He was in desperate need of a particular file
 |
| Richard O'Dwyer (1982) |
Richard O'Dwyer, CEO,
arrived at the executive suite
of Otroleum Food Inc.
He immediately placed his bonded
leather attache case on his desk
and then combed through each
and every file cabinet
because he fired
his secretary
the day before.
He found nothing.
No one else in the Underling Sector
of his 29th floor suite would have
any idea where this file is or what
the hell is in the goddam file.
Had he found the mystery file, 1991 would not have been the horror it proved to be.
Mr. O'Dwyer lost his job when the urine content of Otroleum food products
exceeded FDA standards. The company folded the following year.
Richard O'Dwyer lost his job, his home, his family, his mistresses, his golf swing...
he lost everything except his sense of self-deception.
That was Then and This is Now...
In 2014, Mr. O'Dwyer still has an executive title.
He is the Vice-President of the Long Beach Skyroofers Association
and all his clothes are made from high quality abandoned denim.
Skyroofer is his term for being homeless and sleeping
in the Al Fresco Open Air Hotel.
"Where is the hotel?" I asked.
"Wherever the grass is green or the beach sand is dry and soft," he replied,
"But I must continue my search. That file must be somewhere.
I am grateful that you are an honest man. Please keep an eye
on my attache case."
He hoisted himself into a dumpster behind Denny's Restaurant
on Long Beach Boulevard.
It was midnight.
"Please don't take very long. I am almost finished with my cigaret.
I have to return to my friends inside. We are about to be served
our burgers & fries."
He re-emerged from the dumpster.
"Nothing. It is not there."
"What is not there?"
"If only I knew how to answer that question.
If only I hadn't fired my secretary thirty years ago.
Why the hell did Karen give a blow job to the janitor
right in front of me? It's all her fault."
"What is her fault?"
"Everything. Everything. I was a Chief Executive Officer
of a global food supplier. Today, all I am is a Vice-President
Skyroofer."
"Who is the President Skyroofer?"
"That changes every day. Maybe it is no one."
"Then maybe it is you, Richard."
"Maybe it is. Hip hip hooray!
Please pass me my attache case."
The attache was actually an elongated
delapidated gym bag.
"Everything I own is in this attache case
and the sky is my roof. I must be on my way."
"Richard."
"Yes."
"Can I give you a dollar?"
"No thank you. Maybe next time. Good night.
Enjoy your burger & fries."
And then he was gone but he walked tall,
like an executive. He walked proud,
like every man should.
At least every man–and woman–who is on a mission.
____________________________________________________________________________________
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