Like We Care by Tom Matthews

Author:Tom Matthews
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Bancroft Press

Teach Your Children Well

And then, there she was. Waiting for him.

She had already commandeered his VCR, had already fired up that ridiculous tape she had returned with. Even more audacious, she had collared staffers from across the floor and pulled them into his office to view it.

He could hear that kid—that irredeemably common kid—from all the way down the hall.

“It’s almost like we’re being born just to take money off us,” Joel protested on the tape. “Fuck that!”

Fresh from his run-in with Sweetie-P, this was the last thing Hutch needed. He had to pull people away from his doorway and aim them back toward their work stations just to get into his office.

“All right, thank you,” he said dryly, hating the nagging, school-teacherish tone in his voice. Every month as the head of this media giant took him farther and farther away from the happening young man he once thought he was.

“Back to work. We’ve got a culture to bring down.” He pushed more staffers out of the room.

Last to leave—in fact, as yet oblivious to Hutch’s hectoring—were the interns, standing nearest to the monitor. They were young college students, much closer to high school age than the paid staffers. And, as eager-to-be-unpaid drones in the R2Rev universe, much less possessed of the cynicism and attitude that marked the staffers.

To have the best view of the TV, they must’ve come running when Annie first put out the call.

Or maybe she went to them first.

“Annie—” he fussed.

“Look,” she said quietly. “They’re paying attention. What more do you want?”

He grabbed the remote from her hand and shut Joel Kasten off. The interns turned and went pale at finding themselves busted in the boss’ office.

“I’m about to hire the bunch of you just so I can fire you.”

They scuttled out, averting their eyes as they squeezed past Hutch. This was the closest he’d ever come to encountering much of the intern staff.

Christ, did they all look this young?

Annie took the remote back from Hutch and started the tape again, muting it. Images of Joel, of the Happy Snack, of a persecuted Daljit Singh spilled into Hutch’s office.

“What do you think?” she asked confidently.

He edged past her and reclaimed his desk. He had been dreading this encounter all week.

“Have a seat. We’ll work this out.”

She sat down opposite him. Her extended duty in the field had allowed Hutch to forget how attractive Annie was. Once again, he felt stirrings. No doubt she had dressed this day to produce that very effect.

He leaned back casually, adopting his most earnest guise. “Am I glad you’re back. I think I’ve finally found a position for you that you’ll soar in, and which will—by happy coincidence—drag my ass out of one very big fire.”

He was dodging the issue. Annie’s antennae went up as she leaned in warily.

Hutch set to rumba nimbly between the shit and the Shineola. “Executive Producer. The Ripple Room.”

She blinked. “You’re kidding me.”

“It’ll keep you here in town, which I know is important to you. Ten hours a week of prime programming, all under your command.

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