Clark Livingston stormed out of the building and made an misguided attempt for dramatic flair by trying to slam the door and failing miserably. He stopped halfway down the stairs and immediately turned around to return and make sure that the door was shut. A group of upperclassmen were hanging outside the door smoking cigarettes as they watched Clark try to leave with dignity.
“ Yo, Mr. Livingston, that door almost took you out! Yo! I think he’s a crypt!” One of the boys shouted as he leaned over the railing. Mr. Livingston turned and headed back down the stairs with a wave.
The loud cackles and howling laughter hung in Clark’s ears as he finally found his small Ford Escape. Slamming the door much more effectively this time, he smiled as he managed to get the engine started without incident and leave the school grounds.
“ I am just not going to take it anymore!” he shouted out loud to himself. Lowering his head, he happened to stare at the gas gauge. “ Shit!” he shouted as he now had to definitely stop before going home. As he thought about this idea coming to fruition, he gradually came to accept it. Squinting against the late afternoon sun, Clark slowly pulled into the supermarket parking lot amidst a chorus of beeping as well as some profanities.
As he made his way through the store he collided with another shopper. Bracing himself for most likely will be a verbal assault, he looked up sheepishly. His eyes lit up like the first firecracker of the season being lit in front of a large crowd.
“ Hey, Clark,” the woman said with a cute smile, wiping her long brown locks out of her face.
“ Hey, Melissa!” he responded as his whole demeanor brightened as well as a new smile emerging across his face.
“ How’s it going? U still subbing?’ she asked as she moved her cart out of the way of an aggressive shopper.
Pushing his horn rimmed bifocals up the bridge of his nose, he looked into Melissa’s eyes. “ Uh.. no. I was actually let go today.” Clark looked at the ground sheepishly as he was about to turn around and head in the opposite direction.
“ Hey wait! Clark! Don’t give up! I am no longer teaching any more either!” She announced with a wide beaming smile on her face.
“ Really ?’ Clark asked, his head perking up slightly.
“ Yeah! I’ve had it with that shit! I don’t have to tell you, you know exactly what I’m talking about!” She exclaimed as she waved her left hand and moved her cart with her right.
“ So what are you doing?” Clark asked as he pushed his glasses back up his nose.
“ Selling real estate!” Melissa announced with a big smile. She winked at him which made him slightly more uncomfortable than he already was.
“ Really?” Clark asked, looking slightly more hopeful than at any previous point in his conversation with Melissa.
“ You know ! I have a great idea! Why don’t you meet me here at 8:45 and I will hook you up with the right people to get you started!” Melissa handed Clark her card.” My number is on the back of the card if you need anything,” She smiled again. “ See you tomorrow! I promise you won’t regret it!” She waved again as she pushed her cart down the next aisle. Clark stood there for a moment and stared at the card that Melissa had just handed him. Smiling wide, he made sure that he stuffed the card inside his wallet that way he was sure he wouldn’t lose it.
On the way home, after he finished the chores that he had to do and was deep in thought. His mood changed quickly as soon as he found himself in the usual parade of cars stuck behind orange barrels. Looking up at the billboard that stood by the highway, he grimaced.
Corey Conner, the up and coming real estate agent in the area was everywhere these days. His crooked smile was plastered over the billboard, making Clark want to vomit everywhere. “ What a waste to put that asshole’s face across a billboard that could deliver important info to people! I pray to god that I don’t have to work with that scumbag!” As soon as he completed his temper tantrum, the line of cars began to move. Pulling down his sun visor, thoughts of Corey Conner disappeared and were replaced with thoughts about Melissa.
Pulling into the parking lot of his apartment complex, he managed to avoid the perpetual Big Wheel that was always left in the absolute middle of the lot. As Clark got out of his car, he looked over at the Big Wheel and marveled how yet again, day after day, it is parked in the geographical middle of the parking lot by a child of no more than 4 years old.
The next morning was the textbook definition of the expression, dawn of a new day. Clark got up and immediately headed over to his filthy closet. He began to forage through the assortment of clusters of clothes, like a beaver searching for the exact location to build a new dam on new property. Having no idea whatsoever to dress like a real estate agent, he decided to wear the same clothes that he did when he was a teacher.
He arrived at the location a few minutes early and after searching extensively, he couldn’t find Melissa anywhere. Before the usual embarrassment which always seemed to be fueled with anxiety, began to rear its ugly head, he saw Melissa. Breathing a huge sigh of relief, he immediately parked the car. Leaving his car as quickly as he could, he barely managed to maintain his balance.
Melissa got out of her car and smiled at Clark as he managed to navigate his way across the parking lot . “ Hey Clark! I am so glad that you came!” Melissa said with a big smile.
“ Me too!” Clark smiled back as he stepped behind her in order to let her lead the way. Entering the building, a cold blast of air hit them like a gust of Arctic wind. Clark shivered as he continued to follow Melissa to the back of the building. On his way to the back, he happened to glance over towards a row of larger cubicles positioned closer to the wall for a better view. He cringed as he say Corey Conner sitting behind one of the biggest desks in the office with his feet on top. Clark just kept his eyes forward as he followed behind Melissa and entered the auditorium.
Upon entering, they were bombarded with yet another blast of Arctic air. Clark shivered once again as he found a seat next to Melissa.” Jesus! It is so cold in here I am surprised that I don’t see Rocky in here punching the meat!” Clark whispered in Melissa’s ear. She suddenly burst out laughing which managed to attract everyone’s attention in the whole room. Clark immediately lowered his head and stared at the floor. Many eyes were focused on them from all areas of the room. Melissa, with a big smile on her face, just glared back at the people who were staring at them.
After the session, Melissa and Clark left the building. Clark explained to Melissa that he was definitely interested and he was going to enter the program. She smiled at him and gingerly put her hand on his shoulder. He smiled in a way that he never thought was possible.
The weeks flew by and Clark studied as hard as he could for the training that was involved. Melissa was further ahead but they studied together when they could. A slight attraction was beginning to develop between them and Clark had never been happier in his life.
The time came when he graduated from the program and became a real estate agent. The money wasn’t flowing in like Clark had hoped, but he knew that it was just going to take time. Melissa soon sold her first house and Clark was genuinely happy for her. His progress, however, was another story altogether.
Clark was struggling mightily trying to land his first sale. The lack of commissions did nothing to strengthen his financial situation. His mood was starting to become gloomier and more negative by the day. People that worked in the same office where laughing in face more each day. Corey Conner was the ringleader, allowing his irritating arrogance shine. Clark secretly despised him and would often imagine scenarios involving new ways for Corey to die.
Finally, when least expected, Clark managed to assemble a productive day. So productive in fact that he actually made a sale. He was so excited he didn’t know what to do first. The enthusiasm and excitement that he felt was a feeling that had eluded him for several months. He forgot what it felt like to be happy again. Reaching for his phone, he dialed the first person he could think of to share the good news.
Melissa answered the phone on the first ring. Telling Clark to hold on for a second, she finished up working with a new client. Eager to talk to Clark, she was back on the phone soon afterwards.
“ You did it! I know you would!” Melissa cried into the phone, obviously ecstatic.
“ Thanks to you!” Clark responded gleefully at the other end of the phone.
“ Let’s celebrate!” Melissa announced.
“ No! I don’t want to make a big deal out of this!” Clark responded sheepishly.
“ I insist! I will plan the whole thing! Meet me at The Philosophical Anchor at 6:00. You know where it is, right?” She asked.
“ Yeah it is the new place with an anchor in front with a graduation cap on?” Clark asked, not completely 100 percent sure but extremely close.
“ You got it! See you then!” Melissa said excitedly as she hung up her phone. Clark smiled wide and drove straight home. The whole way home he was trying to think of a casual outfit to wear.
The time came and Clark was as ready as he was ever going to be. He arrived at the bar just in time to see Melissa. They greeted each other with a big hug that seemed slightly more intimate than their previous embraces. As they walked in, Clark noticed a few of the people that he saw in the office. Everyone was very nice to him, buying him shots and patting him on the back. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Melissa smiling at him several times which made him feel a warm feeling wash over him.
His happiness was short lived as he heard the voice of the one person that he didn’t want to have there. Corey entered with his blazing fake tan, high fiving and fist bumping virtually every person that he saw. Corey approached Clark with his arms wide open for a big hug. Reluctantly embracing, Clark winced as he turned his head away.
“ Congratulations! I knew that you were going to get it done soon! I told myself the other day, I said, ya know, Corey! I have a feeling that the new guy Clark is going to finally get it done! And look what happened! You did!” Corey smiled and ushered Clark over to have a seat at the bar with him. Clark noticed Melissa staring at them out of the corner of her eye. Clark just rolled his eyes while Melissa laughed, well aware of the fact that he hated him.
Corey continued to shovel shot after shot down Clark’s mouth. This proved more than he could handle. After a few more hours of mingling, he approached Melissa and informed her that he needed to leave. She urged him to take an Uber or call a cab. He vigorously denied her requests and left abruptly.
After arriving at his car, he knew he was more than drunk. But many times with the effects of alcohol dictating your actions, he made a very bad decision. He started his car and turned onto the highway that ran in front of the bar. After swerving a few times, he failed to see an oncoming ambulance while he was in the process of drifting into the other lane. The result was a catastrophic collision that killed him instantly.
Days after Clark’s funeral, Corey made his move. He claimed the rights to the house that Clark had managed to sell the day of his death. Melissa resented Corey but she couldn’t really do anything about it and most importantly, Corey could care less in regards to how she felt about the situation. After navigating the proper channels, he managed to claim the commission for himself.
That evening, he got into his brand new sports car and began to head home. The song” Man in a Box” was blasting through the speakers and Corey was enjoying every minute of it. He was particularly impressed with himself on how he managed to grab Clark’s commission. In the middle of the song, he could have sworn that he heard a voice say,” That is my first commission!” Corey cocked his head and turned down the radio briefly to see if he was imagining things like he thought he was.
Listening closely to the radio, he took his eyes off the road. When he lifted his head one more time, he screamed. Clark was standing in the middle of the road wearing the same clothes he wore during the party.
“ IT WAS MY FIRST COMMISSION!” Clark screamed, his voice echoing in Corey’s ears. The words rang in his head, causing terrible and overwhelming pain that momentarily incapacitated him. He threw his hands off the wheel and the car smashed directly into a large oak tree that slightly hung over the road. Not more than a few minutes later, a large explosion rang through the sky.