Seen by L.J. Breedlove

Author:L.J. Breedlove
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: college newspaper, university campus, racism, suspense novel, mystery, new adult, Portland, television station, multicultural
Publisher: L.J. Breedlove
Published: 2022-02-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

2 P.M., MONDAY, OCT. 3, 2021, PSU campus — Ryan called Luke and asked him to meet for coffee. They sat out on the Park Blocks; the good weather was still holding.

“You going to yell at me?” Luke said defensively.

“Have people been yelling at you?” Ryan asked curiously.

He shrugged but didn’t answer.

“No, I’m not going to yell at you. I talked to a devout Christian I respect. And he suggested I think about what it would be like to be smart, paranoid, different and blind.”

Ryan took a deep breath. Luke started to interrupt.

“No, listen first,” Ryan said. “So, I did think about it. I had a hell of a childhood. And you’ve probably heard stories about me during my teens and even here until recently. There was a lot of abuse, and I learned to watch people carefully for clues — to make them predictable. To avoid abuse. And I thought about what it would be like to not be able to do that.”

Ryan shrugged. He didn’t like talking about it; it made him feel vulnerable. “And I thought I might have an anger issue or two, myself.” No lie, he thought. Just thinking about it had given him nightmares last night.

“So, we — the leadership at EWN — talked about it. Drew is willing to hold off with charges as long as you don’t get violent with anyone again and if you take an anger management class. If the class frustrates you, I’ll arrange for one-on-one counseling instead.”

He paused, but Luke was silent now. “But see, I had hopes for you,” Ryan said honestly. “I think it would be good to have a strong-willed, smart conservative in the newsroom. Someone who could hold his own and add that perspective. And I have to admit I was disappointed that you blew that. But then, Drew and I talked, and then Sam, the radio station manager, and I talked to Will, and the other editors. And we’ve come up with a proposal we’d like you to think about.”

Ryan paused, then shrugged. “I’d like to see what a talk show on the radio would look like, if Drew DJ’d it, between you and Carroll, talking about whether or not God is a hermaphrodite — and something you need to know? Carroll is a hermaphrodite, themselves. So they weren’t being blasphemous, they were saying God created me in God’s image.”

“I didn’t know that,” Luke mumbled.

“Probably not,” Ryan agreed. “And then? Well, you haven’t been around EWN much, but we got to brainstorming. And we thought, what if you came up with a list of issues you took exception to — things we’ve covered, assumptions we make, stories we miss. And Drew moderated a no-holds debate between you, and whoever was willing to take the other side. You want to talk about transwomen competing in sports? Carrie might not argue it, she’s not much of a debater, but her partner Chris is. So the topics, then a sign-up sheet. The debate is pre-recorded and has to be approved by Will as EIC.

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