hell I’m going to let you in to meet him. I graduated from Yale Law and joined the firm three years ago, yet I’m here manning the desk when his secretary calls in sick, and you come striding in, in those penny loafers and expect to meet John and potentially threaten to snatch away my position of junior partner at the firm, ya I’m going to let that happen, dream on baby, dream on. Even though John’s inside right now practically playing solitaire on his computer, I’m not going to let you meet him.
Oh, so he’s in and he’s not busy. By the way I figured out why and how I could hear the thoughts of people around me. The thing was, HSM’s minds were far more evolved than Homo Sapiens and hence if I studied the Sapiens’ expressions for a few moments I could figure out what they were thinking. It’s like if a Homo Sapien went back in time and met a Homo Erectus, they would easily be able to figure out what the Erectus was thinking, since their only thoughts revolved around the fulfillment of basic needs – food, shelter and sex and their body language was pretty basic and in correspondence to these basic needs.
So, by looking at Sapiens I could figure out what they were thinking, maybe not the exact same words but the gist of their entire thought process. The lady in front of me, for example, looked me up and down thrice, stopped for a nanosecond more at my shirt and loafers, studied my hair, judging by the certificate on the wall at which she glanced proudly as soon as I came in, wanting to draw my attention to it, her name is Susan Jessica Jones, she has graduated from Yale law and during our entire conversation has been glancing now and again at the door marked ‘B. John: Name Partner’ – meaning someone is inside, that someone is not engaged in work and can come out anytime, and most importantly she doesn’t want him to come out.
“Susan, darling, I’m his girlfriend, he called me up ten minutes ago and told me that he was in his office and that I could come meet him here” I spoke authoritatively “I’m going in. And if Mr. John isn’t in his office, I’ll wait for him inside”
“you’re his girlfriend? Oh my god, I’m so sorry, ai…I thought you were here for a job. Yes, he’s in, I’m really sorry”
“it’s okay sweetie, I won’t tell him what you did if you run and fetch me a coffee and don’t be in a hurry to come back, we would love some alone time” I winked
“sure”
I saw her scurry out of the office as I knocked on John’s door
“Yes Susan, come in”
“Hi” I said going in and closing the door after me
“Who are you?”
“Not Susan but a way better lawyer than little Susan could ever dream of becoming”
“If you’re here for a job then I’m sorry. Currently there are no openings in the firm”
“Not even for Harvard graduates?”
He closed his file and looked up as I said that and pointed to the chair in front me
Harvard graduate? Why did she come here then? Pearson Spector is in the opposite building. Woah, she’s extremely pretty for a Harvard graduate. If she really is who she says she is, then I’m replacing Susan
I handed my file to him. He scanned through it, clearly impressed by what he saw.
“Your credentials are very impressive Ms. Carmen. I see you graduated Suma Cum Laude, that is wonderful. But my question is, why do you want to work here and not at Pearson Spector or Zane Morris, that’s usually where the Harvards go”
“Because I want to work in the Entertainment Industry and you Mr. John are the best in Hollywood”
“yes, that is true”
Of course, that is true, I represent the Presley Estate, could I ‘be’ representing a bigger celebrity?
“you will soon”
“huh?”
“I was saying make a decision soon, Mr. John, I already have an offer from Harvey Spector. Agreed they don’t represent clients from the film and music industry but that can be changed, it’s one of the most money-making industries after all”
Feisty and unafraid. Exactly what I want my associates to be
“Ms. Carmen, despite there being no new job openings at the firm, I’m willing to offer you an associate position here, but your salary shall be the same as the other associates’ and you will be working not only as an associate but also as a paralegal”
“Done. But I have two conditions of my own”
“yes?”
“first, I will assist you in any case that involves Michael Jackson”
“why?”
“what do you mean Why?”
“I mean, he’s not a big account. I’ve never closed a big deal for Michael. The Jackson 5 is a bigger account. Why would you choose Michael and not the Jackson5 or for that matter the Presley estate?”
“As everyone knows Michael’s going solo with his next album. I think he has great potential and very soon he’s going to be a huge star”
“Hmm…Okay, agreed. What’s the next condition”
“you will not fire Susan because you hired me”
“Done. I’ll be seeing you on Monday then”
“thank you for meeting with me. I look forward to working with you”
As I exited John’s room, Susan entered the office with coffee.
“Hi, here’s your coffee”
“thanks Susie, I’ll be coming back on Monday … we’re going to be colleagues”
“what? But? You said?”
“I know sweetie, but we broke up this afternoon, he offered me a job and I took it. ta ta …. See you Monday” I waved casually and walked out of the office
Step three: Gain access to Michael’s inner circle [done].
YOU ARE READING
While He was Awake
FanfictionTravelling back in time to meet and be with him...but it's not what I thought it would be, more importantly he's not what I thought him to be. If I had known him the way he really was, would I still travel back to be with him? Absofuckinloutely...
