Categories > Comics > Authority
"Jonathan". He heard his name being called by a scratchy voice and smelled the strong and unpleasant scent of cigarette that lingered in the air.
"get up. It's already one, rent is due today."she said after a hefty cough. He rubbed his tired eyes and looked up to see his mother. She was a 49 year old woman who looked about 60. She was a drug abuser who was rude, bossy, and downright crazy. She had been the woman who neglected and ruined Jonathan as a child-If not for her he'd be out on his own with a successful career instead of being the 27-year-old man living with his mother and having a job on the streets like he does now. Her thin balding hair was a mess and she wore a raggedy robe over her skeleton like frame.
"I need another week." he grumbled sleepily, knowing they were about to have the same arguement they have evrey week.
"Really Jonathan? Get a real job for once. You're just like your useless father-God knows where he ran off to with that blonde tramp." She complained, unnecesarilly bringing up the past.
"Most likely just trying to find somewhere away from you." he muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" She shot. She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. " I'm tired of you not paying your rent. you've got one week to pay me THIS month's and LAST month's. Get your sorry life together or you're out." She would've slammed the door had it not been broken from one of their previous arguements, so instead she stomped away, muttering a string of profanities.
Jonathan let out an exasperated sigh. How was he suppossed to pay two months worth of rent in one week? He could barely afford to feed himself a decent meal. She was right though, his job didn't bring in anything. He and four of his friends started an acting group 4 years ago and they perform various plays in parks or other public areas. Some days they get a pretty decent amout of money and others they get next to nothing. It's hard to predict when they won't or when they will get a good pay. He use to have a normal minimum wage job at a gas station, but he quit it so he could persue his dreams of acting and becoming a big star in Hollywood. Sadly. it didn't work the way he planned and here he is four years later still waiting on some talent scout to recognize him.
He wiggled his tall skinny body out of bed, sweating from the heat of his air-conditionless apartment. The apartment was tiny with two rooms just big enough to fit a bed and a tiny dresser. The bathroom that doesn't have hot water is between his mothers bedroom and his. There is a narrow hallway just big enough for one person to walk down that leads to the cluttered and dirty kitchen that is home to many cockroaches and rats. Beside that is a tiny space to fit a dining table with two chairs from outside tucked underneath it. Lastly, there is the living room, big enough for their ripped old couch, rickety coffee table, and their broken TV to fit into. At first glance (of both outside and inside) the whole building looks run-down and abandoned, the only signs of people living here being the clothes hung out on the clothes-lines every once in a while and a few beat up cars out front in the cracked parking lot.
Jonathan grabbed his last clean blue button-up from a pile and didn't bother changing out of the baggy gray jeans he'd slept in. He threw on a belt and slipped on his worn out white sneakers. He grudgingly walked into the bathroom to rub the sleep from his brown eyes, brush his dark hair to the side, and brush his teeth. He looked down at his cheap flip-phone and read the time. it was 1:23 in the afternoon. His friends would have already performed and improvised at least twice at the park, but they wouldn't mind him being late. He walked past his mom who was sitting on the couch reading a magazine and walked outside and headed for the park.
"Look who decided to show up." His friend Adam teased, taking a break with the others on a park bench. "We made about 12 dollars so far, not too bad." He handed Jonathan his share of the money, which was three dollars and he reluctantly tucked it away inside his pocket. He sighed and leaned back on the bench, but was inturrupted when a big man in a black suit walked up and cleared his throat. Jonathan eyed the man curiosly and looked over at Adam, who was also suspicious.
"May we help you, sir?" Adam asked, sitting back up.
"Are you in charge here?" he asked Adam, revealing a husky voice that matched his appearance.
"That would be me, is there something wrong?" Jonathan asked, standing up to meet the man.
"I didn't see you performing" The man narrowed his eyes.
"I just got here. Is there something you need sir? If not i suggest you be on your way." Jonathan stated firmly. The man was quiet for a second, though his facial expression remained hard.
"I'm Frederick Johnson. I've been desperately searching for an actor to perform lead role in my play on Broadway. You see, three days ago, my actor had an accident and he is still in recoverey. The play is tomorrow night and i still haven't found an actor who will perform on such short notice, as it's inconvenient and the script will need to be memorized. We will pay you before the performance as a bribe of some sort i suppose. Fortunately, i happened to come across your group while they were acting and i hope one of you will play the part, it would not only help me out greatly, but it will most likely kick off an acting career for one of you." He said.
Jonathan couldn't believe it. All his wishes had just been answered. All his hard work had finally paid off. He could make it big. And for his first performance to be on Broadway! He had to be dreaming. He didn't need to talk this out with his group, before they became a group, they all agreed that if somebody was offered an acting job or a talent scout was looking, then they would let him go since he's been dreaming to make it big ever since he was a little boy. He must've been caught up in his own fantasies because the man, Mr. Frederick, had to clear his throat to get Jonathan's attention once more.
"Absoluely sir. I'll do it, I'll be your lead role" He said excitedly with a smile stretching across his face.
"Very well." he pulled a stack of paper from his briefcase and handed it to Jonathan. "This is the script. All of this needs to be memorized by tomorrow at 8 oclock in the evening." He reached into his briefcase once more and pulled out an envelope. "Here is directions and your promised payment." He walked away after giving a nod.
"No way" was all Jonathan could say as he stood there with his mouth wide open. For a second, everyone was speechless, It was his friend Rebecca who broke the silence. "You did it! Your dreams are finally coming true!!" Everybody started talking excitedly and congratulating him.
"I'm going to Broadway." Jonathan exclaimed.
"get up. It's already one, rent is due today."she said after a hefty cough. He rubbed his tired eyes and looked up to see his mother. She was a 49 year old woman who looked about 60. She was a drug abuser who was rude, bossy, and downright crazy. She had been the woman who neglected and ruined Jonathan as a child-If not for her he'd be out on his own with a successful career instead of being the 27-year-old man living with his mother and having a job on the streets like he does now. Her thin balding hair was a mess and she wore a raggedy robe over her skeleton like frame.
"I need another week." he grumbled sleepily, knowing they were about to have the same arguement they have evrey week.
"Really Jonathan? Get a real job for once. You're just like your useless father-God knows where he ran off to with that blonde tramp." She complained, unnecesarilly bringing up the past.
"Most likely just trying to find somewhere away from you." he muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" She shot. She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. " I'm tired of you not paying your rent. you've got one week to pay me THIS month's and LAST month's. Get your sorry life together or you're out." She would've slammed the door had it not been broken from one of their previous arguements, so instead she stomped away, muttering a string of profanities.
Jonathan let out an exasperated sigh. How was he suppossed to pay two months worth of rent in one week? He could barely afford to feed himself a decent meal. She was right though, his job didn't bring in anything. He and four of his friends started an acting group 4 years ago and they perform various plays in parks or other public areas. Some days they get a pretty decent amout of money and others they get next to nothing. It's hard to predict when they won't or when they will get a good pay. He use to have a normal minimum wage job at a gas station, but he quit it so he could persue his dreams of acting and becoming a big star in Hollywood. Sadly. it didn't work the way he planned and here he is four years later still waiting on some talent scout to recognize him.
He wiggled his tall skinny body out of bed, sweating from the heat of his air-conditionless apartment. The apartment was tiny with two rooms just big enough to fit a bed and a tiny dresser. The bathroom that doesn't have hot water is between his mothers bedroom and his. There is a narrow hallway just big enough for one person to walk down that leads to the cluttered and dirty kitchen that is home to many cockroaches and rats. Beside that is a tiny space to fit a dining table with two chairs from outside tucked underneath it. Lastly, there is the living room, big enough for their ripped old couch, rickety coffee table, and their broken TV to fit into. At first glance (of both outside and inside) the whole building looks run-down and abandoned, the only signs of people living here being the clothes hung out on the clothes-lines every once in a while and a few beat up cars out front in the cracked parking lot.
Jonathan grabbed his last clean blue button-up from a pile and didn't bother changing out of the baggy gray jeans he'd slept in. He threw on a belt and slipped on his worn out white sneakers. He grudgingly walked into the bathroom to rub the sleep from his brown eyes, brush his dark hair to the side, and brush his teeth. He looked down at his cheap flip-phone and read the time. it was 1:23 in the afternoon. His friends would have already performed and improvised at least twice at the park, but they wouldn't mind him being late. He walked past his mom who was sitting on the couch reading a magazine and walked outside and headed for the park.
"Look who decided to show up." His friend Adam teased, taking a break with the others on a park bench. "We made about 12 dollars so far, not too bad." He handed Jonathan his share of the money, which was three dollars and he reluctantly tucked it away inside his pocket. He sighed and leaned back on the bench, but was inturrupted when a big man in a black suit walked up and cleared his throat. Jonathan eyed the man curiosly and looked over at Adam, who was also suspicious.
"May we help you, sir?" Adam asked, sitting back up.
"Are you in charge here?" he asked Adam, revealing a husky voice that matched his appearance.
"That would be me, is there something wrong?" Jonathan asked, standing up to meet the man.
"I didn't see you performing" The man narrowed his eyes.
"I just got here. Is there something you need sir? If not i suggest you be on your way." Jonathan stated firmly. The man was quiet for a second, though his facial expression remained hard.
"I'm Frederick Johnson. I've been desperately searching for an actor to perform lead role in my play on Broadway. You see, three days ago, my actor had an accident and he is still in recoverey. The play is tomorrow night and i still haven't found an actor who will perform on such short notice, as it's inconvenient and the script will need to be memorized. We will pay you before the performance as a bribe of some sort i suppose. Fortunately, i happened to come across your group while they were acting and i hope one of you will play the part, it would not only help me out greatly, but it will most likely kick off an acting career for one of you." He said.
Jonathan couldn't believe it. All his wishes had just been answered. All his hard work had finally paid off. He could make it big. And for his first performance to be on Broadway! He had to be dreaming. He didn't need to talk this out with his group, before they became a group, they all agreed that if somebody was offered an acting job or a talent scout was looking, then they would let him go since he's been dreaming to make it big ever since he was a little boy. He must've been caught up in his own fantasies because the man, Mr. Frederick, had to clear his throat to get Jonathan's attention once more.
"Absoluely sir. I'll do it, I'll be your lead role" He said excitedly with a smile stretching across his face.
"Very well." he pulled a stack of paper from his briefcase and handed it to Jonathan. "This is the script. All of this needs to be memorized by tomorrow at 8 oclock in the evening." He reached into his briefcase once more and pulled out an envelope. "Here is directions and your promised payment." He walked away after giving a nod.
"No way" was all Jonathan could say as he stood there with his mouth wide open. For a second, everyone was speechless, It was his friend Rebecca who broke the silence. "You did it! Your dreams are finally coming true!!" Everybody started talking excitedly and congratulating him.
"I'm going to Broadway." Jonathan exclaimed.
Sign up to rate and review this story